Two of the FA Cup's most successful teams — Man City and Chelsea — meet at Wembley on Saturday to decide the 145th playing of the competition. And, if you want to know where to watch the FA Cup Final, we have all the information you need below.

Those in the UK are the luckiest in the world, as they get to watch the match absolutely free thanks to BBC One and the BBC iPlayer. You can watch every minute of 2026 FA Cup Final action — no matter where in the world you are, thanks to a VPN — by following our guide below.

Alongside their pursuit of the Premier League and EFL Cup victory, Man City have serenely coasted into a fourth straight FA Cup Final. Despite being favorites, however, they've managed to lose the last two to Crystal Palace and crosstown rivals Man United, so Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland, and co. will be keen to get back to winning ways on Saturday.

For Chelsea, the competition has been a shining light in an otherwise dark season. Calum McFarlane may only be interim boss after Liam Rosenior's sacking, but leading the Blues to their first domestic honor for eight years would certainly help burnish his reputation.

Will City be denied again? Or will outgoing captain Bernardo Silva get the chance to lift the iconic trophy in one of his last games for the club? Keep reading to learn how to tune in.

Where to watch FA Cup Final for free in the UK

The FA Cup Final is shown on BBC One on free-to-air TV in the UK. That means Chelsea vs. Man City will also be available to stream for free live and on demand via the BBC iPlayer streaming service. Its app is available on pretty much every streaming device you can think of.

This year, alternative coverage will be broadcast through TNT Sports 1, which you can stream online through HBO Max in the UK if you don't already have it as part of your TV package.

How to watch FA Cup Final from anywhere

If you're a UK football fan abroad and try to watch the FA Cup Final for free on BBC iPlayer, you'll discover that the stream is blocked. The same goes for ESPN Select and other streaming services the world over. To get around this nuisance, you can use a VPN, or virtual private network. The cybersecurity software changes your IP address to another country, so you can appear like you're back at home.

NordVPN is the outright best VPN that you can download right now. It's brilliant at unlocking geo-restricted platforms, and is also among the fastest, most secure, and easiest to use VPNs that we've tested (see our NordVPN review for a more in-depth appraisal). Not used a VPN before? You can try NordVPN risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Where to watch FA Cup Final in the US

Fans of UK soccer in the US have options when it comes to where to watch the Chelsea vs. Man City on Saturday, with ESPN2 the main linear channel carrying the FA Cup Final. If you don't already have access to ESPN channels, then a subscription to the ESPN streaming platform is an affordable choice. Its entry-level ESPN Select tier costs from $13 a month on a rolling basis and will let you watch the game on a wide variety of devices.

If sports are your thing, then you could also consider going for a more comprehensive ESPN Unlimited plan instead. For $30 a month, it includes everything that the various ESPN channels have to offer, so that means action from the NFL, NBA, and WWE, in addition to FA Cup soccer.

An array of premium sports channels is also carried by DirecTV MySports. The OTT provider offers the likes of CNN, FS1/FS2, NBA TV, NFL Network, Golf Channel, and TNT alongside ESPN Unlimited, all for $65 a month with a $20 discount off your first two months. It also comes with a five-day free trial for new customers.

Fubo Sports + News is another sports-focused cable replacement product featuring ESPN Unlimited alongside 28 other channels. Not sure if Fubo's for you? Try before you buy with its five-day free trial, after which it costs $56 a month (with $10 off your first month).

Where to watch FA Cup Final in Australia

Australian soccer fans will be able to watch Chelsea vs. Man City live streams exclusively on the Stan Sport subscription service. The platform covers an array of live sports and costs from $32 a month (combining a base Stan subscription of $12 a month with the Sport add-on for $20 a month).

Where to watch FA Cup Final in Canada

The 2026 FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Man City will be shown on Sportsnet in Canada — so if you already get that channel, you're good to go. If not, you have the option to sign up for the online Sportsnet Plus streaming service to stream FA Cup soccer, NHL, NBA, MLB, UFC, and more. You'll need a Premium plan to watch this game, which costs $43 a month or $325 for the year (the equivalent of $27 a month).

What is the FA Cup Final venue?

The 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium in London, UK will host the 2026 FA Cup Final between Chelsea vs. Man City.

Also home of the England football team, Wembley has hosted the FA Cup Final every year since 2007. Immediately prior to that, there was a six-year period where the final was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while the new stadium was being built. The iconic 'old' Wembley, which was knocked down in the year 2002, hosted the FA Cup Final between 1923 and 2000.

Who is favored to win the FA Cup final?

Man City are overwhelming favorites to win the 2026 FA Cup Final on Saturday, May 16. At the time of writing, DraftKings has Pep Guardiola's team at -140 to win and Chelsea at +370, and it's around the same at BetMGM.

