• Officials warn the Los Angeles fires aren't over yet.
• Though winds are forecast to die down this week, they could pick up again next week.
• The fires have burned through 40,000 acres and could have caused up to $275 billion in damage.

Los Angeles officials said Wednesday that they'd generally been able to keep the wildfires ravaging the area from spreading further — but they warned the region isn't in the clear yet.

Extreme fire danger conditions were forecast to continue through at least Wednesday afternoon local time, the National Weather Service said. Meteorologists said conditions could improve on Thursday.

The wildfires, which have now been raging for more than a week, have already burned through 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,300 homes and other structures.

More than 8,500 firefighters have been marshaled to fight the blazes, which have caused at least 25 reported deaths.

LA fires rage on for a ninth day

Officials said Wednesday that, over the past 24 hours, winds had not been as bad as expected, but the area still faced dangerous conditions.

The LA County Fire Department said Wednesday morning that a "red flag" warning for the Eaton Fire, one of the major blazes, had been extended into the evening. It said that the Santa Ana winds will gradually subside throughout the day, but very dry conditions will likely persist through Thursday.

"The anticipated 70-mile-an-hour winds have yet to materialize," Anthony Marrone, the Los Angeles County Fire Department chief, said at a Wednesday briefing. "However, this could change, and we are still at risk."

And though conditions may improve in the next few days, weather forecasters are already sounding the alarm for potential critical fire weather conditions beginning again toward the middle of next week.

The Palisades and the Eaton Fires — the two largest at 23,712 acres and 14,117 acres — were 19% and 45% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire. The Hurst Fire, at 799 acres, was almost fully contained, it said.

Los Angeles County Robert Luna said that as of Wednesday morning, fewer people were under evacuation orders, noting 82,400 people affected. Evacuation warnings had risen slightly because of the winds, up to 92,400.

Looting, burglary, arson, and price gouging are hitting the area

As thousands of LA area residents struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives, others have taken advantage of the situation for their own gain.

LA officials have reported suspected instances of looting, burglary, and other crimes in wildfire-ravaged areas.

Sheriff Luna said Wednesday that his officers had made 44 arrests related to the Eaton and Palisades Fires, including for suspected burglary, trespassing, curfew violation, possession of guns and narcotics, and impersonating a firefighter.

In addition to those arrests, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said Wednesday that his department had made 14 arrests related to the fires — for things like suspected felony vandalism, impersonating a firefighter, possession of burglary tools, and shoplifting.

There have also been a few cases of suspected arson, officials said.

In one suspected case on Tuesday evening, a bystander caught someone starting a fire near the edge of the Hurst Fire zone and detained them until officers arrived, McDonnell said. The bystander had already put out the fire by the time officers got there, and the suspect was taken into custody where McDonnell said he admitted to sparking the fire because "he liked the smell of burning leaves."

Another person was booked on suspicion of arson that day after McDonnell said she admitted to starting multiple rubbish and trash fires because she said she "enjoyed causing chaos and destruction."

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office has seen instances of price gouging on medical supplies and hotels, as well as landlords overcharging above the legal limit.

Jason Oppenheim, the star of "Selling Sunset" who co-runs the real estate brokerage the Oppenheim Group, has also reported seeing landlords engaging in suspected price gouging.

Damage from the LA fires is mounting

The scope of the LA fires' destruction is beginning to come to light.

Preliminary estimates from AccuWeather peg the total damage and economic losses associated with the Southern California wildfires at up to $275 billion.

That would make the fires more economically damaging than the Maui wildfires from 2023, which AccuWeather said caused up to $16 billion in damages — and more destructive than 2024's Hurricane Helene, which caused $225 to $250 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather's estimate.

AccuWeather's estimate accounts for more than just damage to buildings and infrastructure — it also includes the expected financial impact of evacuation orders, the long-term cost of rebuilding or relocation for people whose homes were destroyed, anticipated cleanup and recovery costs, emergency shelter expenses, immediate and long-term healthcare costs for those who were injured or exposed to unhealthy air quality, as well as lost wages for people whose jobs will have been affected.

Meanwhile, according to Goldman Sachs, the total damage from the LA fires could rank among the top 20 costliest natural disasters in US history in terms of GDP.

And all that loss isn't going to help California's ongoing insurance crisis, where many homebuyers already struggle to get approved for loans, home insurance, and fire insurance — even in areas outside the typical risk zones.

Rising prices, which experts say will now likely only get worse, have forced some residents to go without insurance entirely — and for those impacted by the fires, the recovery costs will be significant.

Looking beyond the destruction of the LA fires

LA officials are already looking beyond the fires, despite firefighters still struggling to put out the larger blazes fully.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to speed up the city's building permit review process. The order calls for reviews to be completed within 30 days of submission.

The executive order also aims to streamline processes for clearing debris.

Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday issued an executive order barring land developers from making unsolicited and undervalued offers to buy properties.

"Make no mistake — this is a prosecutable crime," he said in an X post.

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• More than 400 Washington Post staffers are urging Jeff Bezos to meet with the paper's leaders.
• The letter says integrity and transparency issues have caused staff departures.
• The Post has faced subscriber losses and leadership scrutiny under CEO Will Lewis.

More than 400 Washington Post staffers sent a letter to the paper's owner, Jeff Bezos, asking him to intervene after a year of crises.

The letter asked Bezos, who has owned the paper since 2013, to come to the Post and meet with its leaders.

"We are deeply alarmed by recent leadership decisions that have led readers to question the integrity of this institution, broken with a tradition of transparency, and prompted some of our most distinguished colleagues to leave, with more departures imminent," the letter says. "This goes far beyond the issue of the presidential endorsement, which we recognize as the owner's prerogative. This is about retaining our competitive edge, restoring trust that has been lost, and reestablishing a relationship with leadership based on open communication."

One newsroom insider called it notable for its representation of non-union as well as union signatories.

"It ratchets up the pressure," said this person, who, like some others, spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely about internal matters. Their identity is known to Business Insider.

Since Bezos bought the paper, the Amazon executive chairman has had regular meetings with the business side but largely stayed out of the news coverage.

"From the very beginning, he told us he wouldn't be involved in any way in the newsroom, or be a hands-on owner," the Post insider said. "Our Amazon coverage has been aggressive, and he's never pushed back. I think the plea now is to get him involved now to establish some leadership in the newsroom."

The Post has been battered by a string of recent crises under Will Lewis, its publisher and CEO. NPR reported that the outlet lost a significant number of subscribers after announcing — just days before the US presidential election in November — that it wouldn't endorse a candidate. That decision broke with 40 years of tradition and happened after a Kamala Harris endorsement had been planned.

Bezos later explained the decision in an opinion column, saying many people believe the media is biased and presidential endorsements don't help.

A second Post insider, who is familiar with the subscription numbers, said the paper had won back at least 20% of the subscriptions it lost after the endorsement situation. They said nearly three-fourths of those people who canceled are still using the site while their subscriptions remain active.

Since the endorsement controversy, a number of high-profile newsroom figures have defected. They include a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, who quit after the paper declined to publish her cartoon that portrayed Bezos and other media and tech CEOs sucking up to a statue of President-elect Donald Trump.

A third Post insider described a nihilistic feeling at the company amid the talent exodus. They said they felt it would be hard for the paper to move forward under Bezos' ownership in a second Trump administration, given credibility issues with some left-leaning readers.

"A lot of really good institutions are going to have a really hard time in the Trump administration, from higher education to journalism," this person said. "And I think the Post, in part because of our own doing, is one of the first to have its walls shook really, really hard."

Lewis earlier faced scrutiny when he replaced the top editor, Sally Buzbee, in 2024, and then his choice of replacement backed out. He also faced questions over his actions during the aftermath of a UK phone-hacking scandal.

Not all Post staffers are in agreement with the petition. Another staffer, sports columnist Sally Jenkins, said the Post's biggest problem is the underlying business challenges facing it and other legacy media.

"I think the Post is in the middle of trying to find solutions, and it takes a lot of time," she said. "Would I love it if Jeff Bezos came to the newsroom? Sure. I just think things are much more complicated than, 'Oh, things will be fine if Jeff Bezos comes in and talks to some editors.'"

Like many other news outlets, the paper has struggled on the revenue side. Last week, it began laying off 4% of staff on the business side, Reuters reported.

Here's the full text of the letter:

To Jeff Bezos:

You recently wrote that ensuring the long-term success and editorial independence of this newspaper is essential. We agree, and we believe you take as much pride in The Washington Post as we do.

We are deeply alarmed by recent leadership decisions that have led readers to question the integrity of this institution, broken with a tradition of transparency, and prompted some of our most distinguished colleagues to leave, with more departures imminent. This goes far beyond the issue of the presidential endorsement, which we recognize as the owner's prerogative. This is about retaining our competitive edge, restoring trust that has been lost, and reestablishing a relationship with leadership based on open communication.

We urge you to come to our office and meet with Post leaders, as you have in the past, about what has been happening at The Post. We understand the need for change, and we are eager to deliver the news in innovative ways. But we need a clear vision we can believe in.

We are committed to pursuing independent journalism that holds power to account and to reporting the news without fear or favor. That will never change. Nothing will shake our determination to follow the reporting wherever it leads.

As you wrote when you first became The Post's owner in 2013, "The values of The Post do not need changing." We urge you to stand with us in reaffirming those values.

Signed,

Staffers of The Washington Post

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• TikTok users are reacting to a potential US ban by creating memes.
• The US government has cited national security concerns, impacting TikTok's future in America.
• Users, sad to lose the platform, are turning to humor to cope with the uncertainty.

It's a week of mourning for TikTok users, and they're using humor to make peace with the looming ban.

A slew of videos and photos have emerged as TikTokers make memes to say goodbye to the short-form video platform. A TikTok ban isn't certain, but users will find out the app's fate on Sunday — the deadline for its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to find a buyer in the US.

In true internet fashion, TikTokers are posting what could be their final jokes on the app. Some of them are hosting fake funerals for TikTok; others are bidding goodbye to their "Chinese spy," a reference to the US's concerns about whether it represents a threat to national security.

Meanwhile, others are blaming the US government, president-elect Donald Trump, and social networking billionaire Mark Zuckerberg for trying to take away TikTok. Zuckerberg could win big if "TikTok refugees," as they call themselves, flocked to Meta's Instagram to watch short-form reels.

Some, like TikToker Santina Rizzi, aren't so sure Zuckerberg is "going to get" the top spot for short videos if a ban goes through. She said that users would go to YouTube instead.

"I'll be touching grass before I return to anything Meta," a top comment said.

Still, users are finding ways to laugh instead of panicking about the potential shutdown.

Some say they're willing to move countries to have access to TikTok, and others say they're willing to learn Chinese to use a rising platform called Xiaohongshu. The China-based app shot to the top of the Apple App Store this week as people sought an alternative to Instagram reels or YouTube shorts.

While some have found substitute apps to fill the void, others have pondered turning a new leaf in their social media usage and trying to regain some of their time and energy.

"I think I'm just going to finally read a book," one commenter said in response to a video from Sierra Boudreaux (@averagesisi).

"I'll probably actually start getting my 10k steps in," another added.

Over the years, TikTok has been the birthplace of iconic memes, phrases that have entered the cultural lexicon, or just a place for people to consume short-form content tailored to their interests.

Without TikTok, the world might know terms like "unalive," "rizz," or "demure" that have become commonplace after becoming popular on the platform.

But many users have also made peace with the potential dissolution of TikTok, and they're trying to enjoy the time they have left with the app — however long that may be.

This isn't the first time a beloved social media app has faced a big change. Twitter users mourned the platform as they knew it before it became X under Elon Musk's ownership. Like TikTok, users laughed and despaired over the fate of their go-to platform.

TikTok's future is yet to be determined, but the jokes are still flying in case this is the last week to do so.

And if all else fails, there's always the library.

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• Martha Kilner, from London, was a teacher for 20 years.
• She ended up in hospital after a panic attack due to the increasing stress and workload.
• She became a virtual assistant in early 2024 and was fully booked within three weeks.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Martha Kilner. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I wanted to be a teacher ever since I did my psychology degree. I did my dissertation on dyslexia in children, which involved lots of visits to schools, and I felt really comfortable being in front of a class. So I became a teacher in 2002, at the age of 22.

For years, I gave it my heart and soul. The school felt like a family, and teaching was my purpose and calling. I got married in 2010 and had three children in three and a half years. I took maternity leave and returned to teaching full time in 2018.

I realized that I couldn't have a family and be a teacher, so I became a virtual assistant in 2024.

I had no life-work balance as a teacher

Almost as soon as I went back, I realized that it wasn't working anymore. It became clear that it wasn't family-friendly. I used to think teaching would be great when I had kids because of all the vacations you get. But I was leaving for work at 7 a.m. and not getting home until 6 p.m. a lot of the time, so I hardly saw my children. The workload was also never-ending.

I started having lots of health issues, which I attributed to teaching. I was having hair loss and heart palpitations, and I had a ticking in my ear. After sitting down for six hours straight during a parents' evening, I ended up with deep vein thrombosis. I just felt like I wasn't living my life anymore, and things came to a head in 2019 when, after a session with a student teacher, my heart started racing. My colleagues called an ambulance, and I was taken to the hospital; as it turned out, I'd had a panic attack.

But I didn't quit teaching then. I thought it was me, that it was because I had been out of teaching, that it was a new school, and I needed to get into the swing of things, and it would all be fine.

The school offered me a new job but I knew it was time to leave

Then 2020 came, and the Covid lockdowns happened. On my 40th birthday, the announcement came that schools were closed and teaching would go online. We had the Easter vacation to prepare, and I had never had much to do with Google Classroom. I taught third grade, so they weren't used to using computers regularly and accessing resources online. It was stressful at first, but I actually enjoyed meeting my class online in small groups while being at home and not spending so many hours at school.

During maternity leave, I learned to crochet as I found it relaxing, and it was during the pandemic that I thought I could turn it into a side hustle by creating online crochet tutorials. I couldn't quite make it profitable, but I had already decided I wasn't returning to in person teaching. My school offered me a role as their marketing and communications officer — a role I actually loved, managing the school's social media, PR, and newsletters. But it was a low-paid, entry-level job, which wasn't sustainable financially.

I became a virtual assistant

A friend then suggested becoming a virtual assistant (or VA). I found a website called "The VA Handbook" and a Facebook group called "The VA Handbookers" and learned everything I needed to know about becoming a VA. It was mainly about marketing myself because I already knew how to build websites and organize spreadsheets and calendars. From my crochet business experience, I knew getting clients would be the hardest part.

I posted on my personal social media that I was going to try being a VA. Someone I had previously worked with booked me for 30 hours a month there and then, as she had just set up her own marketing agency. That gave me the confidence to officially set up my VA business. I then put up a LinkedIn post about it. So many people who I'd worked with before vouched for me, and I was fully booked within three weeks.

I now have four VA clients who work from 10 hours a month to 60 hours a month. I do everything from inbox and calendar management to social media and websites, proofreading and editing documents, data entry, and customer support. I'm more of a business assistant, as there are so many different aspects of a business that I help with.

I'm more present for my kids

Life is so different now. I take my kids to school every day, and I go for a 6k walk afterward, either with a friend or listening to a podcast. On a Thursday, a friend comes to my house to work, and on Friday, my husband, who's a lawyer, works from home, so I still have work buddies.

I actually make more money, too, and work fewer hours. I can earn about $58,000 a year as a VA, working about 30 hours a week, while I was making about $54,000 a year in my last teaching role. I don't get company retirement payments anymore — I will have to pay into a retirement fund myself — and of course, I don't get the teacher vacation anymore. But weighing up the pros and cons, I still think I have a better deal now. My cholesterol and blood pressure are now normal.

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• JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon was asked on an earnings call who would be likely to replace him.
• Dimon suggested there is a running list but that no final decision has been made.
• The comments follow the latest leadership reshuffle due to a top exec's retirement plans.

One of the biggest Wall Street storylines over the years has been around who will eventually take over as CEO of JPMorgan Chase — a role long held by Jamie Dimon.

Questions resurfaced this week when America's biggest bank by assets announced a series of management changes triggered by the pending retirement of Daniel Pinto, the firm's president and COO and longtime stand-in for Dimon in the case of an emergency.

The leadership reshuffle sparked fresh speculation about who might succeed Dimon, a topic that played out on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

"Jamie, who's your successor?," Wells Fargo's bank research analyst Mike Mayo asked on the call.

Dimon suggested there is a running list (including some people analysts like Mayo may not suspect) but that no final decision has been made. He declined to name names, however, except for Jenn Piepszak, co-CEO of JPMorgan's commercial and investment bank, who was tapped to replace Pinto as COO and who has said she doesn't want the CEO job.

"We have several exceptional people. You guys know most of them. Maybe one or two you don't know," Dimon told Mayo. "The board reviews and meets with them all the time. I think it's wonderful that Jenn Piepszak, who does not want to be the CEO, will be here as
chief operating officer and stay after that."

As Business Insider reported this week, Pinto is set to step down in June from his day-to-day role and fully retire at the end of 2026. Piepszak agreed to take on the role of COO vacated by Pinto but took her name out of the ring for CEO consideration.

"And obviously, we're not going to tell the press, but it's not determined yet," Dimon said. Even if there was a top pick, he said, things could change by the time he steps down as CEO.

"People get sick, they change their mind or family circumstances. So even if you thought you knew today, you couldn't be completely sure," he said.

Dimon made headlines last year when he said his time as JPMorgan's CEO was coming to a close. "The timetable is not five years anymore," he told investors, a reference to a running joke about how, when asked how long he might remain at the helm, he's often said five years.

On Wednesday, Dimon suggested that he still plans to retire as CEO, although not necessarily chairman, in four to five years.

"Now you're talking potentially four, five years or more," he said. "I'll be 69 in March. I think it's the rational thing to do."

"I've had a couple of health problems, you know," he added, referring to cardiac issues he'd undergone in recent years. In 2020, he underwent emergency heart surgery.

"If I'm here for several more years, I may or may not be chairman," he said, adding, "It's going to be up to the board."

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• LinkedIn released its annual jobs on the rise report.
• The list ranked roles based on job growth rates using member data.
• Among the top 10 jobs were AI engineer and consultant, physical therapist, and travel advisor.

The US labor market ended 2024 on a high by adding 256,000 new jobs in December, as opposed to the 164,000 predicted.

The unemployment rate also fell to 4.1% in December from 4.2% in November.

While this hints at positive growth, economists have predicted that job seekers navigating the 2025 job market will still face challenges.

One way to keep up with an ever-changing job market is consistently upskilling, and LinkedIn's annual jobs on the rise report provides insights into the top 25 growing professions and the skills needed to take on these roles.

The roles were ranked based on job growth rates, which were determined by compiling job titles that saw the most growth on its website between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024.

The report also detailed the most common skills for those jobs, which were identified using top skills listed on LinkedIn profiles of people who'd held those job titles; the median years of prior work experience for the roles; and the top locations hiring, based on "the regions that employed the largest percentage of each job title from January 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024," according to the report.

Here are the 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US. The full list is available on LinkedIn.

15. Grants consultant

Many nonprofits and businesses require external assistance — usually financial — to support their mission and work. Grant consultants identify the organization's needs, research different grant programs, and help secure funding by applying for the right opportunities.

According to the LinkedIn report, grant consultants must be skilled at grant writing, grant administration, and federal grants management.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Washington, DC, Cleveland

Median years of prior experience: 4.4

14. Land agent

Imagine a developer who wants to build a wind farm but needs to lease land from several property owners in the area. A land agent steps in to make it happen.

They research who owns the land, negotiate fair lease agreements with the owners, and ensure all legal and regulatory requirements are met.

Those who have deep knowledge of land acquisition rules, can search titles, and negotiate contracts can excel in this role.

Where the most jobs are: Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Macon in Georgia

Median years of prior experience: 4.4

13. Treasury manager

Treasury managers are like an organization's air traffic controllers. They ensure a company's finances are secure by keeping tabs on all expenses, monitoring bank accounts, and predicting cash needs.

According to the report, job seekers must be skilled at cash management, cash flow forecasting, and financial analysis to excel at this role.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Chicago, Dallas

Median years of prior experience: 6.4

12. Artificial intelligence researcher

In a fast-growing industry like AI, researchers are often the brains behind new developments and advancements in this technology — think quicker outputs, improved solutions, and the ability to differentiate between large data sets quickly.

Similar to AI engineers and consultants, those seeking a job as an AI researcher must be skilled at deep learning, large language models (LLM), and PyTorch.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, Boston, Seattle

Median years of prior experience: 3.2

11. Community planner

If a town wants to add a new park for its residents, a community planner would help navigate the process. They gather input from the community, study the area to find the perfect spot, and make sure the project aligns with zoning rules and budgets. Then, they team up with architects, engineers, and local officials to bring the vision to life.

Per the report, the skills needed for this role include urban planning, zoning, and community outreach.

Where the most jobs are: Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago

Median years of prior experience: 3.3

10. Security guard

Security guards protect property, assets, and people by maintaining a safe and secure environment. Their duties typically include monitoring premises, patrolling areas, overseeing access points, and responding to security breaches or emergencies.

Per the report, the skills most commonly needed for this role include security operations, surveillance, and customer service.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

Median years of prior experience: 2.2

9. Sustainability specialist

A sustainability specialist helps organizations become more responsible about their overall environmental footprint. They dig into operations, find ways to cut waste, save resources, and shrink carbon footprints. From crafting eco-friendly strategies to tracking progress, they're the go-to for making businesses cleaner, greener, and future-ready.

According to the report, those hoping to take on this role must be adept at sustainability reporting and understand corporate social responsibility and environmental policies.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco

Median years of prior experience: 3

8. Outside sales representative

Outside sales representatives help companies sell their products or services by building a roster of clients, forging connections, and helping to achieve sales targets.

Those hoping to take on this role must be skilled at cold calling, account management, and sales operations.

Where the most jobs are: Houston, Dallas, Atlanta

Median years of prior experience: 4.3

7. Director of development

This senior leadership role, typically in nonprofit organizations, requires the individual to devise fundraising strategies and suggest proposals for donor engagement. They are crucial in ensuring the organization secures the resources it needs for maximum impact.

Those hoping to take on this role must be skilled at fundraising, grant writing, and community outreach.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC

Median years of prior experience: 5.4

6. Event Coordinator

Event coordinators work behind the scenes in planning and executing various events, including corporate, PR, brand, or collection launches, weddings, and birthday parties. They also handle their clients' logistics, decor, vendor management, and budget allocation.

Those seeking a job in this industry must be skilled at event planning, social media marketing, and customer service.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Boston

Median years of prior experience: 2.8

5. Travel advisor

With the travel industry making a comeback post-COVID-19, there's also been a revival in travel advisor roles. As travelers seek curated and hassle-free journeys, travel advisors are important in ensuring stress-free and memorable trips.

They help vacationers plan every aspect of their trip, from accommodations and dining to must-see attractions. For clients unsure about where to go, travel advisors recommend destinations tailored to their interests, preferences, and budget. To succeed in this role, individuals must be skilled in travel planning, writing, and social media marketing, per the report.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Los Angeles, Miami

Median years of prior experience: 4.7

4. Workforce development manager

In every industry, as innovations come along, employees have to upskill to stay on top of industry trends and meet organizational needs — this is where workforce development managers play a crucial role. They identify the company's needs and areas where employees require additional support, then devise training programs to address those gaps. Training programs usually include leadership workshops or skill-based courses.

The LinkedIn report says individuals must be skilled in program management and development, and community outreach to take on this role.

Where the most jobs are: Los Angeles, Columbus in Ohio, Seattle

Median years of prior experience: 5.1

3. Physical therapists

The role of a physical therapist has made leaps in the past year, moving from No. 13 to the third spot this year.

Typically, physical therapists assess, devise plans, and help patients suffering from mobility issues or those recovering from injuries. According to the report, those seeking a career in this domain must have the following skills and qualifications: orthopedic rehabilitation, patient care management, and occupational therapy.

Where the most jobs are: New York City, Boston, Chicago

Median years of prior experience: 3.6

2. Artificial intelligence consultant

AI consultants, which ranked eighth last year, took the second spot this year.

AI consultants advise organizations on how to best implement AI tools and technology within their existing workflow. The report recommends that those seeking to work in this role be skilled in LLM, prompt engineering, and Python.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Washington, DC

Median years of prior experience: 4.5

1. Artificial intelligence engineer

Given the rapid rise of AI in workplaces and our daily lives, it's no surprise that artificial intelligence engineers, who were No. 10 on last year's report, have taken the top spot this year.

AI engineers "design, develop, implement," and train AI models to perform complex tasks, recognize patterns, and analyze large amounts of data. Per the report, the skills most commonly needed are large language processing, PyTorch, and natural language processing.

Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Boston

Median years of prior experience: 3.6

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The Australian Open is back for the 113th time to help kick off the 2025 ATP and WTA seasons. We've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch the Australian Open, including free live streaming options.

While ESPN+ is your one-stop solution in the US, as it has coverage of every single match, you can check out our advice on how to watch the free coverage from an Australian TV channel even if you're not in Australia.

A few rainy days have clogged up the schedule somewhat since the tournament started a few days ago, so there are still many second-round matches to be played. Top players like Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Navarro, and Paolini are all still in, but we've seen surprise exists already from Casper Ruud, and Olympic Gold medalist Qinwen Zheng. Keep reading to learn how to live stream the Australian Open today, along with a list of the best upcoming matches.

• See also: How to watch college football | How much is ESPN Plus? | How to watch NFL games

Where to watch the Australian Open in the US

The Australian Open is spread across multiple ESPN properties (including ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Plus) and the Tennis Channel in the United States. Your best bet is ESPN Plus, which will live stream every match.

From what we've seen so far on ESPN/2, they're favoring coverage of American players over much higher-ranked stars. So ESPN+ is certainly looking like the better option if you'd prefer to watch the best international players when there is a scheduling clash.

ESPN Plus costs $12 per month, making it the cheapest way to live stream the tournament in the US. Subscriptions unlock expansive tennis coverage and access to select live college sporting events, golf, UFC, and much more. Even if you have cable, ESPN Plus will most likely be necessary if you want to watch all matches live.

Due to the time delay between the US and Australia, some of the TV coverage will be available on tape delay so that it airs during a time when more people are awake. For example, some of the delayed First Round coverage hit ESPN2 on Sunday from 9 a.m. ET. Additional replay First Round action was available on the Tennis Channel on Sunday starting at 12 p.m. ET. The Tennis Channel picks up live coverage from 5 p.m. ET.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive live TV streaming coverage akin to cable, it might be time to try out a live TV streaming package like Sling TV, Fubo, or DirecTV Stream. These month-to-month options are low-commitment cable alternatives that rank among the best sports streaming services we've found.

Sling TV is the cheapest of the bunch. Subscriptions start at $46 per month for the Sling Orange plan, which carries ESPN, ESPN2, and 33 other live channels. If you want Tennis Channel coverage, you'll need to add on the Sports Extra for an additional $11 per month. This will also grant you access to several other popular sports channels, including NBA TV, the MLB Network, and beIN Sports. Right now, new users can get $23 off their first month of service.

Fubo and DirecTV Stream are even more elaborate live TV streaming alternatives with anywhere from 90 to 200+ live channels, depending on which plan and tier you sign up for. These are great options for people seeking expansive cable alternatives or those looking for a streaming service with a free trial offer for new customers. DirecTV Stream subscriptions start at $87 per month and Fubo plans start at $80 per month. Both streaming services carry ESPN and ESPN2 in their base plans, but you'll need to opt into Fubo Elite for $90 per month (or get Fubo's Sports Plus add-on for an extra $11 per month) or get the DirecTV Stream Sports Pack add-on for an extra $15 per month to live stream the Tennis Channel.

Where to watch the Australian Open in the UK

The Australian Open will be available on Eurosport in the UK. Viewers will probably remember that there used to be a separate Eurosport Player, but now all streaming options are available through Discovery Plus. You'll need to subscribe to the Standard (GBP7 per month) or Premium (GBP31 per month) subscriptions to access Australian Open coverage since Basic plans won't carry the tournament.

Where to watch the Australian Open in Australia

The Australian Open is available on 9Now in Australia. This is a free streaming option, and you only need to create an account to get started. Australia is also carrying paid coverage on Stan Sport, so if you find that any of the minor matches are missing from the TV guide, it might be worth checking out Stan. But after monitoring coverage over the first few days, we haven't spotted any missing matches from the free coverage on 9Now.

How to watch the Australian Open from anywhere

If you happen to be away from Australia during any notable matches, you can still access the free live streaming option mentioned above with the help of a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs let people change their virtual locations so that they can access their go-to websites from anywhere. They're extra popular among those looking to upgrade their cybersecurity and keep up with their usual apps while traveling abroad.

ExpressVPN is our top recommendation. It's one of the best VPN providers out there and comes with a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee, so it's no sweat if you find that it's not helping you out. You can find more information in our ExpressVPN review, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.

How to watch the Australian Open with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't already have one.
• Install it on the device you're using to watch.
• Turn it on and set it to an Australian location.
• Create a 9Now account if you don't already have one.
• Enjoy the Australian Open!

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

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• Viral imitations of Hermes' Birkin bag have boosted awareness of Walmart's e-commerce marketplace.
• The positive attention is a tailwind as Walmart aims to take on Amazon's online dominance.
• Dupes like the so-called "Wirkin" can also pose a challenge for the retailer's brand relationships.

For all of the fanfare they received last month, the internet-famous dupes of the ultra-luxe Birkin handbags have been disappearing from Walmart's e-commerce marketplace.