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. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

• EBay is having a glow-up right now, with sales up 19% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026.
• Fashion, one of eBay's core categories, has been integral to the company's growth.
• Kirsty Keoghan, general manager of EU Fashion & Luxury at eBay, told Business Insider why this is.

EBay has been making headlines recently.

Despite being seen as the pioneer of online resale, the 30-year-old e-commerce platform has struggled to shake its reputation as the internet's flea market. But when GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen made an unsolicited bid to buy the company, eBay doubled down on the idea that it's better off alone, and investors scoffed.

The company is having a glow-up, and fashion is playing a big part in its growth. In February, it reached an agreement to buy Depop, the resale platform loved by Gen Z, for $1.2 billion. The deal has not yet been finalized.

"One of the things that you can't argue with, we've been around for 30 years," Kirsty Keoghan, general manager of EU Fashion & Luxury at eBay, told Business Insider. "We are the OG of buying and selling preloved fashion."

When newer, buzzier competitors emerged and helped reshape consumer perceptions of secondhand shopping, eBay had lost its luster. However, through savvy partnerships, working with celebrities, and improving its user experience, the resale OG is regaining its cool again.

It started with trust

Ebay's shares are up around 185% since Jamie Iannone took over as CEO in April 2020 and launched a turnaround effort, and up over 30% year-to-date.

In its first quarter results, released in April, revenue was up 19% year-on-year. Fashion saw double-digit year-on-year growth, led by its luxury, streetwear, and pre-loved clothing focus categories.

A key step in CEO Jamie Iannone's turnaround strategy was to home in on its verticals by making focus categories within them. This was to attract enthusiast buyers, including sneakerheads and vintage luxury lovers. It kicked off this transformation by implementing authenticity guarantees within these focus categories.

It started with sneakers in the US in 2020 and has since expanded to other markets and products. Most recently, it integrated a luxury watch authentication service that flags stolen watches in the UK.

"It's [trust] important for everybody when shopping online, particularly with pre-loved," Keoghan said. "But I just think particularly for luxury, it's such an important part of our strategy."

From 'Love Island' to the Met Gala

Another key part of eBay's fashion strategy has been getting involved in cultural moments in order to amp up its visibility and cool factor.

The company teamed up with Vogue and singer-songwriter SZA to source her outfit for the 2026 Met Gala. It has been partnered with popular TV series "Love Island" in the UK since 2022, and has worked with some of the biggest American influencers, such as Emma Chamberlain.

Ebay has built relationships with celebrity stylists in an attempt to have items sourced from its platform appear organically in cultural moments.

One of its ambassadors, celebrity stylist Harry Lambert, dressed Harry Styles in a pre-loved outfit sourced from eBay for a shoot for his latest album launch.

"The reason why we've done that is so that we can put pre-loved fashion at the forefront of some of these really big fashion moments and get people to think about fashion really differently," Keoghan said.

Fierce competition

Despite the trendy collaborations and the popularity of pre-loved fashion among Gen Z consumers, Keoghan said eBay does not have a specific core customer in mind.

"We've got all of the other categories, which I think for us is like our superpower because you can come and buy fashion and you can also go and buy or sell a desk or a sofa," Keoghan said.

Since eBay's launch, younger companies such as European-headquartered Vinted and US-based Poshmark have emerged, making the secondhand e-commerce market fiercely competitive. When Vinted dropped its seller fee, eBay followed suit in the UK and Germany. It is yet to do the same in the US.

Keoghan said she welcomes the competition. "I think it makes us all up our game," she said.

No longer wanting to play catch-up, eBay is pressing ahead with AI features, such as AI-generated descriptions and a background enhancement tool, to reduce seller friction as much as possible.

"Using innovation and technology to do that is really key for us at eBay," she added. "We're just trying to continue to make those better and better and better. So it makes it really easy for our customers."

• Rob Mallernee has worked with ultra-high-net-worth families for more than 30 years.
• He said the richest families tend to maintain their wealth with four habits.
• Instilling purpose in the next generation and being frugal are key to preserving wealth, he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rob Mallernee, 50, who is the CEO of a wealth management software company. He is based in North Carolina. Business Insider has verified his employment. This piece has been edited for length and clarity.

A single brilliant decision might create wealth. But the best way to keep your wealth for 100 years is not one brilliant decision, but hundreds of good decisions over many years.

After more than 30 years working with ultra-high-net-worth families — including most recently as CEO of Eton Solutions — I've seen this pattern firsthand.

The most successful families tend to share these four habits.

Creating the right family culture

The most successful families instil a sense of purpose in the next generations. They foster an environment where the children and grandchildren don't feel entitled, but are motivated to make their own way and add value to the world.

In these families, the subsequent generations don't see the wealth as their own, but as something they steward for the future.

Almost all of our clients do a really great job with that. I'm often amazed at how successful the second and third generations are in building their own careers and achieving something in their lives, despite not needing to because they already have more than enough money.