Walmart itself has been fairly quiet about the trend.

"In some instances, products may no longer be available," a Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider, declining to comment on the items specifically. The spokesperson added that the company encourages shoppers to explore its website for "exciting alternatives."

The frenzy around these imitation luxury accessories, available for a fraction of the price of the designer versions, highlights how such an increase in attention can be a somewhat mixed bag for online platforms like Walmart. An imitation bag going viral on TikTok can bring publicity to an online marketplace while also posing legal and reputational risks for brand owners.

"The Birkin dupes on Walmart's site have attracted such attention because of the juxtaposition of a very price-focused brand and a very aspirational product," GlobalData retail analyst Neil Saunders told BI. "It underlines how much its marketplace has evolved over recent years. Walmart has been actively expanding the offer to attract more consumers, especially younger and more affluent ones."

Walmart executives have touted the massive assortment of products available via third-party sellers in its online marketplace, which launched in 2009. Last quarter, CEO Doug McMillon said the SKU count is approaching 700 million items — a figure that dwarfs the 120,000 SKUs typically carried in a Walmart Supercenter.

McMillon has spoken at length about how important a huge selection of products is for Walmart to become the first place shoppers think of when they need anything from a dozen eggs sold by Walmart to a pair of sneakers from a third-party seller.

"When somebody thinks about buying anything and they want to go search or they want to go find a specific item, we want to be in that consideration set and that requires 1P and 3P," he said in a September 2023 earnings call, referring to first-party and third-party goods.

Amazon largely achieved this place in American consumers' minds by offering more than 600 million products on its site, of which 588 million are sold by third-party vendors, according to Capital One.

But what happens when sellers offer — and shoppers want — products that might infringe on another company's intellectual property rights?

Neither Walmart nor Hermes have said publicly whether an official complaint was filed, but McMillon has often said the company prizes its brand partnerships and wants to keep suppliers happy.

A Walmart employee who works in the Marketplace division told BI the company takes a cautious approach with potentially risky listings.

"We sure block a lot of stuff I could just get on Amazon," he said.

While many of the listings for the imitation Birkin bags are no longer available on Walmart's website, similar bags were available on Amazon as of Wednesday morning.

One third-party seller on Amazon was offering a $100 " Wirkin welmes" leather handbag, using keywords that were popularized in reference to the delisted dupes on Walmart.com. The listing was taken down after BI contacted Amazon for comment.

Amazon told BI it automatically scans every product listing for potential IP infringement, and said there is a difference between IP-infringing products and products that otherwise resemble brand-name products. The company also said several bags have been removed for violating marketplace policies, including the listing mentioned above.

Balancing new customer awareness with protecting brands could help explain Walmart's relatively low-key handling of the Wirkin trend publicly. However, this likely won't be the last time the company will have to thread this needle.

The Walmart employee said the Marketplace team regularly writes new rules to address new situations, and that AI image recognition is increasingly being trained to flag listings for review by human staffers.

Opening the marketplace to an ever-larger number of sellers means there will be no shortage of listings that will go on to be deleted. Those future listings will likely come and go with less attention as more people realize Walmart's offering goes well beyond its physical stores.

If anything, the kerfuffle over the Wirkin shows that Walmart's marketplace ambitions have reached a key milestone, attracting a level of viral attention in league with existing titans like Amazon and eBay.

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• US stocks ripped higher on Wednesday after strong bank earnings and encouraging inflation data.
• The ongoing bond sell-off also saw some relief as yields tumbled.
• The moves mark a recalibration in the Fed's future path of rate moves.

US stocks rallied sharp on Wednesday as traders took in encouraging inflation data and strong earnings from Wall Street banks.

The ongoing sell-off in bonds also got some relief, as the 10-year Treasury yield tumbled as much as 16 basis points. The move offers some relief to equity investors who have been nervously watching the 10-year note as it approaches the psychologically significant 5% threshold, which has historically been a sell signal.

The bright spot in Wednesday's data was core inflation — which strips out food and energy prices — coming in lower than expected. It soothed investor worries of persistently high consumer prices, at least temporarily. That concern has informed a sharp run-up in bond yields, as investors have pared back expectations of rate cuts in 2025, with some even surmising a hike could be the next move.

On the bank earnings front, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and BlackRock results all came in above expectations, fueled by strong trading-desk performance.

Here's where US indexes stood shortly at 2 p.m. on Wednesday:

• S&P 500: 5,946.75, up 1.8%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 43,235.40, up 1.7% (717 points)
• Nasdaq composite: 19,487.34, up 2.3%
• 10-year Treasury yield: 4.66 (down 13 basis points)

Investors are largely expecting the Fed to pause its rate-cutting cycle this month. But the probability that the Fed will cut interest rates by 25 basis points twice this year rose on Wednesday, with markets seeing a 30% chance rates will end the year 50 basis points lower from current levels, according to the CME FedWatch tool, up from a 24% probability as of yesterday.

"Wednesday's softer-than-expected CPI print offers some relief, especially after last Friday's hot employment numbers, that the Fed may be able to still cut interest rates in 2025," Skyler Weinand, the chief investment officer of Regan Capital, said in a statement. "Even if the Fed cuts rates in 2025, it's likely to be six to eight months away, as we are still too far from the Fed's inflation target for the Fed to continue their rate cut march anytime soon,"

"The Fed can be patient and the economy is healthy," added Scott Helfstein, the head of investment strategy at Global X. "This is not a time to run for the hills,"

Here's what else is going on:

• Here's how the LA wildfires could impact the economy, according to Goldman Sachs.

• Bitcoin could drop 17% from its current levels once this key support level has been breached, according to Standard Chartered.
• Russia is on track to run out of reserves by this fall, which could cripple its war efforts.
• Here's why it's time for the software sector to shine, according to Bank of America.

In commodities, bonds, and crypto:

• West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.8% to $79.65 a barrel.
• Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed 2.2% to $81.70 a barrel.
• Gold increased 1.3% to $2,717 an ounce.
• Bitcoin climbed 3.2% to $99,554.

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• President-elect Donald Trump has 10 — soon to be 11 —grandchildren.
• They range in age from 5 to 17.
• His second-youngest child, Tiffany, announced her pregnancy in late 2024.

The Trump family is gearing up for the inauguration on Monday, eight years after Donald Trump took office for the first time in January 2017.

A lot has changed for the Trump family in the past eight years: Back then, Donald Trump's oldest son, Donald Jr., was still married to his now ex-wife, Vanessa, and the president had two fewer grandchildren.

Donald Trump has five children — Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron — and the three eldest each have multiple children of their own, while Tiffany Trump is set to give birth to her first child this year. Barron, who is just 18, started his freshman year of college in 2024.

Trump's eldest grandchild, Kai, is already stepping into the spotlight. She spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention and frequently posts photos on Instagram with her grandfather — she even posted that Elon Musk had " uncle status" on X. It stands to reason that as the rest of his grandchildren grow up, they might become more publicly outspoken, as well.

Here's a guide to all 10 of Trump's grandchildren.

Kai Madison Trump

Kai is the oldest of President Trump's grandchildren at 17 years old. She's also the oldest child of Donald Trump Jr. and his ex-wife, Vanessa Trump. She was born in May 2007.

Donald Jr. and Vanessa, who were married from 2005 to 2018, have five children together.

Kai spoke onstage at the Republican National Convention last year, making her first foray onto the political stage.

She's also set to play college golf and verbally committed to playing at the University of Miami beginning in 2026, she shared on Instagram in August.

She thanked Donald Trump, who owns more than a dozen golf courses, in the post, writing, "I would like to thank my Grandpa for giving me access to great courses and tremendous support."

Donald John Trump III

After Kai came Donald J. Trump III, who was born in February 2009, making him 15. Donald Jr. posted a photo with all of his kids, including his 15-year-old son, on Thanksgiving.

He was also onstage at the RNC in 2024.

Tristan Milos Trump

Donald Jr. and Vanessa's third child, Tristan, was born in October 2011 and is now 13 years old.

Spencer Frederick Trump

Spencer is the fourth of Donald Jr.'s five children; he was born in October 2012 and is 12 years old.

His middle name comes from his great-great-grandfather and his great-grandfather, Frederick Trump and Frederick Trump Sr., respectively.

President Trump also had an older brother, Frederick Trump Jr., who died in 1981.

Chloe Sophia Trump

Chloe is the youngest child of President Trump's eldest child. She was born in June 2014, making her 10 years old.

Her dad posted a photo of her and her older brother Spencer fishing in December 2024 on Instagram.

Arabella Rose Kushner

President Trump's second child is Ivanka Trump, who married Jared Kushner in 2009. She gave birth to their first child, Arabella, in July 2011. She is now 13 years old.

Ivanka regularly shares photos of her kids on social media. In a July 2024 Instagram post about Arabella's birthday, Ivanka wrote that her daughter loves singing, playing the piano, riding horses, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Joseph Frederick Kushner

Ivanka's second child, Joseph, was born in October 2013, making him 11 years old now.

According to Ivanka's Instagram, Joseph likes computers, dirt biking, and skateboarding.

Joseph and his cousin Spencer, who are 11 months apart, share the same middle name.

Theodore James Kushner

Ivanka's youngest child, Theodore, was born in March 2016. He is 8 years old, and loves football, parkour, poker, Rubik's cubes, and more, per his mom's Instagram.

Eric Luke Trump

Trump's third child, Eric, has been married to Lara Trump since 2014.

Their first child, Eric Luke (who goes by his middle name), was born in September 2017, making him 7 years old.

Luke has appeared at Trump rallies, like the September 2024 North Carolina rally pictured above, and appeared at the 2024 RNC with his sister.

Carolina Dorothy Trump

For now, 5-year-old Carolina is Trump's youngest grandchild. She was born to Eric and Lara in August 2019.

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• Biden announced an additional $4.5 billion in student-debt cancellation for 261,000 borrowers.
• The relief impacts borrowers who attended Ashford University, which a court found engaged in fraudulent behavior.
• This is among Biden's last debt relief efforts before he leaves the White House.

More student-loan borrowers are getting debt relief during President Joe Biden's last week in the White House.

On Wednesday, Biden's Education Department announced that it approved an additional $4.5 billion in debt cancellation for 261,000 borrowers who attended the for-profit school Ashford University from March 1, 2009, to April 30, 2020.

This announcement is a result of a request for relief from the California Department of Justice, which investigated Ashford and found, along with evidence from the Education Department, that the school misled students about the costs of attending and the credentials they needed to pursue their desired careers.

The California Department of Justice hit Ashford with a $20 million penalty in 2022, and a federal court found the school guilty of fraudulent behavior that same year. Ashford appealed the ruling, and in 2024, an appeals court upheld the department's findings of wrongdoing.

"Numerous federal and state investigations have documented the deceptive recruiting tactics frequently used by Ashford University," Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said in a statement. He added that "today's announcement will finally provide relief to many students who were harmed by Ashford's illegal actions."

The Education Department said it will email impacted borrowers notifying them of their relief in the coming days, and borrowers do not need to take any further action. Since this relief is a group discharge, it also includes borrowers who did not individually submit borrower defense to repayment applications, which are forms borrowers can submit for relief if they believe they were defrauded by the school they attended.

This relief expands on the Education Department's 2023 approval of a $72 million group discharge for 2,300 borrowers who attended Ashford, following the court decision from 2022. Ashford was acquired by the University of Arizona Global Campus in 2020.

This could likely mark Biden's last batch of student-loan forgiveness before he leaves office. On January 13, the Education Department announced $4.2 billion in debt cancellation for 152,000 borrowers, bringing the total student-debt relief under Biden to over $180 billion for 5.3 million borrowers.

The landscape for student-loan forgiveness is uncertain under President-elect Donald Trump, who has previously criticized broad debt relief and is unlikely to continue Biden's debt relief efforts.

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• I spent two days in Toulouse, which Lonely Planet dubbed the top city to visit in 2025.
• Nicknamed the "Pink City," Toulouse is home to several universities and iconic sites.
• Despite its youthful vibrancy and affordable eats, it didn't have the sophisticated vibe I wanted.

My husband and I love exploring new cities, so when we were planning our recent trip across France and Spain, we knew Toulouse would be one of our stops.

Located in southern France near the Spanish border, it has long attracted tourists — and travel site Lonely Planet named it the top city to visit in 2025.

Toulouse is home to several universities and iconic sites, including the historic Dome de La Grave along the Garonne River. It's also been nicknamed the "Pink City" for its stunning rosy-colored terra-cotta architecture.

Although my husband loved our two days in Toulouse, something about it didn't fully click for me.

A lot of the city seemed to be oriented toward college students

I'm not a fancy-pants traveler, but I still like to incorporate some swankiness into my trips. Unfortunately, we didn't find many opportunities to sprinkle sophistication into our days in Toulouse.

As we were in a large French city, I expected to see a few more upmarket shops (other than Galeries Lafayette) and high-end restaurants mixed in with all the secondhand shops, bookstores, and casual eateries.

Instead, we found more businesses and affordable eateries that seemed geared toward local students. On the plus side, though, we saved money eating at the plentiful quick and tasty cafes, like El Amacen empanada bar.

In addition, Toulouse seemed to have a lively nightlife, which makes sense considering the many nearby universities.

It was a bit too much for me, especially since this meant we heard many loud people heading out of the bars late at night near our hotel.

We stayed in the middle of the city, so I wasn't expecting silence. In fact, I enjoy hearing the sounds of a city in the evening. However, at a certain point — say, after 11 p.m. — I appreciate some quiet.

My husband and I wanted to keep our hotel window open to get some fresh air as we slept, but the late-night revelers made that a less-appealing option.

The traffic and roads were difficult for us to navigate

I'm happy we had the experience of driving across France, but doing so was particularly stressful in Toulouse.

As with most major cities, traffic here felt intimidating — especially since Toulouse has numerous narrow one-way streets.

Upon arrival at our hotel, we had to circle the roads several times before we could eventually pull over to the valet, as numerous vehicles were double-parked, and we didn't want to block traffic.

Thankfully, Toulouse is a very walkable city, and we mostly managed to get around on foot to take in the sights and visit friends. Next time we're in France with a car, though, we'll head elsewhere.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by Toulouse — but maybe younger travelers would be

We enjoyed Toulouse's rosy architecture, museums, and charming views from the banks of the Garonne River, but it just didn't have that certain je ne sais quoi I've felt in other large French cities like Paris or Bordeaux.

In many ways, Toulouse felt like a college town, probably because it kind of is one, with its multiple universities and sizable student population (tens of thousands!).

I wished it had felt more expansive, sophisticated, and buzzing with excitement — though preferably not loudly and late into the night.

Although I understand why many love the city, I feel like I would've liked it more when I was in my early 20s. I'm in my 40s now.

To be fair, we were in Toulouse for less than 48 hours and stayed within the city center, so I realize that doesn't give me the most comprehensive perspective.

Still, first impressions are important. I'm glad we went, but I left feeling like one visit was enough.

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Earbuds are the perfect headphones for people who want to listen to music on the go. The best wireless earbuds are compact and comfy, with great sound quality and long battery life. Some models also have extra features like active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out ambient sounds and sweat-proof designs for workouts.

Our experts tested several popular wireless earbuds to compare their performance and overall value. We recommend the Sony WF-1000XM5 as our top pick overall. They deliver an extensive set of features and excellent ANC. But if your main priority is high-end sound quality, the Technics EAH-AZ80 are our favorite earbuds for premium audio performance.

Below, you can find all eight of our picks for the best wireless earbuds, including models geared toward budget buyers, workouts, and easy pairing with Apple or Samsung devices.

Our top picks for the best wireless earbuds

Best overall: Sony WF-1000XM5 - See at Amazon

Best for sound: Technics EAH-AZ80 - See at Amazon

Best budget: JLab Go Air Pop - See at Amazon

Best for noise canceling: Bose QuietComfort Ultra - See at Amazon

Best for workouts: Jabra Elite 4 Active - See at Amazon

Best midrange: Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC - See at Amazon

Best for Apple users: AirPods Pro Gen 2 - See at Amazon

Best for Samsung phones: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - See at Amazon

Best overall

Sony makes some of the best wireless earbuds you can buy. Its flagship pair, the WF-1000XM5 (AKA the "Mark 5"), distills the best of what we love about the brand's buds into a sleek and powerful design.

Where the previous-generation WF-1000XM4 earbuds were large and bulbous, the XM5s are small and light, with a compact charging case to match. Their size is all the more impressive given that they have great battery life and among the very best noise-canceling performance we've tested in an earbud. They do a great job crushing low-end drones and suppress difficult high frequencies remarkably well. Only a few earbuds, like Bose's QuietComfort Ultra, can beat them in ANC.

The XM5s are also packed with features via the Sony Headphones app for iOS or Android. There, you'll find settings to adjust everything from the Ambient sound mode to features like multipoint pairing, speak-to-chat, Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial sound, and a multi-band EQ to create a personal sound profile.

Like their predecessors, the WF-1000XM5s deliver clear, rich, and detailed sound across instruments and vocals. You can improve the quality even more by engaging Sony's DSEE Extreme audio upscaling engine, while supported Android devices can access high-resolution Bluetooth via Sony's LDAC audio tech. Bone conduction sensors also help improve call quality, even in noisy environments.

The XM5s are comfortable to wear for hours. They come with a selection of foam ear tips that keep them stable in your ears and baseline water resistance for various use cases. We're also happy that Sony included volume controls on the buds themselves. Repeated taps on the left or right buds lower or raise volume, respectively, which gets the job done.

Our only real complaint is that the earbuds' glossy material makes them slippery. You've got to really nudge them from the sides to get them out of their case. Their price tag is also high, but we think they're worth the premium for anyone who wants a top-notch pair of wireless earbuds.

Visit our guide to all the best headphones.

Best for sound

Technics is known for great-sounding earbuds, but with the EAH-AZ80, Panasonic's celebrated audio brand puts it all together. Offering a comfy and stylish design, plenty of useful features, and solid noise canceling to go along with wonderfully clear sound, the AZ80s are serious contenders.

These buds look and feel luxurious, with flashy touches like a brushed metal finish atop the case and sparkling endcaps on the buds that mimic the turntables and amplifiers that have made Technics a household name. While they aren't the most compact buds in their class, they're still small enough to fit in your pocket, and their ergonomic housings provide a comfortable fit for hours of wear.

The AZ80s also offer plenty of handy features, including a "Find My" function in case you lose your buds, adjustable noise canceling and ambient sound modes, customizable controls, and conveniences like a wireless charging case. Perhaps most notable is their multipoint pairing for up to three devices at once — one more than anything else we've tested — with an agnostic approach that easily lets you work and play across PC, Android, and Apple devices.

Of course, the big seller here is the AZ80s' sound quality, which is among the best we've heard. They provide impressive detail, excellent frequency balance, and a full and spacious soundstage. Sony's LDAC hi-resolution transmission over Bluetooth ups the ante with supported devices, while Technics' Audio Connect app lets you adjust the sound to taste with various presets and a multi-band EQ.

The AZ80s' noise canceling is also good, but it can't quite match the best options from Sony or Bose. The limitations here are especially notable in higher frequencies, which is a slight drawback given the price. They also skip any 3D audio features. That said, if you're looking for a versatile pair of earbuds that sound as good as they look, the AZ80s are a fantastic choice.

Buyers should note that Technics recently launched a successor to the EAH-AZ80, the EAH-AZ100. The new model has a more compact design, and the company says the earbuds offer even better sound quality and improved noise cancellation. The AZ80 earbuds are often on sale for $100 less than the AZ100, so they remain a great value, but we're looking forward to testing the AZ100 soon for consideration in this guide.

Best budget

JLab's Go Air Pop earbuds offer performance that defies their price point. Even when they're not on sale, these buds cost less than you'd pay to pick up dinner for two at your local pizza joint.

At just $25 a pair, we don't expect much from the Go Air Pop, but within those qualified expectations, these earbuds shine. While they're not big on features, they offer the essentials, including responsive touch controls, great battery life with up to eight hours per charge, and even a few EQ modes to adjust the sound.

Sound quality is simple but passable, without any notable sharpness or overbearing bass to ruin the overall audio profile. We weren't blown away by the detail here, but we could hear all the main elements of our favorite tunes without any major issues.

These aren't the most comfortable buds out there, but they're fine for short-to-medium listening sessions. They also come in various colors to add a "pop" of style. Frankly, given their price, there's not much more we'd ask of these earbuds. But remember, you won't get features like auto-pause or even an app, let alone extras like noise canceling or a transparency mode.

If you're looking for more, you may want to jump up to our midrange pick, the Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds, which are pricier but add extras like noise canceling to the package. Otherwise, the JLab Go Air Pop are the perfect starter buds, whether you're just testing the waters or looking for an affordable gift. At such a low price, what have you got to lose?

Best for noise canceling

Simply put, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the best noise-canceling earbuds we've tested. Competing flagship models like the Sony XM5s can get close, but nothing else matches the QC Ultra when it comes to silencing pesky ambient noise.

The QC Ultra also offer a great transparency mode, which lets in outside sounds when you want to hear your surroundings. And while they can't quite match the audio quality of competitors like Technics' EAH-AZ80, the earbuds deliver excellent sound with a lively midrange, crisp treble, and solid low end. Listeners can also adjust the audio profile to their liking through the Bose app's three-band EQ.

Like similar earbuds in this class, the QC Ultra include spatial audio support with head tracking to create a 3D effect. We still favor standard stereo playback for most content, but it's a cool feature to experiment with.

The QC Ultra have a handy volume slider on their stem for simple control, and they're more compact and ergonomic than previous Bose earbuds. They also fit well a wide range of ear shapes and include three ear tip sizes and stability bands. Sadly, the charging case leaves a bit to be desired. It's bulky and only supports wireless charging if you add a $50 case cover.

However, it's hard to fault the QC Ultra for this minor shortcoming when they excel in so many other areas. Buyers who want the best wireless earbuds for top-notch noise canceling should look no further than Bose's Quiet Comfort Ultra.

Check out our guide to all the best noise-canceling headphones.

Best for workouts

Buyers on the hunt for earbuds specifically designed for workouts should consider the Jabra Elite 4 Active. These buds deliver excellent durability, a great fit, solid battery life, and effective noise cancellation. They also have a handy HearThrough mode that lets in ambient sounds when needed.

During our hands-on tests, the Elite 4 Actives comfortably stayed in our ears during treadmill sessions, jump rope workouts, and other activities. They also have an IP57 waterproof rating, so they handle sweat without any issues.

While not on par with pricier earbuds, the Elite 4 Active have solid ANC to block out distractions. We also found their easy-to-toggle HearThrough feature useful for amplifying outside sounds during moments when we needed to be aware of our surroundings at the gym or during runs.

The Elite 4 Active have convenient playback, volume, and ANC controls on the buds themselves. They also support Alexa built-in, so you can use hands-free voice commands.

Ultimately, the main draw of these earbuds is their secure and comfy fit, which makes them ideal for gym use. Our pricier picks deliver better audio and ANC performance, and our cheaper options are a better overall value for basic uses, but the Jabra Elite 4 Active are an excellent pair of workout headphones.

Check out our guides to the best headphones for working out and the best headphones for running.

Best midrange

Soundcore's Liberty 4 NC earbuds are so good for the money that they have us continuously asking: How did they do that? These buds offer solid sound, a truckload of extras, and noise canceling on par with plenty of flagship earbuds. They're also stylish in an AirPods way, with a premium look and feel. The kicker? They do all that for $100 or less.

Soundcore has been perfecting its formula for undercutting the competition for years, and the Liberty 4 NC earbuds are the culmination. Name a flagship feature, and these buds likely have some version of it, from personalized multipoint pairing and an optional volume limiter to an earbuds finder and noise-canceling mode that can be programmed for your environment.

Not surprisingly, at this price, there are a few compromises. Some features — like 3D spatial audio — can feel tacked on. The touch controls are sometimes less responsive than we'd like, and while the audio quality is clear and detailed, it can sound brittle without some EQ. And rather than the 10 hours that Soundcore clams, we got more like seven hours of battery playback per charge with ANC engaged.

One area where these buds easily live up to the hype is their noise-canceling performance, which meets or beats anything in their class. You can still get better noise cancellation by spending more, but you'll pay double or even triple the cost to get there.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a flagship experience at a midrange price — especially regarding features and noise canceling — the Liberty 4 NC are the best wireless earbuds we've found.

Best for Apple users

If it were up to us, everyone would be granted equal access to the AirPods Pro 2, regardless of which hardware or operating system you prefer. They're so good, everyone should get a chance to try them. But we know that's wishful thinking since a big part of what makes these earbuds tick is their near-perfect integration with all things Apple.

If you're an Apple fan, these are easily the best wireless earbuds you can get. Though the second-gen AirPods Pro may look like their predecessor, virtually everything has been upgraded inside for a downright futuristic experience.

The sound has been redesigned for better detail and punchier bass. The noise canceling has been overhauled to compete with some of the best out there. Their transparency mode is the most natural sounding we've heard, along with a new audio-limiting feature to protect your ears from unexpected loud noises. Apple even took things further with an update called Adaptive Audio, which naturally blends transparency mode and noise canceling to adjust to your environment and personal volume preferences.

You'll also get all those little extras that make using the AirPods Pro with Apple devices so intuitive, like Hands-free Siri, Auto Switching to move between devices connected to your iCloud account, and Find My support to track the buds down if you've left them behind. There's a 3D spatial audio feature with head tracking as well, which is most useful with Dolby Atmos content.

In addition, the AirPods Pro 2 now support a suite of aural health functions, including a hearing aid feature. Users can also perform a five-minute hearing check with an iPhone and the earbuds. These features were launched via a free software update in late 2024.

Unfortunately, Apple has not added features like EQ or noise canceling control. And alas, there's still no app for Android users, making these earbuds decidedly aimed at Apple folks, start to finish. If you fit that mold, the AirPods Pro 2 work in concert with Apple and iOS devices for an intuitive experience unlike anything else on the market. But if you're looking for earbuds similar to Apple's offering that play nicer with Android, check out our guide to the best AirPods alternatives.

Read our AirPods Pro (Second Generation) review.

Check out our guide to the best Apple AirPods.

Best for Samsung phones

If there's an AirPods Pro for Samsung users, it's the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. So named because they're an update of the cheaper Galaxy Buds 2, these buds take everything we like about Samsung's mid-tier model to the next level, with great sound, good noise canceling, and plenty of features.

Similar to how AirPods Pro are designed primarily for Apple devices, some of the most intriguing features of the Buds 2 Pro are Samsung-only, including 24-bit sound, 360 spatial audio with head tracking, and Auto-Switching between Samsung devices like tablets and phones. Other features, however, are available to any Android (but not Apple) user thanks to the Samsung Wearable app. From there, you can select EQ presets, use the earbuds finder, and customize the controls for features like volume control and Spotify connection.

The key to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro really comes down to the design. They're extremely comfortable, and their IPX7 water resistance makes them dunkable. The matte design looks good, and the earbuds come in a few fun colors. But we wish Samsung would have pushed the battery forward here, as they only offer five hours per charge.

Under the hood, each earbud is affixed with dual drivers to create powerful and detailed performance. Sound is rapid and exuberant, without pushing toward sharpness. Noise-canceling is also impressive, if not quite on the level of other top options, and call quality is excellent in various conditions.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for a flashy pair of earbuds that are especially handy for Samsung devices, these are a great option. Buyers should note that Samsung also sells a newer Galaxy Buds 3 Pro model with a more AirPods-like stem design and improved battery life. That said, the Buds 2 Pro typically cost a lot less, so we think they still offer the best value of the two.

How we test wireless earbuds

We take product testing seriously and use consistent, reproducible testing methods wherever possible. To determine the best wireless earbuds, our experts evaluated several models and assessed their sound quality by listening to a wide range of music genres from popular streaming services. This process includes a dedicated playlist to keep our testing consistent and video samples to evaluate features like spatial audio and head tracking with stereo and Dolby Atmos content.

We also test things like ease of setup and use with various devices, especially for features like Multipoint pairing. To test ambient audio features like noise canceling, we use a sound-treated room and professional stereo monitors to reproduce noises like airplane drones, voice chatter, and various other frequencies. For battery tests, we time the earbuds while playing music at medium volume, either in our ears or out, with auto-pause sensors disengaged when possible, monitoring the earbuds at regular intervals.

We also test the best wireless earbuds the way regular people use them; we go for walks with the dog, listen to music alongside high-traffic areas with noise canceling on and off, and chat with friends and neighbors to test features like transparency mode. As much as possible, we live with these earbuds to analyze how they work and feel daily.

Wireless earbuds FAQs

Are wireless earbuds better than wired headphones?

That depends on how you're going to use them. While wired headphones are more likely to offer better, more consistent sound quality at lower price points, they're less useful for tasks like working out, doing yard work, or walking the dog than a compact pair of wireless earbuds. The overall sound quality of wireless earbuds has also improved in recent years thanks to updated Bluetooth protocols and other technology enhancements.

The best wireless earbuds also offer features you're less likely to find in wired options, including noise-canceling and transparency modes to suppress or let in the sound around you, respectively.

However, we do still prefer high-quality wired headphones to get the best sound quality when listening to music at home. But wireless options are ideal for most other activities.

Check out our guide to the best over-ear headphones to see our top wired recommendation.

What is noise canceling?

Noise cancellation is a sound-suppression technology that helps defray environmental noises with the use of advanced hardware and software. Noise-canceling earbuds use onboard microphones to capture the sound around you. They then flip the polarity of these frequencies to "cancel" certain sounds.

Some frequencies are easier to suppress than others, with higher frequencies presenting particular difficulty. As such, noise canceling can't suppress all the sound around you. However, this technology has advanced with each new generation, offering increasingly better isolation from unwanted environmental annoyances.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that lets compatible devices, like earbuds, exchange data, including audio, across limited distances. The majority of Bluetooth devices top out at 33 feet, though devices with Bluetooth Class 1 can extend much further. This technology has improved over time for better sound, more data, and a more reliable connection. Newer Bluetooth versions often provide advanced features and/or better quality and reliability.

Best overall: Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony consistently makes some of the best wireless earbuds you can buy, with models that pack in tons of features, top-notch sound, and excellent noise-cancelling performance. Its latest flagship pair, the WF-1000XM5 (AKA the "Mark 5"), distill the best of what we love about the brand's buds into a sleek and more powerful design.

Where the previous-generation WF-1000XM4 earbuds were large and bulbous, the M5s are refreshingly small and light, with a compact charging case to match. Their size is all the more impressive given that they offer great battery life and among the very best (if not the best) noise-cancelling performance available in an earbud. They do a great job crushing low-end drone sounds and suppress difficult high frequencies remarkably well. Only a few earbuds, like Bose's latest QuietComfort, can rival them in this department.

As with other Sony flagships, the M5s are packed with features via the Sony Headphones app for iOS or Android. There you'll find settings to adjust everything from the Ambient sound mode to features like Multipoint pairing, speak-to-chat, Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial sound, and a multi-band EQ to create a personal sound profile.

Like their predecessors, the WF-1000XM5s deliver sound performance that is clear, rich, and detailed across instruments and vocals. You can improve the quality even more by engaging Sony's DSEE Extreme audio upscaling engine, while supported Android devices can access high-resolution Bluetooth via Sony's LDAC audio tech. Bone conduction sensors also help to deliver good call quality, even in noisy environments.

The M5s are also comfortable to wear for hours, offering a selection of foam ear tips that keep them stable in your ear and baseline water resistance for a variety of use cases. Sony has also finally added volume controls. This is done by repeated taps on the left or right buds for lowering or raising volume respectively, which isn't our favorite method but gets the job done.

Our only real complaint about the M5s is that their small, glossy housings make them slippery — you've got to really nudge them from the sides to get them out of the case. Their price tag could be tough to swallow as well, but we think they're worth the premium for anyone who wants a top-notch pair of wireless earbuds.

Best budget: JLab Go Air Pop

JLab's Go Air Pop offer performance and features that seem to defy their price point. Even when they're not on sale, these buds cost less than what you'll pay to pick up dinner for two at your local pizza joint.

At just $25 per pair, we don't expect much from the Go Air Pop, but within those qualified expectations, these earbuds really shine. While they're not big on features, they offer the essentials, including responsive touch controls, great battery life with up to eight hours per charge, and even a few EQ modes to adjust the sound.

Sound quality is simple but passable, without any notable sharpness or overbearing bass to ruin the overall audio profile. You're not going to be blown away by the detail here, but you'll be able to hear your podcasts just fine and make out all the main elements of your favorite tunes.

These aren't the most comfortable buds out there, but they're fine for short-to-medium listening sessions, and they come in a variety of colors to add a "pop" of style. Frankly, there's not much more that we'd ask of these earbuds given their price. But keep in mind you won't get features like auto-pause or even an app, let alone extras like noise cancelling or a transparency mode.

If you're looking for more, you may want to jump up a step to something like the Soundpeats T3, which cost around double, but add extras like a modicum of noise cancelling to the package. Otherwise, the JLab Go Air Pop are the perfect starter buds, whether you're just testing the waters or looking for an affordable stocking stuffer. At such a low price, what have you got to lose?

Best for sound: Technics EAH-AZ80

Technics has always made great-sounding earbuds, but with the EAH-AZ80, Panasonic's storied audio brand puts it all together. Offering a comfy and stylish design, plenty of useful features, and solid noise cancelling to go along with wonderfully clear sound, the AZ80s are serious contenders.

These buds look and feel luxurious, with flashy touches like a brushed metal finish atop the case and sparkling endcaps on the buds themselves that mimic the turntables and amplifiers that have made Technics a household name. While they aren't the tiniest buds in their class, they're small enough to easily fit in your pocket, and their ergonomic housings provide a comfortable fit for hours of wear.

The AZ80s also offer plenty of top-flight features, including a "Find My" function in case you lose your buds, adjustable noise cancelling and ambient sound modes, customizable controls, and conveniences like a wireless charging case. Perhaps most notable is their multipoint pairing for up to three devices at once — one more than anything else we've tested — with an agnostic approach that lets you work and play across PC, Android, and Apple devices with ease.

Of course, the big seller here is the AZ80s' sound quality, which is among the very best you'll find, with impressive detail, excellent balance across frequencies, and a full and spacious soundstage. Sony's LDAC hi-resolution transmission over Bluetooth ups the ante with supported devices, while Technics' Audio Connect app lets you adjust the sound to taste with a variety of presets and a multi-band EQ.

The AZ80s' noise cancelling is very good, but it can't quite match the best options from Sony or Bose. The limitations here are especially notable in higher frequencies, which is a slight drawback given the price. They also skip any 3D audio features. That said, if you're looking for a versatile pair of earbuds that sound as good as they look, the AZ80s are a fantastic choice.

Best midrange: Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC

Soundcore's Liberty 4 NC earbuds are one of those products that has you continuously asking: How did they do that? These buds offer good sound, a truckload of extras, and noise cancelling on par with plenty of flagship earbuds. They're also stylish in an AirPods kind of way, with a premium look and feel. The kicker? They do all that for $100 or less.

Soundcore has been perfecting its formula for undercutting the competition for years now, and the Liberty 4 NC earbuds are the culmination. Name a flagship feature, and these buds likely have some version of it, from personalized multipoint pairing and an available volume limiter to an earbuds finder and noise-cancelling mode that can be programmed for your specific environment.

Not surprisingly at this price, there are a few compromises here. Some features — like 3D spatial audio — can feel tacked on. The touch controls are sometimes less responsive than we'd like, and while the audio quality is clear and detailed, it can sound brittle without some EQ. We also got more like seven hours of battery playback per charge with ANC engaged rather than the 10 hours Soundcore claims, though that's still respectable.

One place these buds easily live up to the hype is their noise-cancelling performance which meets or beats anything in their class, and even plenty of earbuds well above it. You can still get better noise cancelation by spending up, but you'll pay double or even triple the cost to get there.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a flagship experience without the flagship price — especially when it comes to features and noise cancelling — the Liberty 4 NC are the best wireless earbuds we've found.

Best for Apple users: AirPods Pro (Gen 2)

If it were up to us, everyone would be granted equal access to the AirPods Pro (Gen 2), regardless of which hardware or operating system you prefer. They're so good, everyone should get a chance to try them. We know that's wishful thinking, though, because a big part of what makes these earbuds tick is their near-perfect integration with all things Apple.

If you're an Apple fan, these are easily the best wireless earbuds for your needs. Though the second-gen AirPods Pro may look a lot like the original version, inside virtually everything has been upgraded for a downright futuristic experience.

The sound has been redesigned for better detail and punchier bass. The noise cancelling has been overhauled to compete with some of the best out there. Their transparency mode is once again the most natural sounding we've heard, along with a new audio-limiting feature to protect your ears from unexpected loud noises. Apple even took things further with an update called Adaptive Audio, which naturally blends transparency mode and noise cancelling to adjust to your environment and personal volume preferences.

You'll also get all those little extras that make using the AirPods Pro with Apple devices so intuitive, like Hands-free Siri, Auto Switching to move between devices connected to your iCloud account, and Find My support to track the buds down if you've left them behind. There's a 3D spatial audio feature with head tracking as well, which is most useful with Dolby Atmos videos and a few audio tracks found on services like Apple Music.

As before, Apple has chosen not to add features like EQ or noise cancelling control, and alas, there's still no app for Android users making these earbuds decidedly aimed at Apple folks, start to finish. If you fit that mold, the AirPods Pro work in concert with Apple and iOS devices for an intuitive experience unlike anything else on the market.

Note: Apple now sells the AirPods Pro with either a Lightning or USB-C charging case. Given Apple's transition to USB-C for its other devices, we recommend the USB-C model.

Read our AirPods Pro (Gen 2) review.

Best for Samsung phones: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

If there's an AirPods Pro for Samsung users, it's the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. So named because they're an update of the cheaper Galaxy Buds 2, these buds take all the things we like about Samsung's mid-tier earbuds to the next level, with great sound, good noise cancelling, and plenty of features.

Similarly to how AirPods Pro are designed primarily for Apple devices, some of the most intriguing features of the Buds 2 Pro are Samsung-only, including 24-bit sound, 360 spatial audio with head tracking, and Auto-Switching between Samsung devices like tablets and phones. Others, however, are available to any Android (but not Apple) user, thanks to the Samsung Wearable app. From there, you can select EQ presets, use the earbuds finder, and customize the controls for features like volume control and Spotify connection.

The key to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro really comes down to the design. They're extremely comfortable in your ears, and their IPX7 water resistance makes them dunkable. The matte design looks good, and the earbuds come in a variety of fun colors. We do wish Samsung would have pushed the battery forward here, as they only offer five hours per charge.

Under the hood, each earbud is affixed with dual drivers to create full, powerful, and detailed performance. Sound is rapid and exuberant, without pushing toward snappy or sharpness. Noise cancelling is also impressive, if not quite on the level of other top options, and calling is excellent in a variety of conditions.

The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for a flashy pair of earbuds with great sound that's especially handy for Samsung users, these are a great option.

How we test wireless earbuds

We take product testing seriously, and we aim to use consistent, reproducible testing methods wherever possible. To determine the best wireless earbuds, we evaluated several models and assessed their sound quality by listening to a wide range of music genres from common streaming services. This process includes a dedicated playlist to keep our testing consistent, and video samples to evaluate features like spatial audio and head tracking with stereo and Dolby Atmos content.

We also test things like ease of setup and use with various devices, especially for features like Multipoint pairing. To test ambient audio features like noise cancelling, we use a sound-treated room and professional stereo monitors in an attempt to reproduce noises like airplane drones, voice chatter, and various other frequencies. For battery tests, we time the earbuds while playing music at medium volume either in our ears or out with auto-pause sensors disengaged when possible, monitoring the earbuds at regular intervals.

We also test the best wireless earbuds the way regular people use them; we go for walks with the dog, listen to music alonngside high-traffic areas with noise cancelling on and off, and chat with friends and neighbors to test features like transparency mode. As much as possible, we live with these earbuds in an effort to analyze how they work and feel on a day-to-day basis.

Wireless earbuds FAQs

Are wireless earbuds better than wired headphones?

That depends on how you're going to use them. While wired headphones are more likely to offer better, more consistent sound quality at lower price points, they're less useful for tasks like working out, doing yard work, or walking the dog than a compact pair of wireless earbuds. Wireless earbuds have also gotten better at reproducing good sound in recent years thanks to improved Bluetooth protocols and a variety of other technology enhancements.

The best wireless earbuds also offer features you're less likely to find in wired options, including noise cancelling and transparency mode to suppress or let in the sound around you respectively. In general, we prefer high-quality wired headphones, especially those with an over-ear design, when doing serious listening with high-resolution audio tracks, and wireless options for most other activities.

What is noise cancelling?

Noise cancellation is a sound-suppression technology that helps defray environmental noises with the use of advanced hardware and software. Noise-cancelling earbuds utilize onboard microphones to capture the sound around you. They then flip the polarity of these frequencies to "cancel" certain sounds.

Some frequencies are easier to suppress than others, with higher frequencies presenting particular difficulty. As such, noise cancelling can't suppress all the sound around you. However, this technology has advanced with each new generation, offering increasingly better isolation from unwanted environmental annoyances.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that lets compatible devices, like earbuds, exchange data, including audio, across limited distances. The majority of Bluetooth devices top out at 33 feet, though devices with Bluetooth Class 1 can extend much further. This technology has improved over time for better sound, more data, and a more reliable connection. Newer Bluetooth versions often provide advanced features and/or better quality and reliability.

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• Anthony Scaramucci, a vocal Trump critic, foresees a positive economic impact from the second term.
• But he says the budget must be balanced through DOGE and tariffs.
• Meanwhile, crypto legislation with a stablecoin focus should strengthen the dollar.

Days before the inauguration, Anthony Scaramucci, a vocal Trump critic, has set his differences with his former employer aside and changed his tune as he looks forward to the next four years.

After all, the incoming administration is expected to favor crypto, a sector Scaramucci is heavily tied to through big bets made by his firm SkyBridge, an alternative asset manager with a digital-asset macro fund.

The hedge fund founder, also known for his 11-day tenure in the White House, with six of them as a communications director, went as far as saying that President Joe Biden's win in 2020 has played favorably into President-elect Donald Trump's second term. The reason is that it cuts through the fatigue that tends to set in when an administration holds office for two consecutive terms. Trump can return to Washington with a freshness and a better understanding of the job, he said, as he complimented his calmer, more relaxed demeanor.

"I think we're going to get a better outcome," Scaramucci said in an interview with Business Insider. "Actually, if I'm being brutally honest, I'm not a fan of his. I did not vote for him. But I think you end up with a better outcome in Trump two versus Trump one."

Underneath Trump's rhetoric, Scaramucci believes there are some sane arguments. He listed a series of pro-growth policies that could benefit the US economy. They include the likelihood of extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), lowering corporate taxes, which will make US companies more competitive globally, and clarity on crypto legislation.

The scrutiny, however, will be on the ability to offset the revenue losses that will follow. This comes down to whether there will be enough cutting of wasteful government spending to balance the budget through initiatives like the incoming Department of Government Efficiency, popularly known as DOGE, and tariffs as a form of consumption tax.

Despite the market's nervousness about tariffs, Scaramucci doesn't think the final outcome will be a blanket-based approach. Instead, he's betting on tariffs that will be "surgically" placed to target cheaper imports subsidized by their foreign governments to protect domestic industries that cannot compete.

But the rhetoric has its own set of consequences. As a macro-focused investor, Scaramucci is concerned about the threats Trump is tossing around about invading Greenland or making Canada the 51st state. The bellicosity of that rhetoric can trigger an unforeseen conflict, he said, including forced alliances between countries with a shared adversary, in this case, the US. He worries that Western nations could go as far as helping sanctioned nations avoid US sanctions, where they would've been less reluctant to do that if they had the security guarantees of the Americans.

"You got to say, 'Okay, wow, this is unnecessary'. This raises the risk premium of what's going on due to the arbitrary nature of it," Scaramucci said.

He added that markets like predictability, and investors don't want to be subjected to Trump's daily tweet storms.

Conversely, if Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin find common ground and end the Ukraine war, that would lower oil prices and improve the market's overall risk appetite for assets. As for the Hamas situation, it'll likely end in one of two ways: a cease-fire and a return of bodies or living hostages, or in the end of Hamas. On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas had reached a deal to end the fighting and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Crypto

On the topic of crypto, he referred to the Democrats as being "tone-deaf," and that played a small hand in why they lost this election.

"They didn't understand the sector and allowed Gensler and Elizabeth Warren to hijack the narrative because they were close to Sam Bankman-Fried and his parents, and they thought going hard at the overall industry was going to protect them politically. But I mean, they got hurt."

He expects the next four years to ring in clarity around crypto legislation, including what areas will be regulated under the US Securities and Exchange Commission versus the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He's also hoping for a series of lawsuits against crypto firms to be dropped.

"It's interesting because crypto is really a very small pimple on the overall behind of the US economy, the global economy, but it's talked about a lot," Scaramucci said. "The crypto bros have won. We have the most pro-crypto-friendly Congress in the history of crypto. They poured money into these campaigns."

Stablecoin legislation will likely be a focal point, which would be good for the US dollar and could strengthen its supremacy as an international electronic currency, he said. Meanwhile, the crypto industry's recommended proposals calling for clarity and transparency on the balance sheets of stablecoins will likely be what sticks in terms of policy outcomes, he added.

Once policies are set, it will attract more participation in crypto, including retail, which leads him to anticipate the possibility of a strong crypto market this year. However, he admits that he has been wrong many times before, including when calling for a $100,000 bitcoin amid expectations of a spot ETF in 2022, an outcome he says was delayed by outgoing chair Gary Gensler.

This time, he expects bitcoin to hit $200,000 by year-end and bring the top 15 altcoins with the highest market cap, even if there are a few pullbacks along the way. But he's not banking on his prediction and noted that markets have humbled him many times.

"We looked very right in 2021. We looked very wrong and frankly stupid in 2022," Scaramucci said. "And now we're sitting here at the beginning of 2025, we do look right. The question is, are we right? I don't know."

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• Decisions, decisions.
• Some billionaires and CEOs are deciding whether to attend Donald Trump's inauguration or catch the first day of Davos.
• Attending Trump's inauguration could mean scoring face time with the new President and his administration.

It's a scheduling conflict most of us will never know.

Some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful people are staring down a decision as the first major events of the billionaire social calendar this year overlap.

President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20 coincides with the first day of Davos, an annual gathering of the world's business and politics elite in Davos, Switzerland, held by the World Economic Forum.

Those invited to both must now decide: Do they miss potential face time with the incoming president and members of his inner circle, or skip a day of networking with political leaders and business titans from around the globe?

Trump's swearing-in begins at noon ET on Monday.

The first item on the agenda at Davos, titled "First Impressions: Inauguration Day," starts at 3 p.m. local time Monday. (Davos is six hours ahead of Washington, DC.) Later on Monday, an awards ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Davos time, followed by an open forum and an opening concert, both at 6:30 p.m. Given the time difference, you couldn't possibly attend both Trump's inauguration and Davos Day 1 in person — even with a private jet.

A slew of major US companies or their execs made $1 million donations to Trump's inauguration fund, including Meta, Amazon, Google, OpenAI, and Uber.

Attending the inauguration in addition to making a donation could be a savvy business move. Trump was a vocal critic of Big Tech in his first term, so those firms and their execs could benefit from maneuvering to be in his good graces when he retakes the Oval Office.

Big donations to presidential inauguration funds typically come with exclusive perks, like seats for the inaugural address or entry to black-tie balls or other events.

Donors who gave $1 million towards the fund were supposed to receive six tickets apiece to six different events, including Trump's swearing-in and a January 19 "candlelight dinner" with Trump and his wife, Melania, The New York Times reported, citing documents on the matter. Some big donors, however, may no longer receive VIP tickets as some events have already reached capacity, according to the report.

While it will be come more clear who opted for a trip to D.C. on Monday, there are some CEOs that seem likely to attend Trump's inauguration.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been frequently spotted by Trump's side since the election and has lambasted Davos in the past.

Screenshots of invitations for a black-tie reception Monday night co-hosted by Mark Zuckerberg also circulated on social media this week. According to the circulating invite, Zuck will be co-hosting the event alongside Miriam Adelson, the billionaire widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson; Tilman Fertitta, Trump's pick for US ambassador to Italy; and Chicago Cubs owner Todd Ricketts and his wife, Sylvie Legere.

For those who choose to attend the inauguration, they'll still be able to catch much of Davos. The annual event concludes on January 24.

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• Homebuyers are still facing an affordability challenge in 2025.
• Mortgage rates topped 7%, while price growth jumped in the fourth quarter.
• "The housing market in 2025 faces a difficult balancing act," Fannie Mae's Mark Palim said.

US homebuyers are going to have to gird themselves for another tough year of navigating a tight housing market.

After restrictive mortgage rates and soaring prices put off house hunters in 2024, the affordability picture isn't brightening as 2025 unfolds. Just weeks into the year, borrowing rates have peaked above a psychologically daunting level, while price trends are cause for more gloom.

According to Fannie Mae's Home Price Index, single-family home prices rose 5.8% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, up from 5.4% in the previous quarter. The reading ended a trend of price deceleration that had taken place in previous months.

Difficult supply and demand factors are exacerbating affordability issues, as there continues to be more interested buyers than available homes for sale across much of the US.

"Inventories of existing homes for sale have improved from a year ago but remain historically low, due largely to the so-called 'lock-in effect,'" Mark Palim, Fannie Mae's senior vice president and chief economist, said. The lock-in effect refers to a phenomenon in which homeowners are reluctant to sell their properties given high mortgage rates in the current market.

While lower borrowing costs would help incentivize sales and unlock needed supply of existing homes for sale, the opposite has occurred in recent weeks. Rising mortgage rates are exacerbating the lock-in effect, Palim said.

This week, the 30-year mortgage rate rose to its highest level since May 2024, peaking at 7.09%. The uptick results from dimming views of future rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, with investors coming around to the idea that borrowing costs will likely remain high this year.

The expectation of fewer rate cuts has pressured 10-year Treasury yields to move higher since the Fed began easing monetary policy, with mortgage rates edging up in tandem.

"Bond yields in the U.S. and abroad continued to move higher in response to concerns over a sticky inflation outlook and still too-high budget deficits, which pushed mortgage rates higher for the fifth consecutive week," said Joel Kan, vice president at the Mortgage Bankers Association.

These factors haven't put an end to house hunting in the new year, and Redfin noted a slight pick in home tours at the beginning of 2025. It could signal that buyers are accepting the outlook for elevated rates, or are taking advantage of any new supply that has entered the market.

However, that hasn't translated into more sales, the real estate firm said. During the four weeks ending January 5, pending home sales fell 3.1% from a year ago.

Looking at the year ahead, 2025 will look a bit like 2024, Palim said in mid-December. Mortgage rates are likely to stay above 6%, price growth will ease but remain positive, and supply will remain tight, though this will vary by region.

Homebuyers shouldn't expect a flood of supply of existing homes for sale, given that over 73% of mortgage borrowers are holding on to a rate below 5%. However, Oxford Economics noted that 40% of owners don't have a mortgage, and these households could use the proceeds of a home sale to purchase a new property without taking on high mortgage costs.

Palim suggested that even if the needed supply does come online, that might not immediately bring affordability relief to sidelined buyers.

"The housing market in 2025 faces a difficult balancing act, with a notable decline in mortgage rates likely needed to help unwind the lock-in effect and thaw the supply of existing homes for sale," he said.

"However, we believe such a decline would likely jumpstart demand from potential first-time homebuyers currently waiting to purchase, which could lead demand to outpace any improvement in supply, further exacerbating already-high home prices and purchase affordability."

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Understanding your dog's wants and needs can be a tough order, but there's a lot they can tell you if you set them up with the best dog talking buttons. These dog buttons originate from pressable augmentative communication buttons, long used by speech-language pathologists to communicate with nonverbal people. Speech therapist Christina Hunger discovered the buttons work with animals when she used them to "speak" with her dog Stella.

We interviewed a veterinary behaviorist and a professional dog trainer to find out what to look for in the best dog buttons and how to use them with our pets. Our top pick is the Fluent Pet Get Started Kit, which is completely customizable and easy to set up. It also comes with a nonslip tile to keep the buttons organized.

Like the best dog toys, dog buttons provide enrichment and an outlet for play. If you want to teach your dog to "talk," you can start with a beginner's set of four to six buttons or go all out with a fully customizable set. Whichever set you choose, they can help you bond with your dog and communicate with them in a new, exciting way.

Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.

Our top picks for the best dog talking buttons

Best overall: Fluent Pet Get Started Kit - See at Chewy

Best budget: Hunger for Words Talking Pet Starter Set - See at Chewy

Best customizable: Talking Products Talking Tiles - See at Amazon

Best potty button: Mighty Paw Smart Bell 2.0 - See at Chewy

Best overall

Fluent Pet's Get Started Kit was designed to foster better communication between dogs or cats and humans. The battery-operated system garnered attention when Bunny, a canine learner using the buttons, began to amass hundreds of thousands of social media followers. The kit comes with everything you need to teach your dog, including six buttons with microphones for recording words and 67 stickers to identify the buttons visually.

Valli Parthasarathy, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and cofounder of Synergy Veterinary Behavior, recommends starting with words that can be clearly paired with something your dog regularly sees or does. "More abstract concepts such as emotions and time would be more challenging to teach," she says. The buttons fit into three nonslip hexagonal tiles: one for actions, one for objects, and one for places. The tiles can be arranged in multiple configurations and easily disassembled or added to. The kit arrives ready to use with batteries installed and a starter guide.

Best budget

The best dog talking buttons don't have to cost a lot. The affordable Hunger for Words Talking Pet Starter Set was developed by Christina Hunger, the speech pathologist whose Blue Heeler-Catahoula mix Stella went viral after learning to communicate using dog buttons. It comes with four different colored buttons that are easy for dogs to press. You can record simple phrases like "outside" or "food" and use the included step-by-step teaching guide to introduce them to your dog. The recordings are clear and easy to hear. During testing, the buttons were simple to set up and record words, which was a nice bonus.

Hunger For Words makes add-on sets and a button mat for teaching more advanced communication. How quickly your dog learns depends on a variety of factors, says Sara Scott, a professional dog trainer. "A dog with a long history of training may pick it up really quickly, but a dog who is green might take considerably longer," she says. "It also depends on how efficient you are as a trainer and how much work you're putting in."

Best customizable

According to Scott, you can either teach your dog new words one at a time or simultaneously work on a few words with different meanings. Talking Products Talking Tiles consists of six different-colored buttons that you can customize with audio messages and images.

Each 4-inch-wide hexagonal button can record sound using a built-in microphone or a smartphone or computer using the audio-input jack. You can further customize each button by adding a picture or symbol underneath the removable transparent cover. Each button runs on three AAA batteries, which must be purchased separately. A downside of these buttons is that they need to be powered on and off individually using a switch on the bottom. This may be tedious for frequent users.

Best potty button

Teach your dog how to communicate when they need to go outside with the Mighty Paw Smart Bell 2.0, the most high-tech option among the best dog talking buttons. The bell consists of a plug-in receiver and an easy-to-press activator button. The 2-inch-diameter wireless activator button can be placed anywhere within 1,000 feet of the receiver using a 3M adhesive strip. The water-resistant button can even be placed outside for dogs who need to let you know when they're ready to come in. To adjust the sound of the bell, choose from 4 volume levels and 38 different ring tones.

The Mighty Paw Smart Bell also comes with a training guide to help you get started and a self-charging battery is built into the device. Just be sure that you are responsive to the bell after your dog learns to use it. "Once your dog understands that they can ask to go outside, you need to make sure that you prioritize meeting your dog's needs," Scott says.

What to look for in dog talking buttons

Not all dog buttons are created equal, so choosing the setup that will work best for you and your dog is important. Dr. Paige Adams, a veterinarian and medical director at Etowah Veterinary Hospital, says it's important to consider your pet's needs. Dogs who are hard of hearing may require buttons that project sound clearly. If you want to teach your dog a select number of phrases, a few buttons rather than a whole set is ideal. Figuring out what type of buttons your dog prefers will come down to trial and error, but understanding their needs is a good starting point, Adams says.

You'll want to consider the following features to get the right tools for you and your dog.

Sound level: Look for buttons that record your voice clearly and at a loud enough volume for your dog to understand. Since each button will contain only a single word or phrase, you don't need to worry about the recording time length.

Durability: The best dog talking buttons need to be durable. Look for ones made of heavy-duty plastic that are easy to wipe clean. Because some dogs prefer to push buttons with their noses, water-resistant options or those made from BPA-free plastic are ideal.

Ease of use: Dog buttons should be a cinch to set up and record. Simple designs are better than overly complicated ones with lots of bells and whistles, which might confuse your dog. You'll also want to ensure that the button size is right for your pet. Adams says that larger breeds may have trouble pressing smaller buttons, just as toy breeds may struggle to press larger buttons.

Customizability: If all the buttons look the same, both you and your dog will struggle to distinguish between them. Stickers can help differentiate the buttons, but dogs are also good at recognizing the meaning of a button based on its placement. For example, the "outside" button is to the left of the "play" button, which is to the left of the "food" button. Look for sets that include mats or sell them separately to hold the buttons in place, especially if you plan to teach your dog many words.

Starter guide: If you're new to dog buttons, look for a set with a starter guide or instruction manual. Some guides also include additional activities to encourage learning.

Batteries: All of the best dog talking buttons are battery-operated, but some batteries are easier to replace than others. Look for buttons with a simple battery insert or recharge with a USB cord. Bonus points go to buttons that are sold with batteries included.

How we selected the best dog talking buttons

To understand how dogs interact with and learn to use "talking" buttons, we consulted Valli Parthasarathy, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist; Sara Scott, a professional dog trainer; and Paige Adams, a veterinarian. Based on their input and author Shoshi Parks' experience as a professional dog trainer, we selected the best dog buttons based on the criteria in the previous slide, including sound level, durability, ease of use, and customizability. We also tested the Fluent Pet buttons, Hunger For Words Talking Pet Starter Set, and Talking Products Talking Tiles.

Dog talking buttons FAQs

Do dog buttons work?

Yes. You can teach your dog to communicate using the best dog talking buttons programmed with words. But your pup isn't the only one who may be able to communicate with buttons. "Cats are as good at making associations as dogs, so it stands to reason that they can also learn to use the buttons and associate them with certain situations or activities," Parthasarathy says. For example, a cat may be able to communicate with you when they want to play with the best cat toys.

Do dogs need buttons to learn words?

No. If you've trained your dog to sit, come, or stay, you've already taught them to recognize human language. "Dogs also learn words and phrases that are associated with certain outcomes such as [when] 'do you want to go out' equals being let outside or 'dinnertime' means food will be put in the bowl," Parthasarathy says.

How do I teach my dog to talk using buttons?