Treating tax planning as an ongoing process

The second biggest thing these families do to maintain their wealth is being very intentional and thoughtful about expenses and costs.

Typically, one of the highest costs in these situations is taxes, and how you invest your money can be either incredibly tax-efficient or incredibly tax-inefficient.

For example, you could buy an equity fund where the manager is buying and selling all the time. You'd expect a significant proportion of short-term capital gains to be taxed each year, reducing the client's net return.

An alternative is a tax-loss harvesting strategy, where you buy a basket of stocks rather than a mutual fund and sell positions at a loss to offset gains elsewhere. The gross return expectation is the same, but the after-tax returns are significantly higher.

These wealthy families spend a lot of time hiring people to ensure they're not making tax-inefficient decisions. They don't treat tax planning as a one-time exercise but as an ongoing process that considers every financial decision from all perspectives.

Investing long-term

Another common behavior is buying and holding core assets for long periods to reduce taxes and transaction costs.

For example, if they bought a house in Aspen and held onto it for decades, the asset's appreciation is likely to be significant and outweigh the cost of maintaining it over time.

The same principle applies to financial assets. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals with well-planned equity portfolios almost never pay taxes on them because they buy and hold.

If, for example, they need $1 million to buy real estate, they won't sell investments and incur taxes. Instead, they'll borrow against their portfolio or take out a mortgage. Very wealthy people tend to avoid paying cash for their homes because it's not the smartest way to do it.

Being frugal

You may be surprised, but ultra-high-net-worth individuals can be very frugal. While most people assume that they wouldn't worry about the nitty-gritty stuff if they had that much money, I think one way people retain their wealth is by being very frugal and paying attention to costs.

Sometimes that can go to extremes. I could give you several examples of people worth over $100 million asking one of their advisors to look into a cost worth less than $10.

The right way to approach things is to be consistently intentional about all your financial decisions, and it's how wealthy families stay wealthy.

• Patients are turning to AI for inspiration in plastic surgery and dermatology.
• The results, doctors say, are often physically impossible or unsafe.
• It's the latest example of how technology is growing the gap between beauty expectations and reality.

Unreal expectations are par for the course in cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Rachel Westbay's line of work. Patients regularly bring in photos of celebrities or their younger selves, asking her to work her magic.

But earlier this year, she encountered something entirely new when a patient brought into her Upper East Side office what Westbay described as a caricature. The image was cartoonish, with lips too full for her face and enlarged, doll-like eyes.

Its creator was ChatGPT.

"It's like saying I want to look like Ariel from 'The Little Mermaid,'" Westbay told Business Insider. "I was shocked."

Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering doctors' offices.

Rather than letting plastic surgeons and dermatologists be in charge of the "after," patients are prompting AI image generators to create their ideal versions of themselves. Some use ChatGPT or Nano Banana, others use specialized apps and AI filters. It's the latest example of how technology, like Snapchat filters and Photoshop before it, is reshaping beauty standards and expectations.

The result can be a challenge for doctors, who have to confront patients about what is surgically achievable or physiologically safe.

A survey published last year by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that those who had experience using AI enhancers on photos had "significantly higher" expectations for plastic surgery outcomes.

"It's not necessarily a completely negative thing for people to explore the look or the goal they want," Dr. Steven Williams, a plastic surgeon in the Bay Area and the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, told Business Insider. "The important thing is recognizing that there are still limitations."

He's had patients come in with AI-generated images of breast augmentations, body contouring, and rhinoplasties. His overriding take: "Pixels are easier than surgery."

'Bodies aren't clay'

Daina Jenkins wasn't new to plastic surgery when, at 60, she decided to have a deep-plane facelift.

"If it's sagging, bagging, or dragging, I'm going to lift it, suck it, or tuck it," she told Business Insider.

After two years of research and a consultation, she settled on a surgeon for the procedure, but he didn't provide images of what her after could look like. So she turned to ChatGPT, explaining the procedures she was planning and asking the AI to visualize them.

The result — pore-less skin, a sharp jaw, a particular pout — looked nothing like her.

Jenkins asked her surgeon's office about the image and was relieved to hear that even if she liked it, those results weren't possible.

"It wasn't reality," she said. "I love that I look natural."

The image generators tend to spit out what Westbay calls the "Bratz doll" look: plumped lips, big eyes, and a defined jaw. It doesn't account for an individual's facial structures, different ethnicities, or for balancing.

That gap between expectations and reality is key to AI's effect on the industry.

When a woman in her 70s brought an AI-generated photo into a consultation, Dr. Sachin Shridharani, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, said it was completely unrealistic. She was looking for a "surgical time machine" and to look like her granddaughter, forty years her junior.

"I explained that we can't recreate what she looked like when she was younger, but she remained insistent," he said.