First, Scott says your dog must learn to push the button with their paw or nose. Begin by recording a word like "treat" on a button. Press the button to make the word sound, then immediately reward your dog. Repeat this 10 to 20 times so your dog associates pressing the button with getting one of the best dog training treats, then wait in front of the button for your dog to begin exploring it.

If your dog moves toward the button, quickly press it yourself and reward them with a treat even if they don't manage to activate it. Eventually, they'll hit the button on their own. Each time they do, immediately reward them with a treat. When you're not training, put the button away so your dog doesn't become frustrated when pushing it doesn't result in a treat.

Once your dog understands the concept of pushing the button, you can start pairing it with objects and actions common to their everyday life. "Some of the easiest behaviors to teach first would be patterns of routines you already have set in your life," Scott says. Some good words to start with include "outside," "food," and "play."

Both repetition and reinforcement are essential to your dog learning a new word. If you want to teach the word "outside," for example, record the word on a button and place it by the door. Ask your dog to press the button, then immediately open the door to let them out. If your dog loves to go out, the action acts as positive reinforcement. If it's not an activity they love, offer them a treat after they've gone through the door. Repeat the sequence every time you let your dog out. In time, they will understand that pushing the button opens the door and begin to do it on their own.

While it's much harder for dogs to learn more abstract concepts like emotions, dog buttons can be used to address some problem behaviors, according to Scott and Parthasarathy. "Using these buttons can potentially be helpful in cases where a dog uses an undesired behavior such as barking at their guardian to obtain something they want," Parthasarathy says. The button doesn't have to be pressed by the dog in order to be useful. A shy dog who's startled by sudden movement might appreciate a warning that you are about to stand up from your desk. Pressing a button that says something like "up" before you stand lets them know what's about to happen.

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• I tried five different ways to add protein to my coffee to see if I could find a new go-to.
• Adding protein to your caffeine source can help prevent energy crashes.
• Although I still like whey protein powder, collagen is my new favorite protein booster.

My morning brew is sacred. However, I know drinking it first thing on an empty stomach isn't great.

Luckily, my social-media feeds have been full of "proffee" (protein coffee) recipes lately, and it turns out the internet trend actually has some merit.

"Consuming protein along with coffee can help to stabilize blood-sugar levels," registered dietitian Bianca Coats told Business Insider. "Protein will help to slow down the absorption of simple carbohydrates and caffeine into the bloodstream and reduce the likelihood of a crash."

According to nutrition coach Adrianne M. Ortiz, we should be getting about 20 to 30 grams of protein within the first half an hour of waking up.

I knew I wanted to find a go-to way to add protein to my morning cup of Joe, so I tested five different ingredients to see which one was best.

Here's how they stacked up.

Flavored protein powder was an easy place to start.

I've used vanilla protein powder to sweeten and add protein to my coffee before, so I knew what to expect with this one. Although I've tried plant-based options, I usually go for whey because I think it blends more easily into liquids.

For this recipe, I used 8 ounces of freshly brewed espresso, a serving of Nutrisystem's Prosync sweet vanilla shake mix (15 grams of protein), ice, and a splash of maple syrup.

I really enjoyed how it tasted, and using a simple flavor like vanilla or chocolate will allow me to change up the recipe when I want to. Unfortunately, the powder did become a little gritty after a couple of minutes.

PB2 is a nice option for a low-sugar protein boost.

I've had some incredible Reese's-inspired lattes and love adding peanut butter to coffee-flavored protein shakes, so I was excited to try adding PB2 (a powdered peanut-butter alternative) to my coffee.

It notably has less fat and fewer calories than the spread. A 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter has 190 calories, but the same serving of PB2 only has 45.

I brewed two espresso shots and added a serving of PB2, some 2% milk, and honey to taste.

If I were to recreate it, I'd use chocolate milk or add chocolate syrup — this recipe definitely needed more sweetener for my tastes.

Egg whites make for a fluffier protein option.

Egg whites were probably the most intimidating protein-boost option.

I whipped 1/4 cup of egg whites (3.6 grams of protein) and used them as a base for 1/4 cup of espresso and a splash of maple-flavored oat-milk creamer.

I don't think I whipped my egg whites correctly — they weren't quite as fluffy as they should've been — which made the whole experience a little less pleasant.

But I loved the flavor of this drink, so I'd definitely try it again using a stand mixer or high-speed blender to get really fluffy whites.

Cottage cheese didn't work out so well for me.

I probably wouldn't have thought of it myself, but cottage cheese can be a great protein addition to coffee. I blended a 1/4 -cup serving of low-fat cottage cheese with a cup of caramel-flavored coffee and a dash of oat milk.

The drink tasted good, but the cottage cheese separated pretty quickly, which was a little unpleasant.

I probably won't use it in regular coffee again, but I'm open to adding a serving of cottage cheese to protein shakes or frozen, blended coffee beverages.

Collagen has the benefit of being unflavored.

Collagen is naturally found in animals, including humans. But according to Ortiz, our collagen levels tend to diminish after 30.

Powdered collagen peptides typically have about 18 grams of protein per serving and are often flavorless. However, it's important to note that collagen isn't a complete protein source because it doesn't contain all the essential amino acids our body needs. It's best to pair it with other foods and complete protein sources throughout the day.

I added two scoops of Vital Proteins unflavored collagen peptides to 6 ounces of caramel-flavored coffee and topped it off with some maple-flavored oat-milk creamer.

I used a frother to whip everything together, which gave the drink a beautiful ombre effect. Plus, I didn't notice the collagen at all as I enjoyed the cup.

Everyone will have their preferences, but I loved the collagen coffee.

I don't think it's essential to add protein to your coffee — although it's smart to pair your regular cup with a balanced snack or meal to avoid a crash. But I had fun trying the different add-ins.

Collagen powder is my new favorite way to add protein to my morning coffee because it doesn't impact the flavor or drinking experience at all.

I'll keep using scoops of chocolate or vanilla whey protein powder when I want a sweeter cup of Joe, and I'm excited to try most of these recipes again with a few tweaks.

This story was originally published on July 23, 2024, and most recently updated on January 15, 2025.

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• I'm an experienced skier who has been to more than a dozen ski resorts around the world.
• I often see beginners make mistakes like holding up lines, tailgating, and zooming down slopes.
• Wearing proper gear and being aware of your surroundings can enhance your skiing experience.

As an unathletic kid, I dreaded "going skiing" because it really meant slogging through ski school while my parents hit the slopes.

I started ski school before I started actual school, and for years, I was much better in the classroom than on the slopes.

Now, as a (much more athletic) adult skier with years of experience, I've been lucky enough to travel beyond my home base in Lake Tahoe to ski resorts in Utah, Colorado, the Canadian Rockies, and the French Alps.

Ski resorts have an etiquette system that can be difficult to grasp, and I've seen beginners make the same mistakes over and over, no matter where I am.

If you're a newcomer at a ski resort but you don't want to seem like one, here are some mistakes to avoid:

Holding up the line

If you're traveling in a group, wait until everyone is present before you all enter the chairlift line together. Don't try to save a spot for your friend — it's rude to other parties who are ready to get on the lift.

If you need to make boot or gear adjustments, do these before you get in line. Don't block the line's entrance.

At most resorts, lift lines funnel from many lanes into one main artery that feeds the chairlift. If there's no lift operator queueing groups, you have to merge lanes by alternating groups. Be mindful of when it's your turn and when you should let someone else go ahead.

Tailgating

It's annoying when someone steps on the back of your shoe while you're walking. However, it's even worse when someone does that to you while you have big metal slats hooked to your 8-pound boots.

When you're queueing up for the lift, leave just enough space between the tips of your skis and the next person's.

You wouldn't drive bumper-to-bumper, and you don't need to ski like that either.

Poorly planning your dismount from the lift

Good lift etiquette continues at the top of the hill on the dismount.

Coordinate with others on your chair to figure out which direction you're going when you get off. This can help you avoid a collision if you need to cross paths with another person on your chair.

Once you get off the chair, keep moving so the people behind you have a clear runway to exit.

Not staying in your lane

Once you advance past beginner techniques like "pizza" and "french fry," you need to make more parallel turns to ski down a hill safely.

Avoid zooming straight down the trail, which is how you can lose control.

On busier trails, it's safest to make your turns in a chosen section of the slope. Stick to one side of the trail rather than using its entire width to leave enough room for other skiers.

Picking a bad mid-mountain rest stop

Whatever you do, don't stop in the middle of the trail — that's like parking in the center lane of a highway.

Just like you would on a freeway, pull onto the shoulder instead. When you know you need to hit a stop, get to the side of the trail so the other skiers won't have to swerve around you.

Then, when you're ready to get back on the slopes, look uphill for anyone making their way down toward you. I usually wait for a break in the traffic — when there are very few skiers uphill of me — before I hop back on the trail.

In general, downhill skiers have the right of way because they can't see you coming behind them. It's your responsibility as the uphill skier to ensure you won't crash into them.

Not wearing the right outfit and gear

There are no fashion faux pas in skiing, but I would caution against those tight designer ski suits some people like to wear. They feel impractical for a sport that involves a fair amount of falling and bending over.

On the slopes, you should also wear bright colors and avoid wearing white. This can help other skiers see you coming, thus avoiding unnecessary collisions.

I also swear by wearing helmets. Most of the times I've taken bad falls have been on flat ground — it's easy for even the most experienced skier to catch an edge and lose their balance.

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• JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs had blockbuster performance numbers for the end of 2024.
• JPMorgan's profit rose 50%; Goldman's profit jumped 105%, led by higher investment-banking fees.
• Here's what it could mean for hiring across Wall Street in 2025.

Big banks posted blowout fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, led by a growing appetite for corporate financing, institutional trading, and dealmaking — trends that could boost hiring in 2025.

JPMorgan Chase kicked off Wall Street's earnings season by reporting a 50% increase in profits, led by a 49% increase in investment-banking revenue over last year's fourth quarter, and double-digit growth in trading revenue. Goldman Sachs, meanwhile, said profit for the three months that ended on December 31 rose 105%, driven by demand for corporate dealmaking and capital raising. And Citigroup showed a 35% increase in investment-banking revenue for the fourth quarter from a year ago.

The robust results follow several years of sagging demand for Wall Street's bread-and-butter businesses, layoffs, lower bonuses, and an overall muted environment for job hopping.

Now, the strong 2024 performances, particularly in trading, mean that annual bonuses could be as much as 35% higher from a year ago. Banks have started to share the bonus numbers with employees, as Business Insider reported last week.

More broadly, Wall Street headhunters say that hiring has been picking up in select areas in recent months, including junior-banking roles and back-office tech jobs. They expect the shift to continue in 2025.

"The 45% surge in Goldman's profits and CEO David Solomon's bullish outlook on M&A signals a notable shift in the hiring market," said Meridith Dennes, managing partner at Prospect Rock Partners recruiting firm. "Banks that aggressively downsized during the 2022 to 2023 slowdown are now selectively rebuilding their deal teams."

Of course, working on Wall Street could also get harder in 2025. The industry's notoriously long hours could intensify as demand for dealmaking and capital raising continues. At the same time, work-from-home options are shrinking, with JPMorgan last week telling employees on a hybrid schedule to return to the office five days a week starting in March.

Here are 4 trends in financial-industry hiring that could spur Wall Street job growth in 2025:

Dealmakers

Following several years of muted dealmaking, demand for mergers and acquisitions has been picking up in recent months, driven by lower borrowing costs as interest rates decline. The M&A streak is expected to continue in 2025, aided by a more business-friendly regulatory regime under President-elect Donald Trump.

The uptick is already having an effect on hiring. As BI recently reported, John Weinberg, the chairman and CEO of the elite boutique investment bank Evercore, said in December that he's been spending an unusual amount of time on year-end hiring.

"Most of the time, you don't really do much recruiting in November or December," he said at a Goldman Sachs conference in New York. "If you could see my schedule, you'd see that virtually every day I am speaking with and recruiting" new talent, he said.

As for the jobs outlook, he said: "You could probably anticipate that our recruiting efforts will increase, not decrease."

Recruiters in December told BI that they have seen surging demand for M&A bankers in industries viewed as hot for deals, including tech, healthcare, restructuring, industrials, consumer retail, and financial institutions — a trend they expect to continue this year.

Junior bankers

Demand for junior investment-banking talent has also been picking up. Dennes, the headhunter, said that she is seeing especially strong demand for what she referred to as "the seasoned associate," but also at the vice-president level, who tend to sit in the middle of the investment-banking pecking order.

As BI reported in October, JPMorgan Chase ramped up off-cycle hiring for junior investment bankers late last year, according to people familiar with the bank's recruitment efforts and to its online jobs board. At the time of the report, a JPMorgan executive told BI that the bank was hiring across all levels of investment banking amid a bump in deal flow.

Whether the JPMorgan hiring boost will continue in 2025, however, remains to be seen. On Wednesday, the bank's chief financial officer, Jeremy Barnum, told investors that JPMorgan intends to keep headcount flat this year, following a 2% rise in staffing in 2024. That included a 3% rise in its asset- and wealth-management unit, according to company filings.

Goldman Sachs' careers portal, meanwhile, displays 15 open job listings for junior bankers in New York, London, and San Francisco, namely at the analyst and associate levels. In January, one open role called for an associate to cover deals for financial institutions and asset-management clients, while another sought an IB associate to focus on the entertainment sector. A third associate position was focused on executing general mergers and acquisitions.

IT jobs

Headhunters have said that an array of financial-services firms, from banks to hedge funds, are expected to boost tech hiring as they explore and build new artificial intelligence capabilities.

In July, JPMorgan's CEO, Jamie Dimon, said he expects to add thousands of AI-related jobs in the next few years. Hedge funds and proprietary-trading firms have also been getting into the act, shelling out big bucks, as much as $350,000 in annual salaries, to snag coveted AI researchers and engineers.

Some private-equity firms, meanwhile, have been paying up to $2 million, including base salary and bonus, for so-called AI operating executives, recruiters told BI last year.

See BI's top tips for landing a Wall Street tech job in 2025.

Private credit and financing

So-called private credit has been on a roll in recent years as more asset managers, like Apollo and Blackstone, pick up lending that banks increasingly deem too risky for their balance sheets.

Plus, there are signs that demand for nonbank loans will only intensify in 2025, as demand for corporate capital raising increases, including for M&A.

On Monday, Goldman Sachs announced a new structure to capitalize on growing demand for financing. Its new Capital Solutions Group is geared to provide alternative sources of lending to corporate clients as well as financial sponsors.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that hedge fund Point72 hired Todd Hirsch, a former Blackstone senior managing director, to build out its new private-credit business.

Goldman on Wednesday reported record results in fixed-income and equities financing, which includes capital raising on behalf of clients. Goldman's CEO referred to financing a "large strategic opportunity" for the bank, thanks to what he described as "important structural trends currently taking place in finance" including the emergence of private credit.

See BI's top do's and don'ts for landing a job in the burgeoning private-credit industry.

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• Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on a cease-fire deal meant to halt 15 months of fighting.
• The White House confirmed on Wednesday that there is an agreement in place.
• Hamas and other militant groups kidnapped over 250 people in Israel on October 7, 2023.

After more than 15 months of catastrophic fighting and tens of thousands dead, Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on a cease-fire, the White House announced on Wednesday.

The agreement, a major breakthrough in the Middle East, is meant to halt the bloodshed and facilitate the release of some of the remaining hostages.

"At long last, I can announce a cease-fire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas," President Joe Biden said Wednesday afternoon.

In a written statement, he said the deal would stop the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families.

On October 7, 2023, as part of a Hamas-led terror attack against Israel, Hamas and other militants kidnapped 251 people from Israel. Around 1,200 were killed across the country.

Hamas and its allies still hold 98 hostages, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Tuesday, though at least 34 of them are thought to have died in captivity.

The deal, which Israel has yet to formally approve, is set to include multiple phases. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, "Several items in the framework have yet to be finalized; we hope that the details will be finalized tonight."

The first stage of the agreement is expected to include 33 hostages — most of whom are alive — released on "humanitarian" grounds, the Israeli spokesperson told reporters at a briefing. This will consist of women, children, the elderly, and hostages who are sick.

When asked how many jailed Palestinians Israel is willing to release in exchange, the spokesperson said that the country "is prepared to pay a heavy price, in the hundreds."

The Israeli military confirmed that it is preparing for the return of the hostages. Qatar's prime minister said the deal with go into effect on January 19.

Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, told reporters that the first phase of the deal includes a full cease-fire. It is expected to last six weeks and will include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza.

A second phase, which is still being worked out, would see a "permanent end" to the war. Biden said this phase would include the release of the remainder of the living hostages as the rest of the Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza.

In the third phase, any remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families, setting in motion a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.

To date, 117 hostages have been returned alive to Israel, including 105 freed as part of a prisoner exchange in November 2023.

The cease-fire deal intends to put a halt to the ongoing conflict, which has seen large areas of Gaza destroyed and has left the militant group battered. The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 people.

Negotiations for a cease-fire deal have been ongoing for many months, but news that Israel and Hamas were close to reaching an agreement emerged earlier this week, hinting that, at last, there could be movement.

The deal comes in the final days of the Biden administration, which had been closely involved in negotiations to get a framework approved.

President-elect Donald Trump said his victory in November directly contributed to the deal coming to fruition. "We have achieved so much without even being in the White House," he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

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• Drake and Kendrick Lamar were embroiled in rap beef for most of 2024.
• Now, Drake is suing Universal Music Group for allowing the release of "Not Like Us."
• Here's what you need to know about the feud that's taken over hip-hop.

Kendrick Lamar and Drake's long-running feud reignited last March, thanks to Lamar's diss on Future and Metro Boomin's track "Like That" from their latest collaborative album, "We Don't Trust You."

This spiraled into a diss-track war in April and May, with Cole, Drake, Rick Ross, and Lamar all releasing new songs.

At first, fans encouraged the beef between Lamar and Drake. Diss battles, which rappers use to prove themselves, are common in hip-hop, and it was seen as some friendly competition between the genre's heavyweights.

Feuds can also be a clever marketing tactic to help artists boost streams and sales. "Like That," for instance, topped the Hot 100 for three weeks, and "We Don't Trust You" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Lamar's "Euphoria" and Drake's "Push Ups" also climbed the Billboard chart in May.

But as the beef continued to intensify over several months, Drake has escalated his attacks legally, launching legal actions against Universal Music Group (to which both Drake and Lamar are signed) and Spotify, accusing both companies of artificially inflating streams of Lamar's No. 1 hit "Not Like Us."

But how did we get here? Here's everything to know about the beef that took over hip-hop in 2024.

Hannah Getahun contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Drake and Lamar have been making digs at each other since 2013

Lamar and Drake started out as friends, with Lamar opening for Drake's "Club Paradise" tour in 2012. The pair's feud began when Lamar rapped that he was better than all the rising rap stars, including Drake and Cole, when he featured on Big Sean's 2013 song "Control."

"And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller / I got love for you all, but I'm tryna murder you n*****," he rapped.

Drake appeared to respond on the track "The Language" from his 2013 album, " Nothing Was the Same," rapping: "I don't know why they been lyin' but your shit is not that inspirin' / Bank account statement just look like I'm ready for early retirement / Fuck any n**** that's talking that shit just to get a reaction."

The two rappers last featured on the same song in 2013 and, since then, have made small digs at each other in their tracks and in interviews.

In 2015, many fans believe that Lamar accused Drake of using a ghostwriter, pointing to Lamar's 2015 track "King Kunta," where he raps, "I can dig rappin', but a rapper with a ghostwriter? / What the fuck happened?"

Lamar hasn't confirmed if the "King Kunta" lyric is about Drake.

The pair have also taken different paths artistically, with Lamar earning critical acclaim, including winning a Pulitzer prize for "Damn" in 2018 and 17 Grammys. Drake is more commercially successful, with 15 songs with over a billion streams on Spotify compared to Kendrick's five.

Cole entered the beef after appearing on Drake's 'For All The Dogs'

Drake's 2023 track " First Person Shooter," featuring Cole, is all about the two being the greatest rappers ever. Cole, who is friends with Lamar, references him in the song when talking about being the "Big 3" of the Hip Hop world.

"Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?" Cole raps, referring to Lamar's nickname, "K-Dot," and Drake's birth name Aubrey. "We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali."

Lamar was rumored to be featured in the song too, though that never materialized.

Drake ends the song by comparing his success to that of the late Michael Jackson, who is the sixth best-selling artist of all time. In October 2023, Drake scored his 13th Billboard Hot 100 No.1, tying with Jackson.

Lamar's verse in "Like That" alludes to those lyrics, the song title "First Person Shooter," and Drake's 2023 album title, " For All the Dogs."

"Motherfuck the big three, n****, it's just big me," Lamar raps, adding later. "Fuck sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches."

Cole fired back at Lamar, then apologized two days later

Cole did not publicly comment on Lamar's "Like That" verse until April 5, when he released a 12-track EP, "Might Delete Later," featuring Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, and others.

The first verse of the final track, "7 Minute Drill," appears to be a direct response to Lamar, who Cole implies is losing popularity.

"He still doin' shows, but fell off like the Simpsons / Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic / Your second shit put n***** to sleep, but they gassed it / Your third shit was massive and that was your prime / I was trailin' right behind and I just now hit mine," Cole raps.

Fans believe Cole's bar about Lamar's second album references the critically acclaimed " To Pimp a Butterfly," as most people don't count 2011's "Section.80" as his first. "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," is Lamar's actual second album.

Two days after the song was released, Cole apologized to Lamar during his performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. "I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest shit," Cole said in a video shared on X. "And I pray that y'all are like, forgive a n**** for the misstep and I can get back to my true path. Because I ain't gonna lie to y'all. The past two days felt terrible."

Cole said he felt conflicted because he respected Lamar but felt pressure from his peers and fans to respond.

Cole said his diss verse, and the discourse surrounding it, didn't "sit right with my spirit," adding that he hoped Lamar, who he describes as "one of the greatest motherfucker's to ever touch a fuckin' microphone," wasn't hurt by his words.

Cole was initially mocked by fans for backing down, but they have since praised him for stepping out of the situation before the beef intensified.

Representatives for Lamar and Cole did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Future and Metro Boomin stirred more trouble with 'We Still Don't Trust You'

On April 12, Future and Metro Boomin released their second collaborative album, "We Still Don't Trust You." While neither rapper directly dissed Drake, they enlisted The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky to do their bidding. Ross and Cole also appear on the album but don't diss Drake.

In the track "All To Myself," The Weeknd references declining to sign with Drake's OVO label, which has led to a frostiness between the two Canadian stars.

"They could never diss my brothers, baby / When they got leaks in they operation / I thank God that I never signed my life away / And we never do the big talk / They shooters makin TikToks / Got us laughin in the Lambo," The Weeknd rapped.

On the track "Show of Hands," Rocky references the rumor that he slept with Sophie Brussaux, the mother of Drake's child Adonis, before the "God's Plan" rapper.

"N****s in they feelings over women, what, you hurt or something? / I smash before you birthed, son, Flacko hit it first, son," Rocky rapped.

Rocky and Drake were also friends until the "Fuckin' Problems" rapper began to date Rihanna, who had an on-again-off-again relationship with Drake.

On the "For All the Dogs" track "Fear of Heights," Drake disses both stars, saying sex with Rihanna was "average" and that Rocky is now stuck with her since they have children together.

Drake fired back with another diss track

On April 13, after the release of "We Still Don't Trust You," another diss track recorded by Drake, "Push Ups," surfaced online.

Although Drake spends most of the four-minute track dissing Lamar, there are a few shots fired at The Weeknd, Ross, Cole, Future, and Metro Boomin.

Drake mocked Lamar's latest album, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers," his appearances on Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift's pop songs, and suggested that Lamar's former label, Top Dawg Entertainment, took 50% of profits from the "Humble" rapper's songs.

"How the fuck you big steppin with a size-seven men's on? / Your last one bricked, you really not on shit," Drake rapped. "Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty / Then we need a verse for the Swifties / Top say drop, you better drop and give him 50."

Drake also rapped that SZA, Travis Scott, and 21 Savage were bigger names in the hip-hop world than Lamar.

Later in the track, Drake references Cole's diss track and apology.

"And that fuckin' song y'all got is not starting beef with us / This shit brewin' in a pot, now I'm heating up / I don't care what Cole think, that Dot shit was weak as fuck," Drake rapped.

Later in the track, Drake raps that he gave Future his first No. 1 hit, referring to Drake's 2021 song "Way 2 Sexy," which he features on. Drake also says The Weeknd wastes his money, and Metro Boomin should "shut your ho ass up and make some drums, n****."

Taking aim at Ross, he says the 48-year-old rapper is too old to join the rap beef and owes his chart success to him. Drake also appears to reference Ross' friendship with Diddy, who was accused of sexual misconduct by four people in the last year.

"Spend that lil' check you got and stay up out my business / Worry 'bout whatever goin' on with you and…," Drake says, trailing off at the end.

Rocky was the only one spared from the track.

Ross quickly recorded and released a response, "Champagne Moments," where he calls Drake a "white boy," claims the rapper got a nose job, and stole his flow from Lil Wayne. Ross also repeats the ghostwriter allegations, and has continued to make fun of Drake's nose on social media.

On April 14, Drake shared a text message with his mother in which she asked about the nose job rumor. Drake responded in the message that Ross is just "angry and racist" and he'll "handle it."

Drake officially released 'Push Ups' and another track aimed at Lamar

On April 19, a week after the leak, Drake officially released "Push Ups" alongside a new diss track directed at Lamar called "Taylor Made Freestyle."

In the latter track, Drake taunts Lamar to respond to "Push Ups," mocks Lamar's complex rap verses, and says the rapper is a puppet of the industry and Taylor Swift.

For the track, Drake used AI to generate the voices of the late Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, making it sound like they rapped the first two verses.

Drake's use of Tupac may be a reference to Lamar's track "Mortal Man," from his 2015 album "To Pimp a Butterfly." At the end of the track, Lamar samples a 1994 Tupac interview to simulate a conversation between the two rappers.

Some fans criticized the use of AI in "Taylor Made Freestyle" particularly as Tupac was unable to consent.

Snoop responded to the song on April 20 in a jokey Instagram video where he reacts to people messaging him about Drake using his voice.

"They did what? When? How? Are you sure?" he says. "I'm going back to bed. Good night."

On April 24, Billboard reported that Tupac's estate had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Drake for using his voice.

"The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorized use of Tupac's voice and personality," the estate's lawyer Howard King said. "Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac's publicity and the estate's legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. The Estate would never have given its approval for this use."

Two days later, Drake removed the song from social media and streaming platforms, though copies of the song are still available online.

Lamar spelled out the things he hates about Drake in the song 'Euphoria'

On April 30, Lamar released "Euphoria," a damning six-minute response to Drake.

In the track, Lamar calls Drake a "scam artist," "a master manipulator and habitual liar," mocks the Canadian rapper for imitating Black American culture, and claims that the "One Dance" artist has 20 ghostwriters. Lamar also says he is a better father than Drake.

Halfway through the track, Lamar raps: "I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress / I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it's gon' be direct / We hate the bitches you fuck, 'cause they confuse themself with real women."

'Fans also believe the lyrics "have you ever paid five hundred thou' like to an open case?" refer to Drake paying 532,000 New Zealand dollars in 2019 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault. Drake denied the claim at the time.

Later in the track, Lamar hits out at Drake's use of AI in "Taylor Made Freestyle."

"I'd rather do that than let a Canadian n**** make Pac turn in his grave," Lamar raps, later adding. "Am I battlin' ghost or AI?"

Lamar also implies that Drake sent a cease-and-desist letter to get "Like That," the song that reignited the beef, removed.

"Try cease and desist on the 'Like That' record? / Ho, what? You ain't like that record?" Lamar raps on the track.

In response to the song, Drake continued to taunt Lamar by posting a clip from "10 Things I Hate About You" on his Instagram story.

Lamar warned Drake about enemies in his own entourage in his latest track, '6:16 in LA'

"6:16 in LA," released May 3, is a shorter track than "Euphoria" and only features one verse.

Lamar begins the verse rapping about his success before turning his attention to Drake. Instead of insulting Drake, Lamar claims that the "Push Ups" rapper's circle has been feeding him lies, leaking information about him, and hoping for his downfall.

"Have you ever thought that OVO was workin' for me? / Fake bully, I hate bullies, you must be a terrible person / Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it," Lamar raps.

Fans believe Lamar's lyric, "It was fun until you start to put money in the streets / Then lost money, 'cause they came back with no receipts," implies that Drake tried to pay for dirt on the "DNA" rapper.

Later in the track, Lamar also calls out Drake for "playin' dirty" in his feuds by enlisting the help of Twitter bots and celebrities like Zack Bia to stir public opinion against his enemies.

"But your reality can't hide behind Wi-Fi / Your lil' memes is losing steam, they figured you out," Lamar added.

The diss track's layers go beyond the lyrics, as fans have been analyzing the cover art, the track's title, and even the producers. "6:16" was Tupac's birthday, but it is also Father's Day, which relates to Lamar's taunts about Drake's parenting skills. "6:16 in LA" also parodies Drake's song titles, which often feature location names and timestamps.

The song is co-produced by Jack Antonoff, Swift's longtime producer and friend, which is likely aimed at Drake's Taylor Swift disses.

Meanwhile, the cover art features a black leather glove with a Maybach logo on it. The black leather glove could refer to Drake's 2020 song "Toosie Slide," where the rapper compares himself to Michael Jackson in the line "Black leather glove, no sequins."

Meanwhile, the logo could refer to Rick Ross' music label, Maybach Music Group.