While AI can visualize certain features — particularly nonfacial ones — quite well, it struggles with more complex procedures, such as nose jobs.

What follows are long consultations in which doctors break down what is possible and safe. They explain that a warped background suggests a filter was probably applied, that a specific nose tip would make breathing impossible, or that a waistline so narrow would mean there wouldn't be room for internal organs.

"Bodies aren't clay," Williams said. "There are physiological and organ systems that we have to protect when we're doing these surgeries."

Beyond the reality that many AI images are impossible to recreate on the operating table, many of its suggestions wouldn't look good in real life.

"There is no procedure I can do to enlarge eye size," Westbay said. "Even if we could make it happen, it would have people looking at you like a cartoon."

Of course, bringing in inspirational images is nothing new.

"Years ago, patients would come in with a cutout photo from Vogue," Dr. Justin Sacks, a reconstructive plastic surgeon at Washington University in St. Louis' medical school, told Business Insider. "That would be like a red flag, if you walked into my office and showed me a picture of Gisele Bündchen or Claudia Schiffer."

As technology has shifted, so have those references, with social media bringing in an influx of requests inspired by filters or edited influencers.

A 2019 study by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that 72% of facial plastic surgeons had patients who underwent procedures to look better in selfies, part of a phenomenon known as "Snapchat dysmorphia."

An AI upside

While patients using AI may cause some headaches, plastic surgeons and dermatologists see value in the technology.

Sacks, who uses AI tools as digital scribes during appointments, said that AI could also improve the image generators that doctors themselves use over time.

He imagines working on a reconstruction for a breast cancer patient and directing AI to create live simulations: What would this patient look like with 400 milliliters of a silicone implant? What about some soft tissue overlay?

"Do you realize the conversation that you would have and the expectations that you would have after that clinic visit? It would be astounding," he said.

The images produced by AI or edited and plastered on social media have, for better or worse, pushed the limits of what surgeons thought was possible. Doctors are etching onto abdominal walls to create six packs and breaking ribs to achieve thinner waistlines.

As dramatic as the results may be, Williams warns patients to think about why they want a procedure.

"What's your expectation?" Williams said. If it's a new job, relationship, or social status, that's a "red flag."

Do you have a story to share about AI and plastic surgery? Contact his reporter at mberg@insider.com.

• Walmart's online business is booming, with the bulk of sales fulfilled through local stores.
• The job of picking items for these orders falls to store workers who may pull hundreds of items per shift.
• When a relatively small picking rule change caused a big stir, it highlighted the tension for teams.

Walmart has a need for speed.

The retail giant has been growing its online business for years, fueled in large part by its ability to get groceries to customers in nearly every part of the US within hours.

But doubling down on digital is revealing some growing pains, too, as store teams try to balance this new priority with the traditional demands of operating a big box store.

In particular, three workers told Business Insider that the online business is placing new pressure on workers who are hustling to hit digital metrics, hauling increasingly heavy orders like water and mulch, and trying to meet the daily needs of their stores.

Walmart declined to comment for this story. The company is in a quiet period ahead of next week's scheduled earnings report.

Walmart workers, of course, are not the first to experience growing pains as their company expands its digital business. Target workers previously told Business Insider the company's emphasis on digital order metrics was a daily source of stress and disruption.

Last quarter, Walmart's e-commerce business notched 27% sales growth, marking the eighth consecutive quarter with growth over 20%. The bulk of those sales is fulfilled by employees at the company's 4,600 US stores.

"We're getting things to people faster," former CEO Doug McMillon said at last year's annual shareholder meeting. "Days are becoming hours, and hours are becoming minutes. Convenience drives our business."

Convenience comes at a cost

A former store manager who left the company earlier this year told Business Insider that Walmart's focus and intensity on e-commerce ramped up sharply during their final year in the job. Online sales accounted for about a 10th of their store's overall revenue, but required almost the entire staff to assist with fulfillment on high-volume days.

The manager and an employee responsible for filling online orders at another location said that colleagues in other departments and store managers were typically cross-trained in digital and often pulled in to help fulfill orders, a distinction that highlights the importance of those tasks. Digital team members, meanwhile, weren't called on to support other departments nearly so often, they said.

Order volumes can range widely, but it's not uncommon for a worker to pick several hundred items in a shift.

Having so many workers fulfilling digital orders also means more workers moving through the aisles while focused on a company-owned mobile phone, which contains detailed order instructions. Customers have noticed. Several Business Insider readers over the last few weeks have emailed about Walmart workers appearing to pay more attention to their screens than to customers in stores.

The balancing act Walmart now finds itself in is perhaps best illustrated by the big stir that followed seemingly small rule changes about how workers should handle online order carts. The company told workers late last month to pull their carts so they could see where they were going, but quickly reversed course after workers complained of straining their shoulders and running over their own heels.