Drake ramped things up in 'Family Matters,' which he paired with a music video

On May 3, Drake released "Family Matters," a seven-and-a-half-minute response to Lamar's back-to-back diss tracks, which appears to respond to some of "Euphoria," firstly Lamar's decision to question Drake's quality as a father.

"You mentioned my seed, now deal with his dad / I gotta go bad, I gotta go bad," Drake rapped in the first few lines of the track.

Later, he takes shots at Lamar's son, Enoch: "Why you never hold your son and tell him say cheese / We could have left the kids out of this don't blame me."

"I heard that one of them little kids might be Dave Free," Drake also raps, suggesting that one of Lamar's two children he shares with his longtime partner was fathered by one of Lamar's creative partners.

Drake ramps things up toward the song's end when he makes the unfounded claim that Lamar has domestically abused a partner. "They hired a crisis management team / To clean up the fact that you beat on your queen," he raps, "The picture you painted ain't what it seems."

On the track, Drake also addresses the cease-and-desist he was sent over "Taylor Made Freestyle," rapping that Lamar "begged" the family of Shakur to take legal action and have the song taken down.

At the song's close, he brings it back to their respective children and takes one final swipe at his opponent, rapping: "Our sons should go play at the park / Two light-skinned kids, that shit would be cute / Unless you don't want to be seen with anyone that isn't Blacker than you."

Drake also dropped a music video alongside the song, which shows a red minivan, similar to that on the cover of Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d city" being driven across the border to Canada and destroyed. Later in the video, Drake is shown having dinner at the same Chinese restaurant Lamar rapped about in "Euphoria."

Minutes later, Lamar responded, directly addressing Drake's son, mom, and dad on 'Meet the Grahams'

Lamar's "Meet the Grahams" arrived minutes after Drake's "Family Matters" dropped and saw the rapper directly address each member of Drake's family.

"Dear Adonis, I'm sorry that that man is your father, let me be honest / It takes a man to be a man, your dad is not responsive," he begins the track. "I look at him and wish your grandpa woulda wore a condom / I'm sorry that you gotta grow up and then stand behind him."

In the second verse, Lamar turns his attention to Drake's mom and dad, rapping that the pair "gave birth to a master manipulator."

"You raised a horrible fuckin' person, the nerve of you, Dennis," the track continues. "Sandra, sit down, what I'm about to say is heavy, now listen / Your son's a sick man with sick thoughts."

Another verse, addressed to a "baby girl," implies that Drake has fathered a second child beyond his son that he has kept secret, while the final verse brings things back to Drake himself, where Lamar justifies taking such personal shots at his rival.

"Dear Aubrey, I know you probably thinkin' I wanted to crash your party / But truthfully, I don't have a hatin' bone in my body / This supposed to be a good exhibition within the game / But you fucked up the moment you called out my family's name."

Lamar refused to let Drake breathe and released yet another track, 'Not Like Us'

In "Not Like Us," Lamar appears to directly respond to Drake's "Family Matters" diss, referencing the track's title in the song lyrics.

"The family matter, and the truth of the matter / It was God's plan to show you're the liar," Lamar raps, also giving a nod to Drake's 2018 track "God's Plan."

The art for the song is an aerial view of Drake's mansion near Toronto, Variety reported. The image also has pins on the mansion, resembling those used on sex offender maps, leading fans to believe Lamar is suggesting Drake's house is full of sexual predators.

On the track, Lamar said Drake is a "colonizer" and that he got his "street cred" with the help of other rappers, including Future, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Young Thug, Quavo, and 2Chainz.

Lamar also made the unsubstantiated claim that Drake and his entourage are pedophiles.

"Certified lover boy? Certified pedophile," Lamar rapped, referring to the title of Drake's 2021 album. "To any bitch that talk to him and they in love / Just make sure you hide your lil' sister from him."

Drake responded to Lamar's accusations in 'The Heart Part 6'

On May 5, Drake released a response to "Not Like Us" and "Meet the Grahams" in the form "The Heart Part 6." The title is a reference to Lamar's "The Heart" song series.

The song denies many of Lamar's claims. Drake raps that the people feeding Lamar information about him are "all clowns" and says that Lamar was purposefully given false information about him secretly fathering an 11-year-old daughter. (In "Meet the Grahams" Lamar sings about a "baby girl" that he says Drake abandons.)

"We plotted for a week and then we fed you the information / A daughter that's 11 years old, I bet he takes it / I thought about giving a fake name and a destination / but you so thirsty you not concerned with investigation," Drake raps in his response.

Later in the verse, Drake denied the pedophile claims.

"Only fuckin' with Whitneys, not Millie Bobby Browns, I'd never look twice at no teenager," he rapped, referring to the rumor that Drake's friendship with "Stranger Things" star Millie Bobby Brown when she was a child was inappropriate.

He rapped later: "If I was fucking young girls, I promise I'd have been arrested / I'm way too famous for this shit you just suggested."

On June 5, Billboard reported that Drake had deleted the Instagram post promoting the song.

A security guard outside Drake's mansion was injured and three people tried to break into the home

In the week following the release of "Not Like Us," a shooting took place outside Drake's mansion, and there were also reports of people trying to break into the property.

On May 7, Canadian publication CBC reported that a security guard was shot and seriously injured outside Drake's mansion at Park Lane Circle.

On May 8, CNN reported a person tried to enter Drake's mansion a day after the shooting. Then, on May 9, TMZ reported that a second person tried to enter Drake's property around 3:30 p.m. ET. On May 11, TMZ reported that a third person tried to break into the home but was stopped by Drake's security.

While officers never linked any of the incidents to the rap beef, tensions were high since they all occurred shortly after the release of "Not Like Us."

Amid the incidents, Drake complained on his Instagram Story about the media helicopters surrounding his home.

On May 11, Drake wrote in a post addressing Canadian news organization CP24, "Can we discuss the chopper flight times over the house 'cause I won't lie, I'm trying to sleep. Anytime after 3 pm works great for me," he wrote.

Drake appeared to have stepped down from the beef, and Lamar's label said the 'battle is over'

Drake seemed to suggest he was bowing out of the feud with Lamar in "The Heart Part 6" when he said: "You could drop a hundred more records, I'll see you later / Yeah, maybe when you meet your maker / I don't wanna fight with a woman beater, it feeds your nature."

While some fans doubted this, it seems he was serious. On May 11, Drake posted an illustration of a samurai standing up against an army on his Instagram Story and captioned the post, "Good times. Summer vibes up next," which seemed to suggest he wouldn't release any more diss tracks.

Lamar performed 'Not Like Us' five times at his Juneteenth concert

On June 19, Lamar hosted a one-off concert to celebrate Juneteenth called "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends," which was live-streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.

The event featured up-and-coming West Coast rappers and major Californian stars including Dr. Dre, Jay Rock and Tyler The Creator. Lamar closed the night with his own set, opening with "Euphoria."

During the performance, Lamar added a new line, "Give me Tupac's ring back and I might give you a little respect," referring to reports that Drake had bought a ring that belonged to Tupac Shakur.

Later in the set, Lamar performed "6:16" and "Like That." Lamar ended the night performing "Not Like Us" five times in a row, beginning with an intro by Dr. Dre who joined Lamar onstage.

During the third "Not Like Us" encore, West Coast performers, athletes, and gang members joined Lamar onstage to dance to the song.

During the rap beef, Drake has continually mocked the West Coast rap community, which Lamar hails from, and said the community does not support Lamar.

Fans have dubbed the concert Lamar's "victory lap," saying he won the rap beef.

Lamar released a music video for 'Not Like Us'

Exactly two months after releasing "Not Like Us," Lamar released a music video for the diss track on YouTube.

The music video appears to take numerous digs at his rival, including a recurring image of an owl, which is the logo of Drake's label.

The first time an owl appears, it is in the shape of a pinata, which Lamar breaks with a stick.

A disclaimer at the bottom of the screen reads, "No OVhoes were harmed in making this video."

Later in the video, Lamar puts an owl in the cage. Both scenes seem to suggest Lamar is declaring that he has defeated Drake.

Lamar's longtime partner Whitney Alford, their two children, and multiple other West Coast rappers, athletes, and dancers appear in the video, which was shot in Compton, California.

In November, Lamar surprised fans by dropping his new album 'GNX,' including several references to his feud with Drake

After months of silence, Lamar surprise-released the 12-track album on Friday, November 22.

The rapper appeared to reference his beef with Drake in the album's opening track, "Wacced Out Murals."

He raps: "Snoop posted 'Taylor Made,' I prayed it was the edibles / I couldn't believe it, it was only right for me to let it go."

The lyrics reference how fellow rapper Snoop Dogg shared one of Drake's diss tracks, "Taylor Made Freestyle," on Instagram (although Snoop Dogg has said he would not be taking sides in the feud).

Elsewhere on the album, there is a track named "Heart Pt. 6," reclaiming the song name from Drake, who previously released his own song titled "The Heart Part 6" to mock Lamar's series of numbered "heart" tracks.

The surprise album garnered positive initial reviews from critics, rounding off a transformative year for Lamar.

Shortly after Lamar's new album arrived, Drake's company launched two legal actions against Universal Music Group and Spotify

On Monday, November 25, Drake took his feud with Lamar into legal territory.

Drake's company, Frozen Moments, filed a pre-action petition in a New York court against Universal Music Group (UMG), the record company that owns Lamar's label Interscope and Drake's label Republic Records, as well as the streaming giant Spotify.

The petition accuses both UMG and Spotify of using illicit methods, such as bots and payola (otherwise known as "pay-for-play"), to inflate streams of Lamar's No. 1 hit "Not Like Us."

The filing also claims that "Not Like Us" caused Drake to suffer "economic harm."

Hours after the filing made headlines, Billboard unearthed another action filed by Drake's company in Texas court. The second petition, also filed on November 25, claims that UMG "funneled payments" to the radio conglomerate iHeartRadio in order to boost spins of "Not Like Us."

Drake's lawyers also allege that UMG could've blocked "Not Like Us" from being released because it "attacked the character of another one of UMG's most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders and committing other criminal sexual acts," per Billboard.

"The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue," a spokesperson for UMG told Business Insider.

"No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear," the spokesperson added.

Representatives for Lamar and Drake did not immediately respond to BI's requests for comment. A representative from Spotify declined to comment.

In January, Drake sued UMG for spreading a 'false and malicious narrative'

In a defamation lawsuit filed January 15 in federal court, Drake claimed UMG "approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track" which was "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response," per The New York Times.

The suit also accuses UMG of valuing "corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists," citing the security guard who was injured outside Drake's home as an example of the song's repercussions. (The cover art for "Not Like Us" is a photo of Drake's home in Toronto, covered in red sex-offender markers.)

Drake withdrew his November legal action filed in New York against UMG and Spotify in favor of filing the new defamation suit in federal court.

The news comes just weeks before Lamar is set to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans.

Lamar is also expected to attend the 2025 Grammy Awards the week before, where " Not Like Us" is nominated for song and record of the year.

Representatives for Drake and UMG didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from BI.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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• James Watt, the cofounder of the beer company BrewDog, has criticized the UK's work culture.
• Watt said the UK was "one of world's least work-oriented countries."
• Watt stepped down as BrewDog CEO in 2024.

James Watt, the cofounder of the beer company BrewDog, said the UK was "one of the world's least work-oriented countries" as he criticized the idea of " work-life balance."

Appearing in an Instagram video alongside his fiancee, Georgia Toffolo, Watt initially said he believed "the whole concept of work-life balance was invented by people who hate the work that they do."

Watt said he and Toffolo instead believed in "work-life integration."

Watt received pushback over the post and later deleted it from Instagram, saying "the comments crossed the line from debate to personal abuse." However, he later reposted it with additional context.

In the new post, Watt made it clear that his content was "aimed at founders, entrepreneurs, and people who want to push their careers forward," adding that "most successful leaders I know don't separate work from life."

In a LinkedIn post, Watt then suggested the pushback may be linked to what he described as the UK's comparatively low work ethic.

"As a nation, we love to joke about the French being lazy, but the reality is that our output per hour is 13% lower than theirs," he wrote. "I've heard countless international leaders say that the UK's work ethic just doesn't stack up against other nations, especially the US."

He then went on to cite a 2023 study by the Policy Institute at King's College London that found the UK public ranked among the lowest internationally for the importance placed on work.

The study, which looked at 24 nations, including Italy, France, and Russia, found that British people were the least likely to say work was important in their lives and among the least likely to say that work should always come first.

"This isn't to say nobody in the UK works hard—I know that millions of you do and are relentlessly grafting every day," Watt added.

BrewDog was founded in 2007 in Scotland and soon found success as it shook up the craft beer scene with its bold, controversial marketing and its signature Punk IPA.

The company has since built a network of bars and breweries around the world. Its Columbus, Ohio site features a taproom, hotel, and brewery.

Watt stepped down as CEO of the company in 2024, after 17 years at the helm. His departure followed a number of controversies over the company's alleged treatment of staff.

In 2021, dozens of former employees wrote an open letter accusing the company and Watt of creating a "culture of fear" in which staff were treated "like objects."

Watt later apologized to the former employees, saying the company had "always tried to do the best by our team."

"But the tweet we saw last night proves that on many occasions we haven't got it right. We are committed to doing better, not just as a reaction to this, but always; and we are going to reach out to our entire team past and present to learn more. But most of all, right now, we are sorry," he added.

In January 2024, BrewDog also faced fallout after it emerged it would no longer hire new staff on the real living wage, instead paying the lower legal minimum wage.

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Even if you have a comprehensive cable package, streaming services have become all but necessary to keep up with select sports and original TV shows. Fortunately, there are deals on nearly every streaming service out there, especially when it comes to opting in for an annual plan or bundling multiple services together. Below, we've highlighted all of the best streaming deals and bundles, from Disney to Amazon and everything in between.

While many of these deals are standard, year-round offerings, we'll keep this page updated to include limited-time-only sales so that you'll never miss out on potential savings. So far this month, we've found a special deal on a new DirecTV Stream sports plan.

Check out each streaming service's currently available deals below. We've highlighted both standard streaming services and live TV packages, with price comparisons to how much you'd pay per year with a month-to-month plan or how much you'd pay per month without bundling multiple services together. Many of the streamers offer introductory deals, which we've also outlined.

Paramount+

There are always year-round savings with Paramount+ annual plans compared to paying month-to-month (Essential plans go for $7.99/month, and the With Showtime tier costs $12.99/month). With both tiers, you end up saving about $35 each year by opting for the annual plan. Essential gives subscribers ad-supported on-demand content, while the Showtime upgrade offers an ad-free experience and other perks. Paramount+ Essential is also included with all Walmart+ plans, from monthly ($12.95/month) to annual ($98/year).

If you just want to stick with a monthly plan, you can head to the Paramount+ website.

ESPN+

ESPN+ goes for $11.99 a month, so a standard annual plan offers some savings if you're planning to keep your subscription for a year. The streaming service is best known for its UFC pay-per-view (PPV) events, which require a subscription and an additional PPV fee. The bundle below offers further discounts when you combine an annual subscription with a PPV purchase.

If you'd rather just try a monthly plan, you can go to the ESPN+ website.

Peacock

Peacock's monthly plans go for $7.99 or $13.99 a month, so the annual plans add up to about 12 months for the price of the 10. The Premium tier offers on-demand and select live coverage with ads, while the Premium Plus has ad-free on-demand content and a 24/7 live stream of NBC. The service boasts select live sports and classic comedies, like The Office, Parks and Rec, and Saturday Night Live.

You can check out the Peacock website if you'd rather subscribe to a monthly plan.

Disney Plus

Disney (and several of its partners) offers the greatest number of deals through bundles. There are savings if you bundle Disney+ with Hulu, with Hulu and Max, with Hulu and ESPN+, with Hulu + Live TV, or if you just get an annual Disney+ ad-free subscription. We recommend trying out the Disney+ and Hulu combo (known as the Disney+ Bundle Duo) no matter what since you get two full on-demand subscriptions for only a couple of dollars more than the price of one.

If you plan to stick with just one streaming service or want to try a month-to-month subscription first, you can head to the Disney+ website for more information.

Starz

A Starz monthly subscription costs $10.99 a month, but you can get a six-month subscription term for just $23.99 (after which point it will re-up at $10.99 a month), making it a must-have if you're considering getting Starz. If you're only interested in signing up for a monthly plan, you can get your first three months for $2.99 a month. The streaming service offers several original shows, including The Serpent Queen and Outlander, and on-demand movies, like John Wick: Chapter 4 and several films from The Hunger Games franchise.

If you're only interested in getting a month-to-month subscription, you can check out the Starz website.

DAZN

DAZN has become an absolute hub for boxing, hosting some of the most-anticipated matches around the globe each year. DAZN also offers select other sports, usually without a PPV fee, although boxing is its focus. Most major fights require a subscription and pay-per-view (PPV) fee, but you can find some savings by opting for an annual plan rather than a monthly plan. Month-to-month flexible plans cost $29.99 a month, but you can opt-in for savings via either of the annual options: $19.99 a month locked into a 12-month contract or $224.99 a year upfront.

For more information on DAZN's plans and PPV offerings, you can explore the DAZN website.

Prime Video

If you don't already have an Amazon Prime account, you can save money on an annual subscription. Monthly Amazon Prime subscriptions (which include Prime Video) cost $14.99 a month, and monthly Prime Video subscriptions cost $8.99 a month. The streaming service offers everything from award-winning original TV series and movies to live sports.

If you'd rather try a monthly plan or just stick with Prime Video, you can find more information on the Prime Video storefront.

BritBox

BritBox is one of the premium North American streaming homes of British TV, with popular and niche offerings from BBC and ITV. Plans start at $8.99 a month, but an annual subscription will save you some money year over year if you think you might hold onto BritBox for a while.

You can visit the BritBox website for more info on subscriptions and available deals.

Max

There are three tiers of Max, formerly HBO Max, in addition to a Disney/Max/Hulu bundle, which we'll break down later. The standard monthly price for Max with Ads is $9.99, Max Ad-Free is $16.99, and Max Ultimate Ad-Free is $20.99. The annual version of each plan offers about 17% off in total per year, which is not a bad deal if Max is something you're planning to hang onto in the long run. In addition to on-demand TV and film content from HBO and Warner Bros., each subscription offers the B/R Sports Add-on for free right now, so you can live stream select sports for no additional cost for a limited time only.

You can go to the Max website if you'd rather just sign up for a month-to-month plan right now.

Sling TV

Sling is one of the more affordable live TV packages out there, and it's also one of the most deal-friendly cable alternatives. There are three main plans to choose from — Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and the Sling Orange + Blue combo — and all tiers offer at least half off your first month. The combo is particularly alluring because it offers both plans ($45.99 each) for just $60.99 a month. From there, you can get half off of that price in your introductory month.

If you want to explore Sling TV and its add-ons, visit the Sling website for more information.

Fubo

Fubo is a slightly more expensive live TV service, with standard plans starting at $79.99 a month, but the sports-centric cable alternative offers more than 180 channels at the touch of a button. The service offers everything from local networks to niche, traditionally cable channels, with a few exceptions. The streamer currently offers anywhere from $5 to $8 off your first month of service on select plans (in addition to a free trial), but we've seen the introductory offers reach up to $35.

For additional plans and channel information, head to Fubo's website.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is another comprehensive live TV streaming service with pretty much all of the channels you'll find in a standard cable package. You can get a reduced monthly rate for signing a long-term contract, but there are also some deals to be found with standard month-to-month subscriptions. DirecTV Stream's cheapest tier, the base Entertainment package, has all of the basics at $86.99/month, but sports fans will most likely also want the Sports Pack add-on, which costs an additional $14.99/month. However, when you sign up for both, you get $15/month knocked off your first two months of service, essentially making the Sports Pack free for 60 days. The streamer also just introduced a new sports-only channel package, MySports, which is available to try in beta in select areas for a limited time. Subscriptions cost $69.99/month, but you can get your first three months for $49.99/month.

If you're interested in learning more about DirecTV Stream, check out the DirecTV Stream website for additional information.

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• Myka Stauffer was a family YouTuber who chronicled her adoption of a child with medical needs from China.
• She and her husband faced backlash in 2020 when they said they were placing their son with a new family.
• Now, Myka is the subject of a new docuseries. Here's where she is today.

In May 2020, parenting YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer posted a video that would change their life.

In the since-deleted video titled "an update on our family," the Stauffers said that their son Huxley, whom they had adopted from China in 2017, had "a lot more special needs" than they had initially been aware of. After pursuing treatment and consulting medical professionals, the Stauffers said that they had made the decision to place Huxley with a "new forever family" who would be better able to care for him. Before deleting their channel, it had over 700,000 subscribers.

The Stauffers faced backlash online for their decision, as well as criticism that they had profited from content about Huxley's adoption before placing him with a new family. Fabletics, Kate Hudson's athletic wear brand, as well as other brands including Chili's and Big Lots cut ties with Myka.

Now, the Stauffers — and the family vlogging ecosystem at large — are the subject of the documentary series "An Update on Our Family." The series, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024, will air on HBO and Max starting January 15. It examines Huxley and the Stauffer family's story and the family vlogging ecosystem in which they existed.

Here's what we know about where Myka Stauffer is today.

Myka Stauffer left social media and hasn't posted since 2020

On June 24, 2020, Myka posted a statement to her Instagram account addressing the controversy around Huxley. In it, she said that she was "naive, foolish, and arrogant," and wished that she had been more prepared when she and her husband adopted him.

"I wanted to help so bad I was willing to bring home any child that needed me," she wrote.

Myka also said in the statement that she and James did not "adopt a child to gain wealth," writing that revenue from their videos featuring Huxley was put back into his care.

"We love Huxley and know that this was the right decision for him and his future," she said. "Praying that Huxley only has the best future in the entire world."

Since then, Myka has not publicly posted on her main Instagram account. Her personal YouTube channel and the family's channel, The Stauffer Life, have been deleted.

While Myka no longer posts online, James maintains his car detailing channel Stauffer Garage.

Myka and James' lawyers, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, told People in 2020 that the Stauffers had consulted medical and education professionals while caring for Huxley.

"Over time, the team of medical professionals advised our clients it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family," they said.

The Stauffer family did not participate in 'An Update on Our Family'

The Stauffer family, who The Columbus Dispatch reported lives in Columbus, Ohio, did not participate in "An Update on Our Family."

Executive producers Rachel Mason and Rachel Knudsen told Business Insider that they attempted to reach the Stauffers multiple times while making the docuseries.

"We wanted them to participate, and also understand them not reaching back out to us," Knudsen told BI.

"We trust that their decision is their decision, and what's best for their family," she continued.

Email addresses that appeared to be associated with Myka Stauffer and the email address associated with James Stauffer's YouTube channel did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

"An Update On Our Family" premieres on HBO and Max on January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will air for three weeks.

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Picking out the correct contacts for your vision and personal preference requires more effort than choosing a pair of frames you like. Once you get an up-to-date prescription and a contact lens fitting with your eye doctor, ordering them online is often cheaper and far more convenient than placing an order via your doctor.

Our top pick for buying online contacts is 1-800 Contacts; this company offers an easy-to-use online shop and has over 250 brands to choose from. We also recommend GlassesUSA; we're big fans of GlassesUSA for prescription eyewear, and its contacts store is just as convenient, offering a variety of brand choices at affordable prices.

To help you shop, we researched, tested, and rounded up the best places to buy contacts online, from major retailers that offer mainstream brands to smaller startups. Whether you want a yearly supply or prefer smaller quantities to alternate between glasses, these are the most dependable places to order from.

HSA/FSA dollars typically don't roll over, but if your insurance offers an extended window to use 2024 dollars, you'll want to use them before they expire. Alternatively, you can use your newly-replenished 2025 dollars.

If you're also shopping for prescription eyewear, these are best places to buy glasses online using insurance.

Our top pick: 1-800 Contacts

Shop for contact lenses at 1-800 Contacts

Originally launched in 1995 via phone (hence the phone number as the brand's name), 1-800 Contacts is one of the oldest and most well-known places to buy contacts.

The brand has since expanded to an online platform and hosts more than 250 brands of contact lenses.

In addition to the wide range of brands available, 1-800 Contacts' biggest perk is its price-match guarantee. If you find the same brand of contacts cheaper elsewhere, you can contact them for a price adjustment, making them our top pick for where to buy contacts online.

Right now, you can save 30% on your first order of contacts.

Insurance: 1-800 Contacts accepts HSA, FSA, or vision insurance through 1-800 Contacts, as long as your plan covers the cost of contacts.

Read our full 1-800 Contacts review here.

GlassesUSA.com

Shop for contact lenses at GlassesUSA

GlassesUSA.com is one of our favorite places to shop for prescription eyewear because of its variety of name brands and affordable prices. We love them for contacts for the same reasons, too. You'll find all of the top brands with options for daily, monthly, yearly, and even colored contacts.

GlassesUSA.com also makes it easy to reorder your favorite contacts at whatever frequency is best for you, and with a price match guarantee, free shipping, and free returns, there are no downsides to ordering here.

Right now, you can get 25% off your first order with the promo code "CONTACTS25" or a 10-pack trial of GlassesUSA.com's Vista Plus contacts for only $1.

Insurance: GlassesUSA.com accepts insurance from these major providers. You can also use FSA and HSA dollars to buy prescription eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, and contact lenses.

Warby Parker

Shop for contacts at Warby Paker

Warby Parker is known for its affordable glasses that are available online and in-store at its many brick-and-mortar locations. You'll find the same shopping experience for its contacts, too.

Warby Parker carries an in-house brand of contacts called Scout, along with a host of other name-brand options.

Scout contacts are a great choice for people who wear daily contacts and are looking for a more cost-effective alternative to name brands. The lenses are designed to be comfortable and breathable with long-lasting hydration.

Right now, you can get 15% off your first order of any contact lens brand, plus free shipping with no promo code needed.

If you're interested in trying Scout by Warby Parker, you can request a free trial through Warby Parker's Virtual Vision Test or by booking an in-person eye exam at a location nearby. You will need a Scout prescription to receive a trial pack and a 90-pack order.

Insurance: Warby Parker accepts FSA and HSA dollars for contact lenses.

Hubble

Shop for contact lenses at Hubble

With very few alternatives to expensive name-brand contacts, Hubble is one of the most popular affordable contact lens startups. Unless you're tied to using a very specific brand, Hubble's daily contacts are a great way to save money.

Hubble is also a solid choice if you're a fan of automation since it offers a subscription option. You can get started with a 15-pair trial of Hubble contacts for $1, and after that, the $39 monthly subscription continues to keep prices affordable. If you use a name brand, you can still order them through Hubble, but the main advantage of using Hubble is just how cheap its generic contacts are.

You can easily cancel or modify your subscription if you don't need more. This is a great feature for people who alternate between glasses and contacts and for whom a typical 30-day supply lasts longer than a month.

Right now, you can save up to 60% on other name-brand contacts for your first order.

Insurance: If your FSA or HSA card is affiliated with a major credit card, you can use it to purchase contacts. Hubble doesn't deal with insurance companies directly, but you can use the receipt to apply for reimbursement with providers.

Walgreens

Shop for contact lenses at Walgreens

You might not think of a chain pharmacy like Walgreens for contacts since they're not available in-store, but there are plenty of options online.

You'll find top brands and everything from daily and monthly disposable contacts to color contacts and multifocal contacts. One of the biggest benefits of shopping at Walgreens over other retailers is the consistent promo codes. While many places offer price match guarantees, the convenience of getting low prices without having to contact customer service for a price adjustment is important to consider.

New customers can save 30% on their first order. Even after your first order, Walgreens' many promotions make it a good place to consider ordering from. Right now, you can save 20% on all contact orders with the promo code "DEAL20" at checkout.

After you've placed an order, Walgreens will save your previous purchases to make reordering them easy. Walgreens is also the perfect place to shop for care items like contact solutions and lens cases, so you can conveniently get essentials whenever you need them.

Insurance: Walgreens accepts HSA and FSA on contact orders.

Lensabl

Shop for contact lenses at Lensabl

Lensabl is best known for its replacement eyeglass lenses. The service comes in handy if you're looking for a cost-effective way to upgrade your prescription without having to repeatedly buy your favorite frames again or if you're adding a prescription to a pair of frames that were originally non-prescription. Lensabl also sells traditional prescription glasses (frames with lenses) and contact lenses, making it the one-stop shop for all of your eyewear needs.

If you're someone who alternates between glasses and contacts, Lensabl might be the place to shop for you. The site stocks all of the top brands for contact lenses and has options including spherical contacts, toric lenses for astigmatism, and multifocal lenses for presbyopia.

Lensabl does not price-match contacts, but the brand offers an eyewear and contacts plan called Lensabl+ that's a simple and affordable way to make sure all of your vision needs are met without having insurance.

Plans start as low as $7.99 per month and include a one-year supply of contacts, one frame including prescription lenses or one prescription lens replacement, credit for an eye exam/contacts fitting or an online vision test for prescription renewal, and up to 25% off additional Lensabl purchases. Note that $7.99 per month is not the standard for plans including contacts.

Insurance: Lensabl accepts Linneo insurance payments online. You can also submit for reimbursement with these insurance providers.

Contacts Direct

Shop for contact lenses at Contacts Direct

Contacts Direct is one of the biggest contacts suppliers in the US, and its massive selection of available brands ensures you'll find the contacts you need.

When shopping online, you can choose to buy individual boxes, 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month supplies depending. Customizable ordering options paired with a price match guarantee, plus this gives you the flexibility to order quantities that make sense for you.

Right now you can save 15% on all orders and get free shipping by using the promo code "MYCONTACTS" at checkout.

Insurance: Contacts Direct accepts FSA, HSA, and a variety of in-network insurance providers. If your insurance is out of network, you can contact Contacts Direct to discuss how you can use your benefits.

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• Charlie Cox returns to play Matt Murdock in "Daredevil: Born Again."
• The new series sees him face off with a creepy serial killer called Muse from the comics.
• He also has to contend with Kingpin.

Charlie Cox is returning to "Daredevil: Born Again" as the blind lawyer-turned-vigilante Matt Murdock, several years after the Netflix "Daredevil" series was axed.

"Born Again" continues Murdock's story as an attorney trying to help the poorer citizens of New York by day, and fighting crime as a vigilante with enhanced senses by night.

It's an exciting project for fans, who mounted a #SaveDaredevil campaign when Netflix canceled the show after its third season in 2018.

But in 2022, Marvel got the rights back to Daredevil and the other "The Defenders" characters — including Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher.

Cox even made a crowdpleasing cameo as Murdock in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," offering legal guidance to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) when his secret identity is revealed to the world.

He also had a memorable appearance in " She-Hulk" episode eight as Jennifer Walters' love interest.

Now, Cox and some of the cast from the Netflix era are returning in "Daredevil: Born Again." Here's everything we know about the series.

The first trailer for "Daredevil: Born Again" introduces the serial killer, Muse.

The "Daredevil: Born Again" trailer sees Murdock reuniting with his archenemy, Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio). It appears that they've found a frosty stalemate following their bloody feud in the Netflix series.

Alongside brutal action scenes, the trailer introduces Muse, a serial killer who paints murals using the blood of his victims.

Muse debuted in the 2016 comics by Charles Soule and Ron Garney. The killer made an impression on fans because he used blood from 100 missing people to create horrific art murals in New York.

His brutal methods make him a real threat to Daredevil. He also has the ability to draw in any sensory information about himself, which makes it difficult for Daredevil to rely on his heightened hearing during combat.

Marvel fans previously got a look at "Daredevil: Born Again" when it shot on location in New York.

Photos showing Cox in his new Daredevil costume surfaced online in February 2024 alongside Wilson Bethel as Benjamin Poindexter, also known as the villain, Bullseye.

This confirms that Daredevil will face off with Bullseye again after their brutal conflict in "Daredevil" season three.

The trailer also included a brief appearance from Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher. He starred in Daredevil season two before getting his own Netflix solo series which ran for two seasons until 2019.

"Daredevil: Born Again" will be released on Disney+ in March 2025.

The "Daredevil: Born Again" trailer confirmed that the series starts streaming on Disney+ on March 4, 2025.

The show was originally due to have 18 episodes, but Marvel overhauled the project in October 2023 and condensed the season to nine, according to TV Line.

Cox leads the "Daredevil: Born Again" cast, which includes Jon Bernthal, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson.

Some of the returning cast appeared onstage at D23 2024, where it was confirmed that Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson are returning to play the lawyers Karen Page and Foggy Nelson, respectively. And Bernthal and D'Onofrio will reprise their roles as Frank Castle and the Kingpin.

It's reassuring for fans that the core cast of the Netflix "Daredevil" series is returning. This ensures that the series is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that this isn't just a reboot.

When speaking to Entertainment Weekly, D'Onofrio confirmed that "Born Again" directly references previous storylines.

"There are storylines that reach back to the original series. Where our characters are coming from, where we are, and where we're going, some of those threads lead back," he said.

Woll echoed his sentiment and added: "What the characters went through still exists, that's still part of who they are, it's just that now we're catching up with them at a different point in their lives."

In a separate interview with Rotten Tomatoes, D'Onofrio also suggested that "Daredevil: Born Again" will be just as violent as the Netflix series.

He said: "There are some things on this show that we go much further with than we did the original show. There's one thing in particular that my character does that I can't believe made it into the cut."

Also in the cast are Ayelet Zurer as Kingpin's wife, Vanessa Fisk, Margarita Levieva as Murdock's love interest, Heather Glenn, and Kamar de los Reyes as another vigilante called White Tiger.

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• I compared Summer Fridays' lip butter balm to its supposed dupe from Trader Joe's.
• Trader Joe's package came with almost twice the product for less than half the price.
• They were so similar that I'd rather save money by getting the Trader Joe's balm.

Summer Fridays is perhaps best known for its viral lip butter balm. The non-sticky formula has been praised in beauty publications and on TikTok since 2020, and it's supposed to leave a glassy, glossy look.

Unfortunately, it costs $24 a tube, which is a little too much for me to regularly spend on lip balm.

Luckily, as a professional makeup artist, I have found plenty of so-called dupes on the market that use similar ingredients and formulas but cost less. One that recently caught my eye is Trader Joe's two-flavor pack of lip butter balm for $7.

To see how similar the products really are, I bought both and put them to the test.

Owning a balm from Summer Fridays made me feel fancy.

To pick up my Summer Fridays balm, I headed to Sephora.

There's something luxurious about purchasing skincare and makeup products at high-end retailers, and I enjoyed perusing the varieties of balms on the shelf.

The brand's lip butter balm comes in eight shades/scents: vanilla, sweet mint, pink sugar, iced coffee, vanilla beige, brown sugar, cherry, and poppy.

I went with sweet mint, mostly because it sounded similar to a variety Trader Joe's offers. It also seemed to be the most neutral shade of the bunch, so I thought it would make for a good, fair comparison.

I paid $24 for a 0.5-ounce tube.

Trader Joe's, however, gave me a better deal right off the bat.

As a grocery store, Trader Joe's was a less luxurious, more hectic environment.

However, these lip balms were super convenient to buy since I was already there buying groceries.

I paid $7 for 1.04 ounces of product in two varieties (each 0.5 ounces): vanilla mint and brown sugar.

Far and away, Trader Joe's has the better deal on balm. When broken down, Summer Friday's balm costs $48 an ounce, and Trader Joe's is about $6.73 an ounce.

The packaging looked similar.

Both balms came in matte, mint-green squeeze tubes, which I found aesthetically pleasing.

However, Summer Fridays' packaging is slightly thinner, creating a longer tube, and has a contrasting white cap.

Despite the subtle size difference, they both fit easily into small pockets, which is a high priority for me when it comes to lip balms.

They both smelled the same to me.

The minty balms from Trader Joe's and Summer Fridays smelled very similar to me. In fact, I couldn't tell them apart in a blind smell test.

For both products, I liked the added kick of sweetness to mellow out the tingly mint sensation.

Even the core ingredients are the same.

When I glanced at the back of each box, I didn't notice much variance in the balms' formulas. This is especially true for the first-listed ingredients, which typically make up the largest part of a product's makeup.

When I asked dermatologist Toral Vaidya about the formulas, she said that some of the shared ingredients — shea butter, tocopherol (vitamin E), and sodium hyaluronate — make both products similarly effective for hydration.

"Shea butter is a moisturizing agent rich in fatty acids that helps nourish the lips, and vitamin E is an antioxidant that has skin-protecting qualities and also helps the skin retain moisture," she told BI. "Sodium hyaluronate is a humectant and skin-conditioning agent that helps hydrate the lips."

Both tubes had a smooth application.

I was able to smoothly apply Summer Fridays and Trader Joe's balms on my bare lips and on top of other products for a glossy finish.

The applicators on both tubes had similar divots that seemed to form the shape of my lips as I used them, which I loved.

The only difference I noticed was that Summer Fridays' formula felt slightly thicker.

The products are both great, but I'd rather save my money and get the dupe.

I used each balm for a total of three days, leaving some time between for the fairest comparison.

My lips felt similarly hydrated the entire time, and both products showed noticeable improvement in healing my chapped lips.

I found myself applying the Summer Fridays formula less frequently than Trader Joe's balm, but that could've been due to the difference in my schedule those weeks. I was out and about in the cold more while testing the latter.

I completely understand why people rave about Summer Fridays' balm, especially if they've found a signature shade or scent they can't part with. However, when it comes to the basic clear formula, I really couldn't tell the difference between the products.

I'd rather save some money and repurchase the two-pack dupe from Trader Joe's.

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• Some Republicans have urged Trump and his nominees to kill the IRS's free direct-tax-filing tool.
• Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons are urging them to keep it.
• They said the program fits the bill of one of DOGE's reported goals.

As some Republicans urge President-elect Donald Trump to kill the IRS's free direct-tax-filing tool, Democrats are attempting to preserve it.

In a letter to the Treasury secretary nominee, Scott Bessent, and the IRS commissioner nominee, Billy Long, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chris Coons of Delaware touted what they see as the benefits of the program.

"Direct File is making the process of interacting with the government more efficient, a goal we all can agree on," Warren and Coons wrote in a letter exclusively provided to Business Insider. Twenty-two other senators and 113 House members, all Democrats, also signed on.

The duo also said the program "fits the bill" of a program that's reportedly being explored by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's "Department of Government Efficiency": a mobile app to allow Americans to file their taxes directly to the IRS for free.

"The Direct File pilot program has proved that it is efficient, cost effective, user friendly, and secure — a pilot program that already meets the DOGE leaders' goals," the senators wrote, adding that, as Musk and Ramaswamy have said, "Americans deserve a simple and free way to meet their tax obligations online."

The program, enabled by the 2022 passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, launched in 12 states last year and is set to expand to 13 more states this year. More than 140,000 have filed their federal tax returns via the program, according to the IRS.

The direct-file tool is designed to make filing taxes easier and simpler. Historically, many Americans have had to spend significant amounts of time on tax preparation or pay money to private services like TurboTax.

"Most Americans have simple tax returns, yet filing is still arduous and frustrating," the senators wrote. "The complexity of the tax code makes it difficult for average Americans to ensure they get it right, while also protecting their sensitive financial and personal data."

Last month, 29 House Republicans sent a letter to Trump urging him to kill the program via executive order as soon as day one of his presidency. They cast the tool as an example of the "weaponization of government," saying it gave too much power to the IRS.

It's not clear how the incoming Trump administration will approach the program, and the Trump-Vance transition did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.

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A quality snow shovel is necessary for quickly clearing snow from driveways and sidewalks before it becomes hazardous ice patches. While the best snow blowers are useful, shovels remain an effective tool for snow removal, especially when paired with the best ice melts. The perfect snow shovel should clear snow efficiently and be ergonomic to prevent strain on your shoulders and back.

We compiled a lineup of the best snow shovels based on extensive research and testing. The Dmos Stealth XL Shovel provides heavy-duty performance with convenient compact storage, while the Snow Joe Shovelution Shovel offers a budget-friendly, ergonomic solution with its strain-reducing design.

Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.

Our top picks for snow shovels

Best overall: Dmos Stealth XL Shovel - See at Dmos

Best ergonomic: Snow Joe SJ-SHLV01 Shovelution Snow Shovel - See at Amazon

Best electric: Greenworks 2600602 Cordless Electric Snow Shovel - See at Amazon

Best compact: Lifeline Aluminum Sport Utility Shovel - See at Amazon

Best pusher: Manplow RevolutionX Snow Pusher - See at Amazon

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• A man from Vancouver caught people's attention because they thought he was RedNote's CEO.
• Jerry welcomed new users who had been flocking to the app ahead of a potential TikTok ban.
• People got a bit carried away, and it became a viral case of mistaken identity.

Americans flocking to the Chinese app RedNote thought the platform's CEO had left them an encouraging message.

Turns out, he wasn't the CEO. He's just a guy from Vancouver.

Jerry, who shares a RedNote account with his girlfriend Dani that has about 31,000 followers, posted a video on January 13.

In the video he welcomed US users who had been signing up ahead of a possible ban on TikTok. He said the app, also known as Xiaohongshum, was mainly Chinese-speaking, and it was a place people mainly used for finding restaurants and sharing lifestyle content such as makeup videos.

"But do feel free to speak English and post English content because I believe there are a lot more English-speaking people on this platform nowadays," Jerry said. "We need to build this community."

Mistaken identity

For reasons that aren't entirely clear, some users assumed Jerry was RedNote's CEO.

His video got reposted on TikTok, and the rumor quickly spread around the platform. People thanked him for welcoming them with open arms while the potential TikTok ban loomed.

Jerry's video was also mentioned at the end of a Fox 5 New York news segment about the ban threat.

"The CEO of RedNote even made a video welcoming new users who speak English to the app, and he also encouraged them to never stop sharing their voice," said Jennifer Williams, a sports reporter for FOX 5 News.

On Tuesday, Jerry and Dani, on their TikTok account FakeCEORealGF, tried to clear up the confusion. In the video, Dani showed Jerry what had happened, and he responded with disbelief.

"Guys, I'm not the RedNote CEO, just to be clear," Jerry said.

"I'm just another normal guy in Vancouver," he added. "I didn't expect this post to go viral like this, and thank you for all the comments, but I want to clarify that I'm not the CEO of RedNote."

Jerry said all the points he made were still true, and he hoped new users enjoyed the platform.

Dani, who is Chinese and grew up in North America, and Jerry, who was born in Shanghai and moved to Canada a decade ago, said they had enjoyed watching Chinese and American cultures merge on RedNote.

"Guys, I hope you guys aren't mad at us," Dani said. "We're really sorry for any misunderstandings this caused."

TikTokers who made the error joked in the comments that Jerry had been promoted.

"We married the first guy to be nice to us," one viewer wrote. Another said: "He said 'welcome' and we said 'THE CEO?!?!'"

Others remarked on Jerry's American accent, remarking, "We have to start using critical thinking skills."

Jerry and Dani and Fox 5 New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

TikTok faces a January 19 deadline to comply with a divest-or-ban law requiring its US operations to be sold. It remains unclear what the ramifications of the bill could be.

Creators have been highly critical of the ban, saying their small businesses and livelihoods will be destroyed. Black creators, who were instrumental in the platform's growth, could be significantly affected.

Element of trolling

In response, TikTok users have been considering their options and downloading alternative apps, including Lemon8 and RedNote. Both have rapidly climbed the app download charts in recent days.

The influx to RedNote has been helping some of its users learn English, BI reported this week.

There's also an element of trolling going on. Frustrated about losing a valuable resource for their income and ability to mobilize, TikTokers are leaning into downloading other Chinese apps to send a message.

A major criticism of the potential TikTok ban is that it is hypocritical. Many claim it focuses heavily on one app while leaving alone other tech companies such as Meta, which owns Instagram.

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• I stayed in a cylindrical tiny home hotel in Germany during a European train trip in 2022.
• The 106-square-foot home made smarter use of space than any tiny home I've seen in the US.
• The European tiny home was two stories and less than half the size of the US tiny homes I've booked.

I love how tiny homes creatively use small spaces. Living in NYC for the last six years, I've rented some cramped apartments.

So, I often book tiny home accommodations when I travel to get some ideas for space-saving hacks I could implement in my own dwelling.

From Florida and Maryland to Canada and Switzerland, I've stayed in several tiny Airbnbs around the world.

But none of those homes used indoor space as smartly as this tiny home hotel in Germany, which I found on Airbnb back in 2022.

I was looking for tiny stays in Germany when I found one with a unique, cylindrical shape that packed a lot inside, so I booked it for two nights for $140.

The Airbnb was part of a tiny home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany, called Slube. The company designs minimal concrete "Slubes" for up to two people.

There are three types of Slubes: Basic, which is one story; Home, which is two stories; and Tower, which adds a rooftop terrace. I booked a Home Slube.

It was less than half the size of any tiny home I'd stayed in before.

At 16 feet tall, the tiny home with two floors was 106 square feet.

I checked in with a code sent to my phone rather than a physical key.

When I arrived by train from the airport in Berlin, I didn't see any employees on the property.

I was confused at first, but then I checked my email. I had a message from Slube informing me I'd be staying in room five and could check in by myself.

Inside, the 53-square-foot bottom level had a bathroom on the right, a sitting area on the left, and a ladder to the second floor.

The sitting area had a foldout table. When I wasn't using it, I could push it into the wall to save space.

Across from a foldout table was a bench with two seat cushions instead of a couch.

Beneath the benches, there was enough space for me to store luggage.

This tiny home utilized more vertical space than those I've seen in the US.

There were hooks and storage cubbies above the bench, so I stored all of my clothing and toiletries on the first floor.

I was impressed by the amenities packed into such a small room.

In the back right corner of the sitting area, there was a nook of built-in shelves storing a small coffee machine, a hair dryer, and a few dishes.

The bathroom felt efficiently designed.

There was a curtain separating the shower head and sink from the toilet and storage space.

Even with two windows, I felt I had enough privacy.

The first-floor windows had a film over most of the glass, which allowed me to let natural light in without sacrificing my privacy.

After checking out the first level, I headed up the ladder to the bedroom.

I thought it was easy to climb but could be challenging for some.

There was a latched gate at the top of the ladder, which I imagine was built to keep people safe from falling.

Knowing I was securely fastened into the bed area made falling sleeping easier.

The bedroom was the same size as the living space and bathroom combined — 53 square feet.

A comfy, full-size bed covered the floor space. The pillows had the ideal ratio of fluff to firmness for my neck and head.

Above the bed, a TV equipped with Netflix and other streaming services was mounted on the wall.

Before bed, I watched some of my favorite shows.

On the far side of the bed, I used the lower platform as a nightstand.

It had easily accessible outlets, a pocket for the TV remote, and more space for my electronics and water bottle.

Above the bed, a large window opened so I could let the breeze into my room.

It had a black-out curtain for privacy and early morning light.

The Slube also had smart electricity that made my stay feel a little luxurious.

I controlled the lights and temperature of each story from my phone.

I found it fascinating that this tiny home truly left no space unused, from the loft bed to the wall cubbies.

While I can't stick a second story into my own rental, the European tiny home still gave me inspiration for how I could make better use of my space, starting with vertical storage hacks.

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• US gas prices will fall to $3.20 per gallon this year and $3.00 per gallon in 2026, the EIA says.
• The agency says the global oil glut will expand in the next two years, putting downward pressure on energy prices.
• Oil production has been high, and is expected to increase further with output hikes from OPEC+.

US drivers could get some relief at the pump in the next two years as oil supply surpasses global demand, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The agency said US gasoline prices will likely fall to $3.20 per gallon this year, marking a decrease of more than 10 cents per gallon from last year. In 2026, prices at the pump will fall further, to an annual average of $3.00 per gallon, the EIA said.

The lower gas prices largely reflect the agency's forecasts for lower crude oil prices amid a widening gap between oil supply and demand.

The EIA forecasts Brent crude will fall 8% to an average of $74 per barrel in 2025 and 11% to $66 per barrel next year as the global oil glut expands.

"We expect downward oil price pressures over much of the next two years, as we expect that global oil production will grow more than global oil demand," the agency said in its short-term energy outlook, published Tuesday.

The agency sees global oil production growing in 2025 and 2026, helped by the unwinding of OPEC+ production cuts that started in 2022.

The group has delayed unwinding the cuts several times, pushing a gradual series of hikes from an initial October 2024 start to April of this year. The unwinding is expected to last until the end of 2026.

There will also be strong growth in oil production in general, including in the US's oil-rich Permian region, the agency said. It projects the region's share of US production will grow to account for over half of all US crude oil production in 2026.

Meanwhile, as oil production grows, demand will grow but less rapidly, and continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels. Much of the projected growth in oil consumption will come from Asia, where India is now the leading source of global oil demand in the EIA's forecast.

The mismatch in global supply and demand will make for a 300,000 barrels per day surplus this year, which will more than double to 800,000 barrels per day in 2026, the agency says.

The agency acknowledges that its forecast was completed before the Biden administration issued additional sanctions targeting Russia's oil sector last week, which could reduce Russia's oil exports to the global market.

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• Wednesday's BlackRock earnings call was CEO Larry Fink's 100th.
• The firm went public in 1999 when it was still known primarily as a fixed-income manager.
• Despite being the world's largest asset manager, the $11.6 trillion firm is looking to grow through its private market strategies.

At least one thing remains the same from when BlackRock went public a quarter of a century ago: Larry Fink's pre-earnings call dinner.

Fink, speaking on his 100th earnings call Wednesday, said — despite the many changes to the firm and the world over the past 25 years — he has had a bowl of cereal with blueberries the night before each call.

Now, with $11.6 trillion in assets and a record $641 billion in net inflows in 2024, BlackRock is looking toward private markets for its next evolution.

"This just the beginning," Fink said.

The firm hopes to close its acquisition of private credit giant HPS in the second quarter, he said and has already integrated infrastructure investor GIP. Data platform Preqin — which BlackRock is set to buy for $3.2 billion — will make the private markets more accessible, Fink said, because of its data and analytics capabilities.

Altogether, the biggest opportunity for the firm is taking these strategies downmarket to individual retirement plans and managed account models. Private market players are anticipating that the incoming Trump administration, which has promised a deregulatory push, to allow private equity and credit assets into pension plans such as 401ks.

The ideal portfolio blend, Fink said, is no longer the 60-40 portfolio of stocks and bonds that was the standard for so long. Alternatives are needed to diversify properly, and BlackRock plans to offer them.

There's close to $10 trillion in money-market funds Fink expects will "be put to work" soon, and "income-oriented products" like private credit and infrastructure investments should be at the top of the list.

While he's hoping to get private markets strategies into 401ks, Fink did not address his own potential retirement. Mark Wiedman, a potential successor to Fink, is leaving the asset manager. Fink said on the call that Wiedman's departure was discussed for months and he will stay on through the spring to help with the transition.

"Rob and I are proud of the deep leadership team at BlackRock," he said, referring to firm president Rob Kapito.

He said talent is "the most important thing we invest in each and every year," stating that a new generation of leaders is being developed.

Those new leaders will be the ones who will determine what BlackRock's next 25 years look like and where it will grow next. They just need to be careful not to blink.

"It goes by quick," said Bill Katz, TD Cowen's analyst, on the call, reminiscing about covering BlackRock's IPO.

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• AI hiring is rising 30% faster than overall hiring, LinkedIn reports.
• By 2030, 70% of the skills needed for most jobs will change due to AI, the platform predicts.
• LinkedIn's COO told BI that fluency with AI will be something that comes up in many job interviews.

If you want to get a new job this year, it might pay to lean into artificial intelligence.

Since last fall, AI hiring has risen 30% faster than overall hiring, new figures from LinkedIn show.

This doesn't just mean being one of the technologists who build AI, though many employers are desperate to find workers with these skills. It can also mean workers comfortable using AI to do their jobs, Daniel Shapero, COO at LinkedIn, told Business Insider.

He said that, in part, that desire reflects a need to have people best positioned to withstand an enormous shift in the workplace.

"There's a feeling from employers that they need to make sure that the workers that they're hiring are up for the changes that are about to occur in the labor market," Shapero said.

Part of the coming shift is underscored elsewhere in the LinkedIn report: By 2030 — in only five years — 70% of the skills required for most jobs will change, the company said. That's largely because of AI.

"That's just an indication of how prevalent AI is likely to be across different kinds of jobs," Shapero said.

AI has also only recently become mainstream. ChatGPT was the first major chatbot to burst onto the market, and that was in late 2022. Yet workers who embrace the technology will be most likely to succeed, LinkedIn says.

Employers are expecting AI fluency

The forecast about how much many jobs will change comes years into what's sometimes called the Big Stay, the buttoned-down sequel to the job-hopping that unfolded during the pandemic era. Before the pandemic, LinkedIn said, some workers were adding to their AI skills. Then, during the so-called Great Resignation, many workers didn't feel pressure to tack on abilities because they could often readily change jobs.

Now, years later — and with many workers reporting that they feel stuck in their roles — adding to their bona fides can seem prudent, Shapero said.

LinkedIn found that the share of jobs listed on the platform that included AI literacy skills jumped more than sixfold in the past year.

Yet, even with that increase, employers are only spelling out their desire for AI literacy in one of every 500 job listings on the platform, LinkedIn found. That's perhaps in part because fluency with AI is becoming an expectation for employers, Shapero said.

"It may not be on the job description, but it's going to be something that shows up somehow in the interview," he commented.

Shapero said one head of recruiting for an employer told him that the No. 1 question they're asking candidates is how they've used AI for work or at home within the past year.

"What they're trying to get at is comfort and fluency and the ability to learn new things and new technologies," he said.

AI will affect "almost every job," Shapero said.

Kelly Mendez-Scheib, chief people officer at Crunchbase, which collects data on companies, told BI that the company is hiring for roles including machine learning engineers and data scientists.

"I'm pretty bullish on AI," she said.

Adding more skills to our profiles

Job seekers appear to feel the need to beef up — or at least enumerate — their skills.

"People are trying to make sure that they are showcasing what's most attractive about them as a candidate," Shapero said. "And it comes down in many ways to AI skills."

Since 2022, LinkedIn users have increased the rate at which they add skills to their profiles by 140%. This includes so-called soft skills like communication and leadership.

A lot of what employers are after is workers who can marry tech with old-school basics. Communication, for example, was the most in-demand skill in 2024, LinkedIn figures show.

Parminder Jassal, CEO of Unmudl, which focuses on developing workers' abilities through hands-on training, told BI that, in many ways, the ideal is a matchup is AI's power with people's skills and emotional know-how.

"You put that together with AI intelligence, and now you get this super intelligence skillset," she said.

LinkedIn's report found that "leaders and companies understand that AI is the most powerful when collaborative humans surround and lead it."

Do you have something to share about your job search? Business Insider would like to hear from you. Email our workplace team from a nonwork device at thegrind@businessinsider.com with your story, or to ask for one of our reporter's Signal numbers.

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• Red No. 3 has been linked to cancer in some rat studies.
• The FDA said food companies have until 2027 to strip the dye from products.
• Regulators previously reviewed evidence linking food dye to ADHD.

The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of a specific red dye that has been linked to cancer in some rat studies.

Red No. 3 is a synthetic dye that gives candies, sodas, and some medications their cherry hue.

"The FDA cannot authorize a food additive or color additive if it has been found to cause cancer in human or animals," Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy director for human foods, said in a statement.

"Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3."

Food companies have until 2027 to phase out Red No. 3 from their products and replace them with natural dyes. Drug companies, like Johnson & Johnson, the maker of Tylenol PM, have until 2028.

Red No. 3 is present in about a quarter of baking decorations and one-tenth of cookies sold in the US. Products include:

• Candy corn
• Nerds bomb pops
• Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips
• Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice
• Tylenol PM
• The shell casing of Vyvanse, a drug prescribed for ADHD

A spokesperson for the National Confectioners Association told Business Insider that candymakers welcome more transparency and will reformulate products accordingly.

Is red food dye linked to cancer?

The move comes more than 30 years after the FDA banned the use of Red No. 3 in cosmetics when animal studies showed links to cancer.

At the time, in 1990, the FDA promised to extend that ban to food products, too. The Delaney Clause of 1958 says the FDA cannot condone any ingredients found to cause cancer in humans or animals.

That didn't happen, in part because of pressure from the food industry. "Americans like their cherries red," a food lobbyist who worked with the maraschino cherry industry told The Washington Post in 1989.

Decades later, in 2022, 24 advocacy organizations came together to petition the FDA to ban Red No. 3, citing rat studies conducted in the 1980s that showed a link to thyroid cancer.

When the FDA revoked its authorization of Red No. 3 on January 15, the agency emphasized that it has no evidence of links to cancer in humans.

Food dye and ADHD

The ban is serendipitous timing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, who has repeatedly said that he believes artificial food dyes cause ADHD in children.

Kennedy has promised to ban all synthetic food dyes in his pursuit to "make America healthy again."

US and European regulators reviewed evidence linking synthetic food dyes to ADHD in 2011. While the EU determined the evidence was strong enough to warn against synthetic dyes for kids, the FDA said more research was needed.

Europe and California took the lead

In the EU, Red No. 3 is banned in all cosmetic and food products except cocktail cherries. Instead, manufacturers use natural dyes like carmine, turmeric, and beets to add vibrance to their products.

While US federal regulators have held off, California took action at the state level.

In 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law banning Red No 3., giving food giants until 2027 to change their products. In late 2024, the state issued a ban on six other synthetic food dyes in public schools: Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6. That, too, will take effect in 2027.

Consumer advocate organizations are calling on the FDA to follow California's lead and expand the ban to encompass all synthetic dyes.

"Many synthetic food dyes are allowed in food but haven't been reviewed for safety by the FDA in decades despite recent studies that have linked the chemicals to serious health problems," Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a statement.

"It's time for the FDA to catch up with the latest science and get these harmful chemicals out of our food."

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• Americans are flocking to Xiaohongshu as a potential TikTok ban looms in the US.
• Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote, offers similar short-form video content to TikTok.
• The app, founded in 2013, reached over 200 million users by 2019.

Americans are flocking to another China-based social media app as a potential TikTok ban looms.

Xiaohongshu has risen to the top of the App Store in the US as so-called TikTok refugees search for apps that provide similar short-form video content. The name translates to "little red book" in English but it's referred to as RedNote or Red Book by English speakers.

Its format isn't much different from TikTok, and some familiar faces have already started popping up in the "Explore" section. It's unclear if users are posing as celebrities on the platform, but actor Selena Gomez's alleged profile has a verified check mark next to her name. It looks like Gomez has been posting there since as early as 2023.

Most of the app's instructions are set in English once you choose the language, but there are still aspects written in Chinese. Xiaohongshu describes itself as "a lifestyle platform for young people" founded in 2013. The site says it reached over 200 million users in 2019.

"Users can record their daily lives, share their lifestyles, and interact based on their interests through short videos, pictures and texts," it said on its "About" page.

It's still up for debate on where most Americans will go for short-form video content if a TikTok ban goes into effect. Instagram reels, YouTube shorts, and apps like Lemon8 have all been touted as alternatives.