Ultimately, Walmart opted for safety over order volume, instructing order pickers to push the carts as they had before, and instead reduced the number of bins on their carts from eight to six so they could better see ahead.

The downside of having two fewer bins, the digital employee said, is that it is now tougher to keep orders on time when their teams are shorthanded.

Demand and competition continue to grow

Walmart is rolling out other technology to make it easier for workers to fulfill online orders, like digital shelf labels, which could also allow online order pickers to work more efficiently, and the company is using AI to make more responsive changes to how work is done.

Online grocery sales aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Data from the Food Industry Association and NielsenIQ shows that online channels accounted for nearly 75% of total grocery dollar growth in 2025, with in-store sales remaining mostly stable. Online grocery sales are projected to top $450 billion by 2028.

And the competition continues to heat up. Amazon this week expanded its 30-minute delivery service to more US cities as it looks to counter Walmart's strength in that space.

Either way you slice it, Walmart's online order pickers have had a busy year and are set to be responsible for an increasingly large portion of the stuff US shoppers buy every day.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at dreuter@businessinsider.com or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• More and more people are signing up to snail mail clubs to receive lovingly curated letters.
• As people tire of doomscrolling, they are seeking out analog hobbies.
• Subscribers say the clubs bring whimsy and connection to their lives, all for around $10.

Every month, Teagan Franz counts down the days until a colorful envelope arrives through her letterbox.

Last month, it was red. Inside was a handwritten letter, a tarot card featuring the Greek goddess Artemis, a piece of card scented with homemade essential oils, toad stool stickers, and a DIY craft activity titled "shrine to your inner child," all beautifully decorated in a vintage scrapbook style.

Franz is a subscriber to Raindrops on Roses, a monthly spiritual wellness-themed snail mail club created by Madalin Giorgetta, a 37-year-old nutritionist and former fitness influencer based in Melbourne. Each letter costs $16 AUD ($11.47).

Proudly offline snail mail clubs like Giorgetta's are growing fast. Subscribers pay around $10 a month to receive a mailer on a theme of the sender's choosing, from cooking to poetry to fantasy worlds. Typically, the letters contain fun paper goodies like journal prompts and original art prints.

In the past 12 months, Google Trends data shows that searches for "snail mail club" increased by 700%, while data shared by Pinterest with Business Insider showed a 245% spike in searches for "snail mail ideas" and 125% for "letter ideas" during the same time period.

Franz, who first discovered Giorgetta when she was an influencer, likes the physicality of receiving something handmade. She said it feels more meaningful than the digital self-care content that she used to read a lot of, which was easily forgotten.

"It's really exciting because it's a surprise each month," Franz, a 28-year-old content creator and mom-of-two based in Western Australia, told Business Insider. "It's actually so much fun. I don't get a lot of mail that's fun mail. Even birthday cards, that's something that's dead now. Everybody just sends a text."

"Maddie puts so much beautiful effort into her mail club, and it's a little love letter," Franz added.

It's true that you're most likely to first encounter the trend online. But the Gen Z and millennial snail mail subscribers and creators who spoke to Business Insider said the clubs offer respite from social media feeds filled with impersonal, unchallenging "brainrot." They fit into a wider movement of young adults picking up "analog" hobbies, like reading and knitting, and using retro tech like flip phones to add whimsy to their lives and feel more present and connected offline.

Giorgetta used to have one million followers on Instagram and would sell downloadable workout guides, which she eventually found dehumanizing. "You're just constantly putting out content and never really connecting with anybody," she said. The snail mail club that she started in January has around 150 subscribers feels far more intimate and creatively fulfilling to her.

"You really feel like, 'Oh wow, I know this person's name. I understand that they're getting this delivered into their hands every month. It feels very personal," Giorgetta, who subscribes to an analog-themed art snail mail club, said.

Offline activities and hobbies are trending

Each month, Giorgetta chooses a goddess to inspire the content of her mailers. It takes an "inordinate" amount of time to create the letters embellished with pearl and lace details, ribbons, as well as quirky extras like hand-drawn Victorian love tokens. She spends four days packing them. April was all about Artemis and childlike wonder, hence the inner child shrine that Franz received. Previous editions have centered Persephone, Aphrodite, and Athena.

"I think that people are really connecting with hands-on activities and hobbies in their life now," Kaelyn Marie Williams, 29, an artist and costume designer based in Knoxville, Tennessee, said.

Williams started Swatched Ink Print Club last November. For $8 a month, her 550 subscribers receive a mailer themed around an era of fashion, such as Regency or Renaissance. They include a handmade guide on how to recreate a stitch from the era, an illustration of a woman modeling clothing, and a note from Williams about the artwork.

Williams noticed that her audience is mainly women artists and crafters aged between 20 and 40, as well as those with no crafting experience excited to learn a new tactile skill.