Here's how to get started on RedNote.

First, you'll have to agree to terms of services related to how data is collected and shared. Then, you can create an account using your phone number.

You can decide what sort of content you're interested in viewing, like fashion, food, and reading, and access feeds related to them. Like TikTok, there's a "For You" page to browse videos and "Shop" section that doesn't have much English translation.

From there, it's not much different from TikTok. You can like, share, comment, and favorite videos. Americans have taken the app by storm.

Your profile functions similarly to TikTok, with a bio, profile picture, and a customizable username.

Representatives for Xiaohongshu didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Over on TikTok, users are still unsure which app will prevail, but RedNote has been the Apple App Store's No. 1 download for the last few days.

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• I love cruising and have picked up lots of tips to ensure the best possible experience on board.
• To avoid any possible delays, I I highly recommend building ample travel time into your itinerary.
• If your budget permits, it's worth booking a private enclave or treating yourself to other upgrades.

Cruises are a lot of fun but can require some planning to ensure everything goes smoothly. Over the past few years, I've been on cruises to places like the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal.

However, I used to be cruise-averse, mainly because of the stories I'd heard about overcrowded buffet lines and pool decks, and being trapped on a ship with thousands of people.

I've since come to enjoy most things about this kind of trip, mainly because I've learned there's an itinerary and a ship for every type of cruiser. I've also gleaned tips and hacks during my journeys to avoid the crowds and make the experience feel more special.

Here are nine tips I've learned that have made sailing less stressful and more enjoyable.

Arrive the day before the cruise departs

Although it might be tempting to save money on a hotel by booking a flight for the day you depart, the potential stress isn't worth it.

Delays and cancellations due to weather or mechanical issues might mean that you arrive at the dock after embarkation — and the ship won't wait for you.

I highly recommend building ample travel time into your itinerary — plus, you'll get to start your vacation a day sooner.

Book restaurants as soon as you board

Getting on the ship is exciting, and you'll understandably want to explore the pool deck or hang out on your balcony. Before you do, though, hit up the concierge to make restaurant reservations.

The most popular restaurants and reservation times will likely book up quickly, especially on sea days when everyone is on board.

Getting your preferred times and spots for dining will give you peace of mind — especially if you're cruising with a large group — allowing you to relax and enjoy your sailing.

Consider skipping port to enjoy the ship

Conventional wisdom might lead you to believe that a day at sea is the best time to enjoy all the ship has to offer.

When all the passengers are on board, though, the pool will likely be woefully crowded, spa appointments may be difficult to book, and there will probably be long lines for waterslides and other attractions.

If your cruise is making a port stop at a locale that doesn't really excite you, there's no crime against staying on board and blissfully having the ship practically to yourself.

Book excursions directly through the cruise line

If you do a Google search for tours and things to do at your various port stops, you'll inevitably find lots of operators whose prices are cheaper than similar activities offered through your cruise line.

However, if you book the official excursions, the ship's activities director knows where you are. So, if there's a delay or hold-up getting back to the ship, they'll wait for you.

On the flip side, if you do your own thing and then hit traffic after sunbathing at a local beach in Aruba or going on a taco crawl on Cozumel, you may end up getting left behind.

Spring for breakfast in bed

If waiting in line for pancakes and bacon first thing in the morning isn't your thing, I recommend ordering room service at least once during your trip.

The service may incur a small surcharge, but sipping coffee while enjoying an omelette and fruit platter on your balcony is the perfect, solitary way to start the day.

Check out the back of the ship

My favorite part of the ship is the back, referred to as the "aft."

It's relaxing and borderline mesmerizing to watch the wake the ship leaves behind. However, in talking with my fellow passengers over the years, not everyone heads back there.

Your ship may even have a bar or restaurant overlooking the wake. Even if it doesn't, I recommend grabbing a coffee or a cocktail and heading to the back of the ship, which is arguably the most zen-like area.

Consider staying in a private enclave

If your cruise line offers it and you can afford it, book a cabin in a private enclave, like the Yacht Club on MSC Cruises, The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line, and the Suite Class on Royal Caribbean.

Each aforementioned experience comes with amenities like a more sumptuous cabin, and a separate pool deck, restaurant, and lounge — all of which feel like an oasis from the crowds.

These VIP passengers also get priority check-in and a butler who can make the best reservations for restaurants and shows.

Although the experience doesn't come cheap, it lends a feeling of exclusivity to the on-board experience.

Bring attire for theme nights

FOMO can be strong on gala night, white night, or for a poolside pajama party if you don't have something fitting to wear.

Check the cruise line's website or app ahead of time to find out if there are theme nights — and pack accordingly.

On cruise lines with dress codes, you may be excluded from certain dining options if it's an elegant night and you show up in shorts and flip-flops.

Treat yourself to one special experience

Even if you're budget-conscious, it's nice to upgrade yourself during your cruise.

This could mean a multi-course tasting menu at one of the upscale dining concepts, an afternoon at the thermal spa or hydrotherapy circuit, a high-end excursion like a private sunset sail, or an expensive bottle of wine that's not included in your drink package.

Sure, part of the allure of a cruise is that many things are already included, but adding something extra can make the trip more memorable.

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• Donald Trump champions the working class but his policies are bad news for them, Paul Krugman says.
• The Nobel-winning economist says tariffs and deportations will hurt instead of help the poor.
• "A lot of people are going to get brutally scammed," Krugman said.

Donald Trump rode to victory in the US presidential race by pledging to put America first and fight for blue-collar workers. Paul Krugman says he'll only make their lives harder.

The economist, who won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2008, criticized the president-elect's plans to raise tariffs and cut taxes during Tuesday's episode of "The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent" podcast.

He told The New Republic show that those and other policies would lead to the working class paying higher prices while high earners keep more of their money.

"Even more than usual for a Republican, he appears to have an extremely regressive economic program in mind, one that really will effectively redistribute income away from working-class voters to the top," Krugman said.

American households are already being pinched by inflation, which spiked to a 40-year high of more than 9% in the summer of 2022 and remains above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.

On top of higher prices for food, fuel, rent, and other basics, many consumers are also paying more toward their credit cards, car loans, and mortgages.

That's because the Fed, in a bid to curb inflation, increased its benchmark rate from zero to north of 5.25% in under 17 months, and has kept it as high as 4.5% for now.

The battle over groceries

Krugman, a former MIT and Princeton University professor and New York Times columnist, zeroed in on grocery prices. Trump said during his campaign that he would reduce them, but he's walked that claim back in recent weeks.

Yet recent surveys show that his supporters still expect him to do so, Krugman said, despite the fact that broader prices are still rising and deflation is almost universally regarded as undesirable for an economy.

A CBS News/YouGov survey, conducted in late December with a nationally representative group of 2,244 US adults, found that 40% of Americans expect Trump to make food and grocery prices go down, exceeding the 36% who expect him to make them increase.

"A lot of people are going to get brutally scammed," Krugman said. Trump isn't just misleading people by saying they'll be better off once he's in office, he also doesn't appear to know how he'll deliver on his promises, Krugman continued. "So the scam is there is no plan."

Trump said last year that lowering grocery prices would be tricky, but improving supply chains and boosting domestic energy production could lower costs for farmers, who could then pass those savings onto consumers.

Tariffs and immigration

Separately, Krugman nodded to the fact that tariffs are a tax on imports, and businesses usually pass on their increased costs by charging higher prices to consumers.

He described their impact as "really bad," and said the fallout from Trump's proposed mass deportations would be "much, much worse." They'd be hugely disruptive and drive up prices in industries like agriculture, food processing, and construction, Krugman said, leaving the US with a shortage of workers for large-scale programs like rebuilding Florida after a hurricane.

The author and blogger also rang the alarm on Trump and his allies' fierce criticism of colleges and skepticism of higher education.

"We've been pulling ahead on technology, but an administration that's extremely hostile to universities and education is going to undermine that source of advantage as well," Krugman said.

"Trump wants to turn the clock back to 1896, and that's not good for the US economy."

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• A Stanford law professor dropped Meta as a client in the wake of Mark Zuckerberg's recent changes.
• Mark Lemley represented Meta in a 2023 AI copyright case involving comedian Sarah Silverman and others.
• Zuckerberg's recent changes at Meta more closely align with Elon Musk's opinions and strategies.

Mark Lemley, a Stanford law professor and lawyer who represented Meta in a 2023 AI copyright case, said he has dropped the company as a client because of what he described as CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "descent into toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness."

"I have fired Meta as a client. While I think they are on the right side in the generative AI copyright dispute in which I represented them, and I hope they win, I cannot in good conscience serve as their lawyer any longer," Lemley, a partner at the law firm Lex Lumina, wrote in a LinkedIn post on Monday.

Lemley and Lex Lumina represented Meta when comedian Sarah Silverman and other authors sued the Facebook owner in 2023, saying it violated copyright by training the Llama AI model on books they had written.

At the time, Meta's lawyers argued the claims should fail because the authors could not prove Llama generated text that closely resembled their books. The case is ongoing.

In the LinkedIn post, Lemley also said he was changing how he used some Meta products.

He has deactivated his Threads account because he did not want to "support a Twitter-like site run by a Musk wannabe."

The lawyer also said he will no longer buy anything from ads he encounters on Facebook or Instagram.

"While I have thought about quitting Facebook, I find great value in the connections and friends I have here," Lemley wrote.

Lemley is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. At Lex Lumina, he works with clients on cases pertaining to intellectual property, antitrust, and internet law.

"Money can't buy everyone. We're proud to be a firm that doesn't sell out our values. Sadly, it seems this is becoming a rarer and rarer quality in America today," Rhett Millsaps, managing partner of Lex Lumina told Business Insider via email.

Lemley, Meta and Sarah Silverman did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Changes at Meta

Since the start of the year, Zuckerberg has made sweeping changes to Meta, including eliminating third-party fact-checking on the platform in the US in favor of community notes.

Meta also planned to reduce diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Zuckerberg recently said Meta needs more " masculine energy."

"Masculine energy, I think, is good, and obviously society has plenty of that, but I think that corporate culture was really trying to get away from it," he said on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast.

Zuckerberg's changes at Meta resemble those made by Elon Musk on the social media platform X.

Musk has spoken out against DEI and content moderation. Politically, Musk has thrown his support behind right-leaning political parties and figures in Europe and the US.

He's a prominent supporter of President-elect Donald Trump and has been named the co-lead of a commission called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Zuckerberg has also started to mirror Musk in terms of politics and relationship-building with Trump. Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, and Zuckerberg declined to endorse any candidate during the 2024 election campaign.

These moves mark a distinct change in how Zuckerberg approached Trump in the past.

In 2020, after Facebook was criticized over the then-president's violent remarks on the platform, Zuckerberg said he was "deeply shaken and disgusted by President Trump's divisive and incendiary rhetoric."

Trump was barred from Facebook and Instagram in 2021 for what Meta called praising "people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6." Meta reversed the decision two years later.

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• Business Insider asked high-end stylists about the clothes and accessories the rich are wearing.
• Tailored blazers and suits are extremely popular among wealthy clientele.
• Accessories like luxury handbags and statement jewelry are also staples in many wardrobes.

Many of us know the big names in the high-end-design space, like Louis Vuitton and Gucci — but just knowing the brands isn't enough to build a fashionable wardrobe.

So Business Insider asked high-end stylists what their wealthy and celebrity clients reach for so we could determine which styles and accessories are in.

Tailored blazers never go out of style

Kim Appelt, a personal and celebrity stylist, told BI that tailored, relaxed blazers are easy to throw on and wear effortlessly.

"This is the ultimate 'power casual' piece, delivering sophistication without being too formal," she said. "They work with everything from jeans to silk slip skirts, creating an understated, polished look that feels effortless."

Some popular styles are those from brands like The Row or Celine that have clean lines for a sharp, precise look.

Leather and suede pieces scream high-end

Desiree Miranda, a New York City stylist, a personal shopper, and the founder of Miranda New York, said many people opt for leather and suede pieces to elevate their looks.

"These pieces give off a feeling of prestige and status while also offering timeless style," she said. "When you find the perfect piece, whether it be a coat, pants, or a jacket, they will mold to your body over time, providing a unique and comfortable fit."

You can't go wrong with a classic pair of leather shoes

Leather shoes are versatile and go with both tailored and casual looks, making them ideal for everyday wear, the office, and more formal occasions.

"Timeless loafers, often penny styles from Hermes or Chanel, and sleek ankle-high leather boots are popular," Appelt told BI. "The quality leather softens beautifully over time, and because they never go out of style, they're the perfect fusion of comfort and class."

Monochromatic looks are chic

Lindsey Bernay, a leading fashion expert, a stylist, and the author of "You Can't Leave the House Naked," told BI that monochromatic looks are luxe.

"Monochromatic looks signal luxury through subtlety," she said. "Wearing one color head to toe, especially in neutral tones, creates a sleek, sophisticated look that feels both fresh and timeless."

The stylist emphasized the use of clean lines and high-quality fabrics for an extra bit of posh elegance.

Structured, minimalistic handbags elevate any outfit

Appelt told BI that handbags with minimal branding, like the Hermes Picotin and the Bottega Veneta pouch, are in demand.

"The understated look is the new status symbol," she said. "This shift toward subtlety shows a confidence in one's style without needing to prove anything — it's the ultimate 'if you know, you know' vibe."

If the weather calls for knitwear, cashmere is best

Appelt said high-quality cashmere sweaters, cardigans, and turtlenecks in neutral tones are popular among rich clientele — especially when they're from brands like Loro Piana or Brunello Cucinelli.

"Cashmere lasts and gets softer over time, making it a true investment," she said.

The celebrity stylist said the knitwear is a good example of the influx of "quiet luxury" in the fashion world. They're well made and high quality while still being comfortable and low-key.

Bespoke jewelry stands out from the crowd

Accessories can be just as important as clothing in high-end fashion, and Appelt said bespoke jewelry is in.

The trend can include customized pieces, like a gold signet ring, and vintage fare, like heirloom-quality earrings.

"There's a lean toward pieces that tell a story or have sentimental value rather than flashy logos," the stylist said. "Custom jewelry feels intimate and luxurious, especially in an age when personal expression is key."

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• Rumors of a feud between "It Ends with Us" costars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni kicked off in August 2024.
• Months later, Lively filed a sexual-harassment complaint against Baldoni and accused him of a smear campaign.
• Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for its story on Lively's complaint.

The " It Ends With Us" press tour in the summer of 2024 was overshadowed by rumor and speculation.

Ahead of the film's release in August 2024, fans suspected a feud between lead star Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, her costar and director.

Some blamed Lively without knowing what caused their apparent falling-out and criticized her on social media.

The film survived the backlash and became one of the biggest hits of the summer, grossing $350 million worldwide.

In December 2024, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni.

Here's everything we know about the situation.

Baldoni did not interact with other cast members at press events.

Fans suspected that something was amiss when Baldoni and Lively didn't interact during the press tour, despite playing partners in the film.

Lively teamed up with costars Brandon Sklenar and Isabela Ferrer for press events and with Colleen Hoover, the author of the book the film is based on, for interviews and TV spots. Meanwhile, Baldoni did a lot of solo press.

When they both attended the New York premiere on August 6, they were not photographed together.

Lively posed with her castmates, Hoover, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman, his " Deadpool & Wolverine" costar. Meanwhile, Baldoni was photographed with his wife and some of the other producers who worked on the film.

While speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the carpet at the New York premiere, Baldoni said why he was stepping back from the limelight.

"This isn't my night — this is a night for all the women who we made this movie for," he said." This is a night for Blake, this is a night for Colleen. I'm just so grateful that we're here, five years in the making."

Regardless of his comments, fans theorized about the potential drama between the two on social media.

The speculation intensified after a user on the r/ColleenHoover subreddit posted on August 6, 2024, that Lively and Hoover did not follow Baldoni on Instagram. Fans also noticed that the film's other stars, including Sklenar, Ferrer, and Jenny Slate, did not follow Baldoni.

Business Insider could not verify whether they previously followed him.

Baldoni followed all of them except Hoover.

Fans wondered if the apparent beef was one-sided or if Baldoni was at the center of a wider fracture, especially since, during pre-production, Hoover and Baldoni appeared on each other's Instagram feeds multiple times.

Adding to this theory was a clip of Slate seemingly sidestepping a question about Baldoni at the movie's New York premiere. Asked about having Baldoni as both a scene partner and a director, she responded by not mentioning him and instead speaking about how "intense" it must be to do both jobs.

Fans turn on Lively.

Many fans blamed Lively for the feud, accusing her of trying to take over the film.

This theory was supported by Baldoni and Lively's interviews in the lead-up to the premiere.

On August 9, 2024, Baldoni told Today that Lively and Reynolds, who was not a producer on the film, contributed significantly to it.

"You can't summarize Blake's contribution in a sentence, because her energy and imprint is all over the movie and really, really made the film better, and from beginning to end," Baldoni said.

Baldoni also said he struggled to balance allowing collaboration and having his voice drowned out entirely.

He said: "You don't have to listen to everybody, and that didn't happen all the time, but there were just moments where I would get out of the way too much."

Baldoni said Lively should take over as director to adapt the sequel to the "It Ends With Us" novel, " It Starts with Us."

Meanwhile, Lively told E! News on August 7, 2024, that Reynolds helped pen the opening scene of "It Ends With Us."

The film's screenwriter Christy Hal told People a day later that she wasn't aware that Reynolds had written some of the dialogue used in the final version of the script.

"When I saw a cut, I was like, 'Oh, that's cute. That must have been a cute improvised thing,'" Hall said. "So if I'm being told that Ryan wrote that, then great, how wonderful."

Fans' other grievance was about how Lively promoted the movie.

The film is about a florist whose husband becomes abusive, and fans criticized Lively for speaking about the film's romantic elements during the press tour and less about the domestic abuse plot. This was in line with the film's marketing.

Baldoni was the only cast member who consistently spoke about the domestic abuse element.

A clip of Lively acting hostile toward a reporter in a 2016 interview resurfaced amid the 'It Ends With Us' drama.

Journalist Kjersti Flaa released a clip of an interview with Blake Lively on August 10, 2024, titled "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."

"It actually took me a while to get over the experience," Flaa told BI in an email on August 19, 2024.

"Every time I entered a room after this I got nervous that something similar might happen again," she wrote.

Lively's costar made a statement asking people to stop focusing on 'what may or may not have happened.'

Sklenar, who plays Lively's other love interest in "It Ends With Us," spoke out about the backlash toward the film in an Instagram post on August 20, 2024.

"Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves. Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about," he said.

"This film is meant to inspire. It's meant to validate and recognize," Sklenar added. "It is not meant to once again, make women the 'bad guy,' let's move beyond that together."

Representatives for Baldoni, Lively, Reynolds, Hoover, and Sklenar did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment.

On December 20, 2024, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, inflicting "emotional distress," and conspiring to damage her public reputation.

The complaint also named Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni's production company, and Jamey Heath, the company's CEO, as two of the 11 defendants.

In the complaint, Lively said an all-hands meeting about Baldoni and Heath's behavior on set was held in January 2023. She accused him of showing her nude videos and images of women, improvising kissing scenes or intimate scenes, and entering her trailer while she was naked.

Lively said Heath and Baldoni responded by hiring Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR representative, and a Texas-based contractor named Jed Wallace, both defendants in the complaint, to orchestrate a "multi-tiered" plan to "destroy" her public reputation and stop her or anyone else from speaking out about what happened on set.

She also claimed that the cast agreed to a marketing plan created by the film's distributor, Sony Pictures Entertainment, to avoid talking about the sad parts of the movie, which Baldoni broke away from.

"What the public did not know was that Mr. Baldoni and his team did so to explain why many of the Film's cast and crew had unfollowed Mr. Baldoni on social media and were not appearing with him in public," the complaint said.

Baldoni's attorney said Lively blamed Baldoni in the hope of improving her reputation.

Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, told BI in a statement after the complaint was filed: "It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation, which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions."

Freedman said Nathan was hired because Lively made multiple demands and threatened not to show up to set or promote the film if they were not met.

When asked to respond to Freedman, a representative for Lively referred BI to a statement shared with The New York Times on December 21, 2024: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."

On December 24, 2024, publicist Stephanie Jones sued Baldoni, his film studio, Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel, a former employee of Jones' PR company, for breach of contract and defamation.

In the suit, Jones also alleged Baldoni and the PRs orchestrated a smear campaign against Lively. Jones said this was done behind her back while her company was working with Baldoni until August 2024, when Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios stopped working with the company.

In the following days, Hoover and other stars reacted to the lawsuit.

Lively's costars from 2005's "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" — America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel — shared a joint statement supporting Lively after she made the complaint.

Hoover and Sklenar, who worked on "It Ends With Us," seemed to both throw their support behind Lively by sharing her links to her allegations on their Instagram stories.

"@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met," Hoover wrote in her story post. "Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."

The complaint has affected Baldoni's career.

On December 21, 2024, The New York Times reported that Ari Emanuel, chief executive of the parent company that owns Baldoni's talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, said the agency had stopped representing him.

On December 9, 2024, before the complaint was released, Vital Voices, a nonprofit organization that supports women leaders, awarded Baldoni the Voices of Solidarity Award to honor his advocacy work for women.

On December 23, 2024, Vital Voices said in a statement on their website that they had rescinded the award.

"The communications among Mr. Baldoni and his publicists included in the lawsuit — and the PR effort they indicate — are, alone, contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award," the statement read.

Baldoni and others filed a lawsuit against The New York Times.

Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and others mentioned in a New York Times story that detailed Lively's accusations against Baldoni filed a lawsuit against the newspaper on December 31, 2024.

The lawsuit, obtained by BI, said the Times' story published on December 21, 2024, "relied almost entirely on Lively's unverified and self-serving narrative." It also accused the Times of "disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives."

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, contained screenshots of messages that it said contradicted the Times' reporting.

In a statement provided to BI after the lawsuit was filed, a Times spokesperson said the newspaper stood by its reporting and would "vigorously defend against the lawsuit."

"Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article," the statement said.

The outlet also published its full statement responding to the allegations.

In a statement provided to BI after Baldoni's lawsuit was filed, Freedman, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said Lively had orchestrated a "vicious smear campaign" and that the Times "cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful 'untouchable' Hollywood elites."

Freedman also said that they would also sue other individuals "who have abused their power to try and destroy the lives of my clients."

In a statement provided to BI about Baldoni's suit, Lively's lawyers said: "Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms. Lively's California Civil Rights Department Complaint, nor her federal complaint."

Lively filed her own lawsuit in New York.

The same day Baldoni filed his lawsuit against the Times, Lively filed a lawsuit against him, Wayfarer, and others in New York federal court.

Representatives for Lively said the lawsuit, which was obtained by BI, was based on the legal complaint Lively previously filed with the California Civil Rights Department. The lawsuit accuses Baldoni and his PR team of engaging in a campaign to retaliate against her for speaking out about sexual misconduct.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Lively's decision to speak out has resulted in further retaliation and attacks," her lawyers said in a statement provided to BI. "As alleged in Ms. Lively's federal Complaint, Wayfarer and its associates have violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns."

Representatives for Baldoni and Wayfarer did not address the lawsuit filed by Lively when reached by BI.

Baldoni's lawyer accused Reynolds of teasing the actor with a 'Deadpool & Wolverine' character.

In early January 2025, Freedman said in multiple interviews that Baldoni planned to file a countersuit against Lively alongside the lawsuit against the Times.

On January 7, Freedman told SiriusXM's "The Megyn Kelly Show," "It's not going to be just a lawsuit. It's going to be the kind of lawsuit that is full of evidence, admissions, documents, which prove exactly what she did and how she bullied her way through the process to take over the movie and used her PR people to try and destroy Justin."

Freedman said Leslie Sloane, Lively's PR; Jones, Baldoni's former PR; and Reynolds will be co-defendants in the suit.

Freedman alleged Reynolds used his influence to help Lively take over "It Ends With Us" and to mock Baldoni on "Deadpool and Wolverine," referring to a new character in the film called Nicepool.

In the film, which premiered in July 2024 and was the second highest-grossing movie of 2024, Nicepool, a version of Deadpool from an alternate dimension whose face has not been disfigured, makes jokes about a woman's pregnancy weight, claims to be a feminist and wears a man bun.

Freedman alleged this was based on Baldoni, who was known to wear a hair bun in the past and has a reputation for being a feminist.

In the movie, Nicepool is eventually killed by Ladypool, a female version of Deadpool from an alternate dimension played by Lively.

"What I make of that is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don't make fun of Justin Baldoni," Freedman said. "You don't make fun of the situation. You take it very seriously. You file HR complaints. You raise the issue and you follow a legal process. What you don't do is mock the person and turn it into a joke."

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• "Ghost jobs" are roles that employers list as open even though they're not actually trying to fill them.
• Employers may post them for various reasons, but they can waste applicants' time and sour them on the company.
• Here are some tips on how to sniff out these job listings.

We've all heard of being ghosted in the hiring process: You apply for a job and go through a few rounds of interviews, only for a prospective employer to disappear in the end.

But what about jobs that weren't actually there to begin with? So-called "ghost jobs" are roles that employers say they're actively hiring for when they're really not.

And they're a pain point for many job seekers: Between 18% and 22% of jobs listed on Greenhouse in any given quarter are considered ghost jobs , the hiring platform said in its 2024 State of Job Hunting report.

Employers may post bogus job listings for several reasons: They may be trying to give the appearance they're growing or trick overworked employees into thinking they'll get some relief soon. Or, companies may be trying to build their talent pool for real job openings in the future.

Regardless of the reason, there are some signs candidates can look for that suggest a position is likely just a ghost job. One big indicator is if a job post has been up for several months.

"If the job has been posted for 30 days or more, that's something that you could put in the back of your mind and say, 'Well, this posting's been open for a while and they haven't hired anybody yet. Maybe they're not in a hurry to hire,'" says FlexJobs lead career expert Toni Frana. "The sooner you can apply to a job in relation to when it was posted, the better."

If you saw the role advertised on a job site like LinkedIn or Indeed, double-check it's still posted and active on the company's own careers page.

When reading the job post, you want to see as much specificity as possible.

"Sometimes if job descriptions are vague and don't provide a lot of detail to explain what the role actually is, then it's possible that someone from the company may have quickly typed something up and posted it to see if candidates will apply and to see the quality of those candidates," said human resources administrator and former recruiter Jackie Cuevas. "So pay close attention to the actual quality of the job description — the more information, the better."

If you make it to an interview, ask about the timeline for filling the position, says Charnay Horton, a career coach and CEO of resume writing firm Resume Addict.

You can say, "Can you tell me more about the interview process, and when the hiring manager is looking to make a decision?" or "Can you provide additional insight regarding why this opportunity is available?"

You could also consider asking, "How does this position contribute to departmental success?" to gauge how important the role is and how urgently it might need to be filled.

If your point of contact is dragging their feet throughout the process, it might be a sign they're not actively trying to fill the position.

"When employers are actively hiring, they move quickly, especially if you are qualified for the role," Horton said. "They want to get you in front of the hiring manager quickly so that they do not lose you mid-process. If you get a sense that the company is lagging with responses, they may not be serious about filling the role."

Ultimately, you want to "be as proactive as you can in your search," said Frana.

"It's not just about reading the job postings and applying," she said. "You can find out a lot of information on a company's website, on social pages like LinkedIn and Twitter, or if you just do a Google search of the company hiring and see what results you get. That is all information-gathering that can be really helpful for you as a candidate, and it's one of those action steps that helps job seekers focus on the things they can control in the process when so much of it is outside of their control."

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• Football season is a key time for chain restaurants to draw in customers.
• We tried boneless chicken wings from five chains to determine the best option for game day.
• Applebee's and Chili's impressed us with their juicy, flavorful wings.

As football season kicks off, restaurant chains are rolling out crowd-pleasing tailgate favorites and value-focused deals to win over fans.

In a new series, "Tailgate Taste-off," Business Insider is pitting these chains against each other to uncover the best versions of popular game-day dishes.

Whether you're deciding which chain has the best Buffalo wings or offers the best value for delivery, this guide will help you make the most of your football season dining experience.

Boneless wings are one of the most popular options at chain restaurants on game day, and chains that specialize in chicken wings, such as Wingstop, are also experiencing significant growth.

In October 2024, the chain, which focuses its menu on bone-in chicken wings, boneless wings, and other chicken items, announced 38.8% year-over-year revenue growth.

Chains like Applebee's also know the value of delivering high-quality boneless wings.

"We've ensured our promotions during the season were available in-restaurant and for ordering to-go or delivery so we can be part of guests' football moments no matter where they like to watch," Joel Yashinsky, Applebee's chief marketing officer, told Business Insider, adding that "a key element" of Applebee's football-season strategy this year has been to highlight the chain's boneless wing options.

We ranked boneless wings from five chain restaurants — Applebee's, Chili's, Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, and Wingstop — based on taste and value.

My least favorite wings came from Buffalo Wild Wings, which surprised me.

I tried the same three flavors of wings from the five chains: Buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and barbecue.

At Buffalo Wild Wings, an order of 15 boneless wings, which included up to three different sauce flavors, cost $24.99, excluding tax.

However, Buffalo Wild Wings has been running a number of promotions recently that could help lower costs.

The chain is offering a value deal that includes 20 boneless wings in up to four sauces and a large order of fries for $16.99, excluding tax, when ordered online or through the BWW app.

Given that the chain is famous for its wings, I was surprised that the chain's boneless wings landed last in my ranking.

Buffalo Wild Wings' boneless wings looked more like chicken nuggets than boneless wings.