Snail mail clubs give a taste of IRL community

Although subscribers open their mail alone, some said these clubs provide a sense of community they felt was lacking.

In April 2025, Hannah Gustafson, 26, organized the first of a now-monthly farmers market called Tiny Farmers Market in Austin, Texas, as a last-ditch attempt to feel closer to neighbours in the area where she had lived for three years. She regularly posts on social media about the market that features live music, free drinks, and stalls from 30 vendors.

She would get messages from people around the world who were sad that they couldn't join, which, in August 2025, inspired her to create The Tiny Post. The creators who spoke to Business Insider said they have posted their mail to people in the US, Ireland, France, Austria, Spain, Mexico, and Australia.

"We listen to really good music here. We eat really yummy jams and the vulnerability piece is really big for us, connecting with people and showing up as you are. And so I was like, what if I put that all in a letter and you could feel like you were actually a part of the market?" Gustafson said.

In eight months, she built a worldwide subscriber base of more than 5,000 people.

Members receive a heartfelt letter that reads like an open journal entry, a recipe card related to the market, an art print by Gustafson, a tarot card, a journal prompt and a Spotify playlist to set the mood, stickers, and a surprise paper goodie. "Last month was a little zine that they could make themselves," she said.

Katie Shaffer, a 39-year-old diagnostic medical sonographer based in Houston, said that since signing up to The Tiny Post, her screen time is down 75%. Instead of doomscrolling for hours in a dark room, she spends her free time doing offline activities like crocheting and painting.

"It's not an instant gratification from a notification. It's sitting down and holding something tactile in my hands that makes me happy, brings me whimsy. It's like magic," Shaffer said.

February's edition included a QR code for a Facebook page inviting subscribers to "find a penpal." Now, Schaffer sends handwritten letters and watercolor paintings to eight penpals around the world.

"This is one of the best things I've ever spent money on and it costs what, less than $12. It's so meaningful. She gave me my tiny community that I needed. I knew something had been missing, but I didn't know what it was," Shaffer said.

Ashley Webber, a 25-year-old senior court operations specialist who subscribes to Williams' Swatched Ink Print Club, enjoys the building excitement of waiting for the letter to arrive. Watching videos of fellow subscribers opening their envelopes on social media makes her feel part of a community.

"I love that, because we all now have a small connection and similarity in what we enjoy," Webber, who is based in Arizona, said. "In a world of same day delivery and instant downloads, it's kind of refreshing to slow down and get excited for something really authentic," she said.

Time will tell whether snail mail clubs and the interest in analog living will prove to be passing trends or a lasting cultural shift. But for now, they're bringing subscribers a moment of childlike wonder in the real world, even if just for five minutes.

"I always think about the fact that you have to use both hands to open it. That sounds so stupid, but you quite literally have to put your phone down and open this thing," Gustafson, the founder of The Tiny Post, said.

• Memory chips aren't the only AI bottleneck that is fueling massive stock gains.
• Optical tech is an increasingly key component of data centers.
• Optical stocks like Lumentum, Ciena, Corning, and Coherent are some of the top performers of 2026.

Memory chips have emerged as the hottest investing theme on Wall Street in 2026, but there might be another new frontier in the AI trade posed to fuel strong stock gains.

AI bullishness has returned to markets, setting off a record-setting rally in stocks in the second quarter—and there's a common thread among some of the top gainers beyond memory plays.

Optics stocks have become some of the strongest gainers as investors assess the next bottleneck in the AI trade.

Optical technology communicates signal using photons, transmitting data at the speed of light. The tech itself isn't new and it's something you likely use everyday, as it's the backbone of the world's internet infrastructure.

Business Insider spoke with WyzeMind CEO Dinesh Tyagi, an AI and chip expert with decades of experience in Silicon Valley who has ventured into investing after selling his own tech company, about why AI has sparked a surging demand for optical tech.

As the AI boom moves past its compute shortage, new bottlenecks like memory and networking emerge. Tyagi explained that optical tech helps address the communication problem between GPUs doing the AI computing the server racks within data centers.

Currently, with traditional copper wires connecting GPUs to racks, there's what Tyagi called a "traffic jam" within the data communication network.

Optics tech helps address this problem, but the industry expects major advancements in the tech to eliminate the bottleneck entirely in the next two to three years, Tyagi told Business Insider.

Optical tech is more effective for AI computing, reducing the power, heat, latency, and cost hurdles that come with copper wiring.

Investors are betting big on optical tech, along with memory chips, as they look for opportunity within emerging AI bottlenecks.

Sandisk, Intel, and other memory stocks top the leaderboard of year-to-date S&P 500 component performers, but optical stocks are hot on their tail.

Lumentum, Ciena, and Corning within the top 10 best year-to-date S&P 500 performers, more than doubling since the start of 2026. Corning stock popped on a recent partnership with Nvidia.

Like memory stocks' DRAM ETF, a new photonics ETF has hit the market. The Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics ETF , which trades under the ticker EUV, was listed on May 6.

"Light is the limiting factor in chipmaking, data transmission, and precision sensing, and a small number of companies control the technologies that manipulate it," Cboe, the firm behind the ETF, explained.

EUV ETF hasn't seen the same dramatic rise as DRAM ETF since its more than a week on the market, but is trading in the green.

• Jay Hinson shares career growth tips from his 28-year journey at The Cheesecake Factory.
• Curiosity and adaptability were key to Jay Hinson's rise in restaurant kitchen operations.
• Jay Hinson emphasizes the impact of asking questions and seeking feedback for career advancement.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jay Hinson, the senior vice president of restaurant kitchen operations at The Cheesecake Factory. It has been edited for length and clarity.

People sometimes ask how I stayed at one company for nearly three decades and continued moving up. I think a big part of it came down to curiosity. At every stage of my career, I asked questions, studied the people above me, and tried to make their jobs easier.

I started working in restaurants when I was 14. A friend helped me get a summer job at a local restaurant, washing dishes and shucking clams. Before long, I learned the fryer, then the broiler, and I fell in love with the pace of the kitchen.

I joined The Cheesecake Factory in my early 20s and started as a line cook. Funny enough, I didn't even know what The Cheesecake Factory was when I applied.

My general manager at Ruby Tuesday, where I was working at the time, told me the company had one of the best kitchen management programs in the industry and said I should look into it. My initial thought was, "Why would he tell me to work at a factory?"

A few months later, I saw a "The Cheesecake Factory coming soon" sign at a mall near me and applied on the last day of hiring.

Today, I'm the senior vice president of restaurant kitchen operations at The Cheesecake Factory, overseeing kitchen support across the company, including training, food quality, kitchen equipment, and financial operations tied to restaurant kitchens.

I never walked into The Cheesecake Factory thinking I'd become a senior vice president. My first goal was to become a manager. Then I wanted to become an executive kitchen manager. After that, I focused on the next role.

I took it one promotion at a time.

The 3 questions I ask in every new role

Every time I earned a promotion, I started studying the next role. I paid attention to how my bosses handled pressure, how they spoke to people, and how they adjusted their leadership styles from restaurant to restaurant.

I was fortunate because some of my bosses let me travel with them to different locations. I could see that one team might need encouragement while another team needed structure. That taught me how important adaptability is in leadership.

I also asked a lot of questions. Looking back, there were three questions I asked over and over again that shaped my career.

The first was: "How is today?"

That question helped me understand how my restaurant and my team were performing day to day. It opened the door for honest conversations and feedback, and it showed the people above me that I cared about more than just my own responsibilities.

The second question was: "How can I be better?"

I always wanted direct feedback. If my restaurant was strong in one area, I'd ask where we were weak. If the kitchen was clean, I'd ask about food quality. If food quality was strong, I'd ask about leadership or development.

Feedback is not always easy to hear, but it's necessary if you want to grow.

The third question was: "What can I do to make your job easier?"

Instead of focusing only on my own performance, I started thinking about how I could reduce problems for the people above me. If a boss had to repeat the same feedback to me twice, I wanted to fix that immediately.

Sometimes, making someone's job easier meant communicating more often. Sometimes it meant solving issues before they escalated. Sometimes it meant becoming dependable enough that they didn't have to worry about my restaurant.

The more detailed the feedback became, the more I improved.

The Cheesecake Factory rewarded people who wanted to grow

One reason I've stayed with the company for 28 years is because I believed the opportunities were real.

When I first joined The Cheesecake Factory, I sat in orientation rooms with people who had started as line cooks and moved into leadership positions. Seeing that made advancement feel possible.

I also connected deeply with the company culture. I felt cared for as a person, not just trained as an employee. That mattered to me early in my career, and it still matters now.

Today, one of my favorite parts of the job is developing younger employees. I love hearing a line cook say they want to become a manager and then seeing them accomplish it a few years later.

I've said this about every role I've had at The Cheesecake Factory: it was my favorite job at the time. I think that happened because I was promoted at the right pace and developed by the right people.

For anyone starting in restaurants today, my advice is to ask questions early, understand the expectations of the role, and look for a company that promotes from within.

Then pay attention to the people doing the job you want next.

• Hoodies from the brand Fear of God Essentials have become a status symbol for tweens and teens.
• The simple garments retail between $130 and $200 each, depending on the style.
• Young people say they love how simple the hoodies are in design and how comfortable they feel.

It doesn't matter where I go — grocery shopping, the mall, or my local bagel shop.