Some of the wings were meatier than others, but I thought Buffalo Wild Wings' wings were the smallest when compared to the other chains.

Still, I enjoyed the flavor of the boneless wings, particularly the classic Buffalo wings. They had a sweet buttery flavor without packing too much spice.

The flavor of the Parmesan garlic wings could have been amped up.

The wings had a slightly pungent garlic savoriness, but they weren't as flavorful as the ones I tried from the other chains.

The breading was crunchy and had a peppery flavor to it, but I thought it slightly overpowered the sauce.

The honey barbecue wings were coated in the most sauce.

Of the three kinds I tried from Buffalo Wild Wings, these were my favorite. The wings were sticky and sweet, thanks to the addition of the honey in the sauce, and paired nicely with the chain's creamy ranch.

The inside of the boneless wings was moist.

The wings were juicy on the inside, which balanced nicely with the crunchy outer breading.

In some ways, these boneless wings reminded me of standard chicken nuggets.

Boneless wings are made exclusively from chicken breast, while nuggets are typically made from a blend of various chicken parts. These did taste better than most chicken nuggets I've had, though I wasn't blown away overall.

In the end, I'll go for the burger next time.

Next up were the boneless wings from TGI Fridays.

I ordered boneless wings from TGI Fridays in three flavors: Buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and apple-butter barbecue. I ordered them as part of the chain's combo platter, which allows you to choose three appetizers to try.

At the TGI Fridays I visited in Massachusetts, the order cost $18.29, excluding tax, and came with eight of each flavor wing.

The Buffalo wings were small but packed a decent amount of flavor.

TGI Fridays doesn't seem to have its own house Buffalo sauce and instead douses its wings in Frank's Red Hot Buffalo sauce, a pretty standard grocery-store hot sauce.

I did enjoy the overall flavor, but these wings didn't bring the heat for me. Compared to the other Buffalo boneless wings I tried, these were just average.

I was most impressed by the Parmesan garlic boneless wings.

The wings had a super crispy coating and were drenched in a savory, garlicky sauce.

The wings had a crunch when I bit in — which I didn't quite get with the Buffalo boneless wings — and paired excellently with the chain's ranch.

I also liked the apple-butter barbecue wings.

I could distinctly taste the apple butter in this sauce, which gave it a sweet, almost molasses-like flavor. Though the size varied, these wings also were slightly bigger and crunchier than the Buffalo wings.

The wings were filled with a good amount of chicken breast meat, but the sauce truly stole the show.

The wings were reasonably thick, but the chicken and breading lacked seasoning or flavor on their own — the sauces provided the majority of the flavor, which wasn't necessarily a criticism but an observation.

The boneless wings from Wingstop landed in the middle of the pack.

Boneless chicken products like boneless wings, chicken nuggets, and tenders are having a moment right now.

However, Wingstop's senior director of culinary, Larry Bellah, told Business Insider that the chain's bone-in traditional wings are still its most popular offering.

Bellah also said the five most popular sauce flavors at Wingstop are lemon pepper, Original Hot, hickory-smoked barbecue, garlic Parmesan, and hot honey.

I ordered 20 boneless wings, which allowed me to select up to three sauce flavors for $24.69, excluding tax.

The Buffalo boneless wings were crispy on the outside.

They were smaller than the top two brands I tried but had a lot of flavor. Wingstop doesn't have a Buffalo sauce, but their Original Hot flavor is the chain's own spin on a classic.

They were buttery, with just the right level of spice.

The garlic Parmesan wings were covered in cheese.

I found the wings to be quite flavorful overall, but the Parmesan cheese stood out much more prominently than the garlic. The garlic flavor was subtle, almost overshadowed by the richness of the cheese.

The hickory-smoked barbecue flavor was sweet and smoky.

The sauce had a bold, smoky flavor with a rich balance of sweet, tangy, and savory notes, and coated every square inch of the boneless wing.

Of all the sauces, this flavor paired best with the chain's ranch, which was creamy and mildly tart.

The chicken meat inside was juicy and filling.

Though these wings were small, they were thick. I thought they were an excellent value for the price. The chicken meat inside tasted high-quality and shredded apart with every bite.

My second favorite wings came from Applebee's.

Applebee's seriously delivered on flavor. However, the chain didn't clinch the win for me based on value.

I found it difficult to try a variety of different flavors of boneless wings from Applebee's. The chain has an appetizer platter called the Classic Combo that's somewhat similar to the Triple Dipper from Chili's, but it's not fully customizable.

I ended up ordering two separate orders of eight boneless wings, which cost $16.99 each, at my local Applebee's in Brooklyn. I also got another order of eight boneless wings as part of the chain's "2 for $2X" deal, which included an appetizer and two entrees for $30, excluding tax.

In the end, I ended up paying more than at any other chain so that I could try multiple flavors. However, Applebee's does sometimes offer promotions like $0.50 boneless wings that could cut costs.

The Buffalo wings were packed with flavor.

As the official grill and bar sponsor of the NFL this year, I expected the chain's boneless wings to be good — and they delivered.

Out of all the boneless Buffalo wings I tried, these were the spiciest and most flavorful. They paired seamlessly with the chain's ranch, which was tangy and creamy and perfectly balanced out the heat.

The garlic Parmesan wings were also super flavorful.

The outside of the wing was crispy and crunchy, and the garlic Parmesan sauce added a savory, nutty flavor to each bite.

The honey barbecue wings came coated in a sticky sauce.

The wings were perfectly balanced between sweet and smoky.

I was also impressed by the thickness of these wings.

The wings were impressively large and packed with tender, juicy chicken.

When it came to flavor, Applebee's was exceptional. All three sauces I tried were well-executed and flavorful. However, the garlic Parmesan stood out as my favorite.

Its rich, creamy blend of nutty Parmesan and savory garlic created a bold and indulgent flavor that took the wings to another level. While the other sauces were delicious, the garlic Parmesan offered a perfect balance of crispy breading and zesty flavor that kept me going back for more.

Chili's came in first place for its flavorful boneless wings at a great value.

I got 15 wings in three different flavors as part of Chili's highly popular Triple Dipper appetizer combo, which allowed me to select three appetizers for $17.29, excluding tax, at a Chili's in Massachusetts.

The chain has seen great success with its viral Triple Dipper.

CNN reported that the TikTok-famous appetizer, which the company says is especially popular among younger customers, now accounts for 11% of Chili's sales. Triple Dipper orders grew by 70% over the last year, boosting foot traffic to Chili's restaurants and cementing the chain as the brand to watch.

The boneless wings from Chili's were the largest out of all the chains.

The wings appeared to be baked in the Buffalo sauce rather than tossed in it after cooking.

The Buffalo sauce was sweet and slightly spicy, with a light buttery flavor. I got a strong citrus flavor coming through, which I also enjoyed.

The garlic Parmesan boneless wings were really flavorful.

I was again impressed by the size of the wings and thought the savory punch of garlic really came through. The wings were moist yet crispy, and I couldn't get enough of them.

The barbecue wings came coated in a smoky sauce.

Unlike the others, which were almost dry to the touch, these boneless wings came completely drenched in the chain's house barbecue sauce.

I thought the sauce was smoky with a slight sweetness, but they could have benefited from a little acid for some brightness.

I loved the breading and the thickness of the wings.

They were full of chicken meat, which made this an incredibly filling appetizer to share among a few people at a Super Bowl party … or keep all to yourself while catching the game.

For under $20, the Triple Dipper delivered incredible value, offering a generous portion of high-quality wings that didn't skimp on flavor or size.

It's a standout deal that perfectly balances affordability with crave-worthy flavor — it's no surprise this menu item has become such a hit.

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• "Conclave" leads the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards nominations with 12 nods.
• "Emilia Perez" received 11 nominations while "The Brutalist" got nine nods.
• All three are nominated for best film, along with "Anora" and "A Complete Unknown."

The nominations for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards have been announced, as the road to this year's Academy Awards heats up.

"Conclave," Edward Berger's papal drama starring Ralph Fiennes, received the most nominations, making it the one to beat at this year's BAFTA awards, which are set to take place at London's Royal Festival Hall on February 16.

"Conclave" is in the running for 12 awards — one more than Jacques Audiard's musical "Emilia Perez," which recently took home four Golden Globe awards.

Meanwhile, Brady Corbet's critically acclaimed "The Brutalist" received nine nods. The three films will compete for best film alongside James Mangold's Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" and Sean Baker's sex worker drama "Anora."

Here's the complete list of 2025 BAFTA nominations.

Best film

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Perez"

Leading actor

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist"

Timothee Chalamet, "A Complete Unknown"

Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"

Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave"

Hugh Grant, "Heretic"

Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice"

Leading actress

Cynthia Erivo, "Wicked"

Karla Sofia Gascon, "Emilia Perez"

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, "Hard Truths"

Mikey Madison, "Anora"

Demi Moore, "The Substance"

Saoirse Ronan, "The Outrun"

Supporting actor

Clarence Maclin, "Sing Sing"

Edward Norton, "A Complete Unknown"

Guy Pearce, "The Brutalist"

Jeremy Strong, "The Apprentice"

Kieran Culkin, "A Real Pain"

Yura Borisov, "Anora"

Supporting actress

Ariana Grande, "Wicked"

Felicity Jones, "The Brutalist"

Isabella Rossellini, "Conclave"

Jamie Lee Curtis, "The Last Showgirl"

Selena Gomez, "Emilia Perez"

Zoe Saldana, "Emilia Perez"

Best director

Sean Baker, "Anora"

Brady Corbet, "The Brutalist"

Edward Berger, "Conclave"

Denis Villeneuve, "Dune: Part Two"

Jacques Audiard, "Emilia Perez"

Coralie Fargeat, "The Substance"

Outstanding British film

"Bird"

"Blitz"

"Conclave"

"Gladiator II"

"Hard Truths"

"Kneecap"

"Lee"

"Love Lies Bleeding"

"The Outrun"

"Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"

Original screenplay

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"Kneecap"

"A Real Pain"

"The Substance"

Adapted screenplay

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Perez"

"Nickel Boys"

"Sing Sing"

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

"Hoard"

"Kneecap"

"Monkey Man"

"Santosh"

"Sister Midnight"

Film not in the English language

"All We Imagine as Light"

"Emilia Perez"

"I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui)"

"Kneecap"

"The Seed of the Sacred Fig"

Animated film

"Flow"

"Inside Out 2"

"Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"

"The Wild Robot"

Documentary

"Black Box Diaries"

"Daughters"

"No Other Land"

"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story"

"Will & Harper"

Original score

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Perez"

"Nosferatu"

"The Wild Robot"

Casting

"Anora"

"The Apprentice"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Kneecap"

Editing

"Anora"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Perez"

"Kneecap"

Cinematography

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Perez"

"Nosferatu"

Special visual effects

"Better Man"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Gladiator II"

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"

"Wicked"

Costume design

"Blitz"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

Sound

"Blitz"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Gladiator II"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Makeup and hair

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Perez"

"Nosferatu"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Production design

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

British short film

"The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing"

"Marion"

"Milk"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors"

"Stomach Bug"

British short animation

"Adios"

"Mog's Christmas"

"Wander to Wonder"

EE rising star award

Marisa Abela

Jharrel Jerome

David Jonsson

Mikey Madison

Nabhaan Rizwan

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• I got breakfast at the fast-food chains Wendy's, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, and Burger King.
• At each place, I tried to order a breakfast burrito, potato side, and an iced coffee drink.
• Burger King's breakfast was the best fast-food breakfast I had, and Taco Bell was a close second.

In search of the best fast-food breakfast right now, I visited five popular chains near my New York City home and ordered similar meals at each.

I got a breakfast burrito with a potato side and coffee drink at Wendy's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, and McDonald's. Then, I rated every component of each breakfast on a scale of 1 to 10 and tallied up the scores to rank the five chains.

Here's my fast-food breakfast ranking, from my least favorite to my top pick.

Wendy's breakfast was new to me.

I've eaten many dinners and lunches at Wendy's, but this was my first experience with its breakfast. The chain has tried to serve breakfast many times over the years without luck and most recently brought it back in 2020.

I chose a sausage-burrito combo with a side of seasoned potatoes. I opted for a cold-brew coffee with Frosty creamer for a $1.45 upcharge, bringing the total cost of my meal to $8.97.

The burrito from Wendy's wasn't bad, though some hot sauce helped.

The breakfast burrito with sausage from Wendy's seemed more substantial than it looked in the pictures I saw of it online.

It contained a square sausage patty split in two, two eggs, American cheese, cheese sauce, and some of the same seasoned potatoes that came on the side.

When I tried the cheese sauce in isolation, it had a nice, cheddar-like taste, but its flavor was lost when I bit into the whole burrito.

This was a fine fast-food breakfast burrito, but the sausage was a little dry, and I didn't love the texture of the eggs — these were the only ones I tried that didn't appear scrambled, and they felt unnaturally fluffy for fried eggs.

I liked that my burrito came with two packets of Cholula hot sauce, which made it much tastier.

Rating: 5/10

The potatoes on the side didn't impress me much.

Every other fast-food chain I visited served hash browns in some form, but Wendy's has seasoned potatoes instead.

In my opinion, over-seasoned potatoes would be a better name for them. They were too salty for my liking and not as crunchy as I wanted them to be.

The smaller, crunchier potatoes tasted like seasoned curly fries, which was good. The larger, mushier ones were less exciting.

Rating: 3/10

My coffee from Wendy's fell short.

Unfortunately, the Wendy's cold brew felt entirely punchless, like a weak coffee-flavored beverage instead of actual coffee, which is the light of my life.

To me, the Frosty creamer tasted pretty indistinguishable from the little vanilla-flavored creamer containers you find in big bowls next to the coffee station at chain hotels.

Rating: 2/10

I'm pretty familiar with McDonald's breakfast.

I more closely associate McDonald's with breakfast than I do any of the other chains I visited. My McDonald's breakfast preferences were forged long before its burritos became available, though, so I'd never tried one before.

In the combo meal I ordered, I got two sausage burritos and a hash brown on the side. I paid a $0.40 upcharge to have my coffee iced instead of hot, which brought my total bill to $9.13

The burrito from McDonald's was my least favorite of the ones I tried.

The McDonald's sausage burrito was my least favorite — and not because it was the smallest.

It contained scrambled egg, sausage, cheese, and bits of tomato and pepper. I thought it lacked flavor and that there wasn't enough sausage.

Plus, the tortilla itself was squishy and soft, almost like it had been steamed. The salsa packet this came with did add some sweetness and mild spice, but this seemed no better than a breakfast burrito I might microwave for myself at a convenience store.

Rating: 2/10

The chain's hash brown was a bit too greasy for me.

I'm sure I've eaten a thousand McDonald's hash browns before this one, and each has brought me some regret.

They're tasty for a few bites, but they tend to be quite greasy. This one was no exception, coating my fingers in oil as I ate it. Some of the edges still had a nice crunch from the fryer, but the middle was soft from the grease.

Rating: 3/10

McDonald's had the best coffee drink I tried.

Just when I was feeling pretty disappointed about the quality of my breakfast at McDonald's, I took a sip of my iced coffee.

I loved its smooth and surprisingly rich coffee flavor.

It was undoubtedly the best fast-food coffee drink I tried, even though it had maybe a touch more cream than I'd prefer.

Rating: 9/10

It felt weird not ordering chicken at Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit is one of my favorite fast-food breakfasts, but I'd never tried one of its burritos before.

It felt strange not ordering chicken at the chain that's famous for it, but for the sake of consistency, I ordered my hash-brown-scramble burrito with sausage.

The meal came with a side of hash browns. After a $1.16 upcharge for iced coffee, the bill came to $13.23.

This was the most expensive of the meals I tried, but it may have been partially because of prices at this specific location. The Chick-fil-A I visited was in Midtown Manhattan — which is famously expensive — and the other four restaurants I went to were in Queens (McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King) or Brooklyn (Taco Bell).

The burrito was large but I didn't care for the tortilla.

Chick-fil-A's burrito felt large, but the tortilla seemed almost too big for the eggs, sausage, cheese, and hash browns it contained.

I liked the mild peppery flavor of the sausage and the fluffy, moist texture of the scrambled eggs. But the hash browns that give the burrito its name seemed completely unnecessary — they'd lost all their crunch, so the flaky bits of potato felt almost like rice, adding bulk and grease but not much flavor.

I didn't love the tortilla itself, which didn't seem to have been heated in any way and had the taste and texture of a deli wrap.

Rating: 6/10

Chick-fil-A's hash browns underwhelmed me.

I'll say this for Chick-fil-A's hash browns: There were a lot of them. Otherwise, I was underwhelmed.

Like every fast-food hash brown, these were very greasy, but given the smaller individual pieces, I felt like these should've been crispier.

Plus, in my opinion, they fell short on flavor.

Rating: 4/10

The coffee was pretty solid.

Chick-fil-A's coffee was definitely among the better and stronger drinks I tried for this taste test. It had a bolder, darker flavor than the others, but some sips bordered on tasting burned.

Rating: 7/10

Next, I tried Taco Bell's breakfast.

I visited Taco Bell a little after 10 a.m. — shortly before it began serving lunch — and there was no coffee available.

They might've brewed up a pot if I asked, but I didn't want to make a fuss, so I had my late breakfast with a Mountain Dew Baja Blast Zero and got a coffee at a later date.

With a hash brown for a side, the combo came to $8.05.

Taco Bell had a pretty tasty burrito that only needed a touch of hot sauce.

I've had breakfast burritos from Taco Bell before, and most of them had fresher-tasting tortillas.

Still, I like that Taco Bell uses the same grill press for its breakfast burritos as it does for the stuffed ones on its lunch and dinner menu. It makes the tortilla nicely toasty.

The diced tomatoes were a highlight of the burrito, a nice touch that added a juicy brightness none of the others I tried had.

Everything else inside was also good — the eggs were moist, the sausage was flavorful, and the cheese was melty and gooey. The burrito tasted surprisingly mild by Taco Bell standards, but a packet of Fire Sauce helped.

Rating: 7/10

This chain had the best hash brown I tried.

I'm pretty sure this was my first experience with a Taco Bell hash brown, and I was pleasantly surprised.

It was greasy, of course, but not quite as unreasonably greasy as some of the others I ate. It had a strong crunch and a sneaky black-pepper spice that made it the most flavorful, best hash brown of all I tried.

Rating: 10/10

The coffee I got at a later date didn't impress me, though.

In the interest of fairness to Taco Bell, I went back to try its coffee.

A few days later, I went to the same location at an earlier time, but once again, it didn't have coffee. Eventually, I was able to find some at a different location in Queens.

This Taco Bell didn't have regular milk available for its iced coffee, just sweetened vanilla creamer.

Unfortunately, the coffee disappointed me. It tasted fairly strong, but it was also very acidic, and I didn't like the overwhelming sweetness of the creamer.

Rating: 3/10

It had been a while since I'd been to a Burger King.

Twenty years ago, I was in a band, and the only place to eat near our rehearsal space was a Burger King. It happened to be a terrible one where somehow everything took forever to cook but somehow never tasted particularly fresh.

This might have been the first time I'd visited a Burger King since I quit that band in 2006.

I ordered the Egg Normous burrito combo, which came with an iced coffee (no upcharge) and a side of hash browns for $7.61, the least expensive of the five combos I tried.

Burger King had the best breakfast burrito I tried.

The name is no joke: Burger King's breakfast burrito was, in fact, egg-normous. Inside, it was stuffed with generous portions of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese, hash browns, and spicy sauce.

The spicy sauce had a sweet, spicy flavor that resembled hot honey or pancake syrup mixed with hot sauce.

Historically, I've found fast-food bacon is rarely crispy, yet Burger King's bacon was extremely crisp. The sausage had a nice kick of pepper, and the packets of salsa that came with the burrito added some spice and tomato flavor.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Burger King sold my favorite fast-food breakfast burrito.

Rating: 10/10

Its hash browns weren't bad.

Burger King's coin-sized hash browns looked similar to Chick-fil-A's, but they were crunchier and not any greasier.

I wouldn't go out of the way to order them again, but they weren't bad.

Rating: 6/10

The coffee wasn't bad, nor was it especially good.

I appreciated that there was no upcharge for Burger King's iced coffee, but there wasn't a ton else about it that stood out.

It seemed to be adequately punchy, and it didn't taste bitter or stale. Still, the coffee wasn't especially good.

Rating: 5/10

Overall, Burger King beat Taco Bell by just one point.

Final breakdown:

• Wendy's: 10/30
• McDonald's: 14/30
• Chick-fil-A: 17/30
• Taco Bell: 20/30
• Burger King: 21/30

In last place is Wendy's, with an OK breakfast burrito and a meal I found to be disappointing overall. Coming in fourth is McDonald's, where a good cup of iced coffee was the saving grace of my otherwise disappointing meal

Chick-fil-A is in third for its good coffee, decent breakfast burrito, and disappointing hash browns. Fourth is Taco Bell: I was impressed by its breakfast burrito and loved its hash brown. If it had decent coffee, it could've won.

First place goes to Burger King, which I hadn't expected. Its superior burrito made its combo the most satisfying, even though its coffee and hash browns were middle-of-the-road.

Maybe it had an unfair advantage for having both sausage and bacon in its burrito, but no one's stopping the other chains from also doing that.

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• A new report recommends doctors stop using Body Mass Index to diagnose obesity because it isn't nuanced enough.
• Doctors should consider a patient's overall health instead of their weight, it said.
• A leading obesity expert told Business Insider why BMI is bogus and how to better assess the risk of overweight.

The previous version of this story was published in 2022, when Business Insider spoke to Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford. It has been updated to reflect the findings of a new report.

Chances are, a doctor has at one point measured your Body Mass Index to check if you are a healthy weight. But a new report suggests that BMI should no longer be used as a measure of an individual's health.

BMI is calculated using a person's weight and height, and doctors may tell those who fall into the obese or severely obese categories that they could be at risk of health issues including diabetes and cancer. The solution?: Lose weight.

But the report, published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology on Tuesday, suggested that having obesity according to the BMI scale doesn't mean a person is unhealthy. It comes after the American Medical Association raised similar concerns about BMI in 2023.

The report includes recommendations from 58 experts in multiple medical specialties and from multiple countries, as well as input from two people with lived experience of obesity.

The experts concluded that people should be diagnosed with "clinical obesity" if their weight negatively affects their organs or they struggle with daily activities. If patients have excess fat but no health problems, they should be diagnosed with "preclinical obesity," and not be treated for their fat levels.

"It doesn't tell you anything about the health of a person," Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician and associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, previously told Business Insider.

Here's why BMI is a bogus way to evaluate your health and what you should be paying attention to instead, according to experts who spoke to BI in 2022 and prior, before 2025 Lancet report was published.

Higher weight is not a death sentence

Having a higher body weight increases the risk of developing a life-altering disease such as diabetes or high-blood pressure, but not everyone who has excess body fat has "significant disease," Stanford said.

The problem with BMI is that it puts too much emphasis on a target weight, which can be misleading.

Stanford recalls the case of a patient who weighed 550 pounds and had obstructive sleep apnea and low testosterone levels, in spite of an active lifestyle.

He reduced his weight to 300 pounds, and no longer had any health problems caused by severe obesity, she said, despite his BMI still being "very high."

BMI is an arbitrary and outdated metric

When BMI was created, it had nothing to do with health.

Albert Quetelet, an astronomer and sociologist, first defined a metric relating weight to height squared in the 1830s, and this later formed the basis of BMI. Originally, it was meant to help describe the dimensions of the "perfect" or average man.

Quetelet only looked at white French and Belgian men, a very narrow representation of humanity. His ideas were later used to justify racist and eugenic policies and have been discredited.

Quetelet never intended the ratio to be linked to health. That came in the 1900s when the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company used Quetelet's formula to build actuarial tables based on height and weight, and used data from their mostly white policyholders.

So the metric is deeply biased, and was only designed to measure your risk of dying if you're white, said Stanford.

Studies, including one led by Stanford, have shown that Black and Asian people may not be at the same risk as white people with the same BMI.

Waist size is a better predictor of ill health — but still isn't perfect

The 2025 report suggested that health is much more complicated and individual than BMI can show.

"Where we carry our adipose or fat is much more important than how much fat we have," Stanford said.

That's because not all fat cells are created equal. Fat that wraps around internal organs is much more likely to lead to disease, but fat around the hips may have a protective effect against heart disease, for instance, Stanford said.

Plus, BMI doesn't take into account the differences between fat and muscle, or differences in fat distribution among different ethnicities, the report said.

So while BMI can be useful when studying the health of a population, the authors of the report recommended that other measurements be used to assess individual patients' health, such as a direct measurement of body fat or waist-to-hip ratio.

Stanford said that waist size is a reliable measure of weight-related health risk.

Women with a waist size over 35 inches and men with a waist larger than 40 inches are at higher risk of developing metabolic diseases, she said.

Regardless, without other measures of ill health — such as blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, or cholesterol, insulin, and testosterone levels — it is very difficult to tell if a person is unhealthy, said Stanford.

What if your doctor only looks at BMI?

Some doctors will use BMI to assume ill health and prescribe weight loss, Stanford said.

Stanford advises patients whose doctor only focuses on BMI to challenge them.

"Say: 'Okay doctor, I hear that. And I do see that BMI does exceed these guidelines, but how does this relate to my current health status?', which will probably challenge them because they've only thought to think of it in terms of BMI," she said.

The recommendations made in the report were endorsed by 76 organizations worldwide, including scientific societies and patient advocacy groups.

Erin Brodwin contributed reporting to a previous version of this article.

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• Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa is a double-board-certified surgeon who runs a private practice in California.
• Srinivasa had three kids while pursuing her medical career and is glad she didn't delay motherhood.
• She shares how she manages her busy schedule by prioritizing specific events with her kids.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa, a California-based breast reconstruction surgeon. Business Insider verified her employment with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Some moms are at every PTA meeting, class party, and basketball game. Then, they're cooking dinner when their kids arrive home. You won't find me doing all of that — and it doesn't mean I love my kids any less.

I grew up with a physician as a mom. She had me and my siblings during her residencies. When I was born in India, my dad told my mom she didn't have to give up her career and they would make it work.

I grew up with strong examples of working parents and I hope to pass this on to my children. You can balance a career with parenting and what being an involved parent can look like is evolving.

I often felt misunderstood as a parent in my working environment

When I became pregnant during my fourth year of residency in 2013, I remember not wanting to tell anyone. I was the only female in my class.

I was a hard worker and supervising physicians' favorite, but I felt like things shifted when I got pregnant.

One time during residency, I remember being in a long surgery that was going past the scheduled end time. I let my attending physician know I needed to leave for a prenatal appointment, which was common practice for health-related appointments.

He said, "Sometimes I feel like you book them early on purpose." He had two kids of his own and should have known there weren't ever later appointments.

I had my first child in 2014 while working as a medical resident, and I was back at work four weeks after a difficult c-section, often pushing through 80 to 100-hour workweeks with an infant at home. Luckily, I had a nanny and my in-laws supporting me, and I completed my residency.

I had my second child in 2016 while completing a fellowship in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan from 2015 through 2018.

After having my third child in 2020, I started working on faculty at a hospital in L.A. Some doctors I worked with didn't acknowledge I'd just had a baby. I'd pump in my car as there was no lactation area in the hospital. I felt my colleagues doubted my ability, but I made it clear being a mom only made me a better surgeon.

I'm now a double board-certified plastic surgeon and run my own business for breast reconstruction.

Learning how to succeed at both

I started my private practice in September 2021. Now, I can be a physician and mother on my terms.

I had kids early in my career on purpose. My kids are now five, eight, and 10. I didn't want to wait and compromise my fertility for my career. I knew I could succeed at both, but it meant making sacrifices.

I had to learn where my energy was best directed. I used to prioritize pick-up until realized my kids didn't really care about that. But, I value their education, so I do their homework with them every night.

I've also learned to be proactive when selecting which of my children's events I can attend. When I first started my practice, I didn't block my schedule for certain school events. After my oldest child shared with me that he missed having me at these events, I started proactively blocking out time for my children — even if it meant requesting classroom activities from teachers at the start of the school year.

Now, I always take off Halloween for classroom parties and second-semester field trips. In the office, We've established color codes on my calendar so they're aware when a calendar event is non-negotiable and dedicated to my children.

As my kids get older, I make those decisions with input from my kids about what events are most meaningful to them. I cancel work for one on-campus activity per kid a year. On those days, we go all out. It isn't just a stop by the school for a few minutes, we dress up and plan our activities weeks in advance.

Their excitement, and mine as well, have shown me it isn't the number of events you're at as a parent, but your presence at the ones you can come to.

I've sacrificed at work too. I moved to running my practice versus the world of medical academia. In opening my practice, I had to make the tough decision to stop working with trainees. Though I love teaching, it slows down cases and I had to prioritize my family.

It does take a village — and it makes my kids well-rounded people

My husband Ravi is an interventional radiologist and professor. He is the parent the school calls if a kid needs to be picked up because I'm sometimes in surgery. While he also works full time, he's easier to reach due to set office hours and less time in the operating room.

We also talk to teachers at the beginning of the year about our setup so they know I won't be available at the last minute. I love that they learn that dads might be the first point of contact, not just moms.

My kids spend almost every weekend with their grandparents and sometimes weekday evenings. They are getting a rich education by spending time with their first-generation immigrant grandparents and have learned things I'd never be able to teach them. This assuages any guilt I have about my schedule.

Similarly, I have precious videos of my husband at the park with my kid, which he'd send to me while I was working.

These sweet moments are made sweeter as they show that my kids have so many different people who love them.

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