Without fail, every outing lately puts me in the presence of a teen or tween wearing a hoodie with the word Essentials emblazoned across the chest or back — and the phrase "Fear of God" printed smaller underneath.

As a 30-year-old lifestyle reporter with an embarrassing screen-time average, I like to think I'm pretty in the know of what's trending with young people.

I'm well aware that hoodies have transcended from comfy loungewear you'd wear at home to statement outerwear. Hoodies and sweatpants are the outfit.

But in the same way I try to grasp Gen Z slang and their affinity for trendy water bottles, I wanted to know more.

Mainly, why is Fear of God Essentials so popular, and how are tweens convincing their parents to spend $175 on a single hoodie?

A luxury brand for the masses

American fashion designer Jerry Lorenzo launched his clothing brand, Fear of God, in 2013. It offered luxury basics inspired by gaps in his own closet and was named in honor of his Christian faith.

Fear of God quickly became a fashion staple, especially as musicians like Justin Bieber, Kanye West, and Big Sean embraced its designs.

The success led Lorenzo to launch Fear of God Essentials, a cheaper — but still expensive — sister brand that focused on accessible streetwear basics, in 2018.

If you're looking for bold colors and loud prints, Fear of God Essentials isn't for you.

The label strictly offers neutral pieces with subtle graphics. While hoodies are its best-known product, Essentials also sells T-shirts, sweatpants, jeans, and more.

The full line ranges in price from $50 to $375 per piece, with hoodies priced from $130 to $200. The most popular options cost $150 and $175.

Standard Fear of God hoodies, on the other hand, cost between $395 and $1,170 each.

Teens, tweens, and almost everyone else

Kinna Thomas, a mother of two, said it was 2022 when her sons first put Fear of God Essentials items on their Christmas lists.

"It felt a little bit expensive for, at the time, 11- and 12-year-olds," she said. "I was just like, 'Wow, what are we doing?'"

Still, they each unwrapped a hoodie on Christmas Day. Since then, the brand has become a staple in the wardrobes of 15-year-old Timmy and 16-year-old Julian, who wear the sweatshirts at least once or twice a week with shorts or sweatpants and sneakers.

"I think people like it because it looks clean without doing too much," Julian said of Essentials hoodies, adding that they're "really popular" at his school.

"I also like that Essentials doesn't try too hard," Timmy added. "It's simple, comfortable, and still looks good, which is probably why so many teenagers wear it all the time."

The Thomas brothers, both athletes, discovered the brand through their local Minneapolis basketball community.

Ori Nachon, a 12-year-old from New York City, had a similar experience about a year ago.

He saw his basketball coach wearing the brand and told his mom, Amy Nachon, that he wanted his own Essentials hoodie. So she bought him an Essentials set while back-to-school shopping.

"It's annoying how much they charge for them, but I guess I'm willing to pay it every now and then for a special item he wants because he's a good kid," Amy Nachon said.

Ori said Essentials is one of his "top five" favorite brands and that it's extremely popular among 7th- and 8th-graders at his school. The unofficial tween uniform there, he added, includes Essentials hoodies, baggy sweatpants, and Birkenstock sandals.

"Some of the other [hoodie] brands are too loud and too colorful. They really pop out," he said. "I like that Essentials is more chill and clean."

Take a scroll through TikTok (where #fearofgod has 65,000 posts) or Instagram, and you'll see that this isn't a localized phenomenon.

Tweens and teens across the country are wearing similar outfits — and they're not the only demographic that's doing so.

Speaking with Kinna Thomas, I noticed that she, too, seemed fond of Fear of God. When I asked if she had her own Essentials hoodie, she laughed and replied: "You already know I do."

She owns three Essentials hoodies, to be exact, and one pair of the brand's shorts.

"I put on this hoodie, and I feel like it's the coziest moment I have ever experienced," she said.

Essentials becomes omnipresent

The hoodie market is saturated. Brands like Pink Palm Puff, White Fox, and Aelfric Eden are among the it-girls of loungewear, and there are countless others out there.

So how has a brand known for its understated designs kept the attention of a generation with a shrinking attention span?

For one thing, Essentials has a slightly bigger reach than other brands. Boys and girls of all ages enjoy its hoodies.

Ori, for example, recently passed down an Essentials crewneck that no longer fits him to his 9-year-old sister Romy, who is starting to see the brand become trendy within her grade.

"I really like knowing that [these hoodies] can be interchanged between boys and girls, because then we get another wear out of it," Ori's mom said.

Both moms and their children also noted multiple times how comfortable Essentials hoodies are. They're oversize and made of 80% cotton and 20% polyester fleece.

That softness and quality keep them and other shoppers coming back year after year for new ones. Google Trends shows big search spikes for its hoodies every November and December since 2023.

And despite being trendy, Fear of God pieces are also helping some kids express their individual styles in places where they usually can't.

"My children have a private education at a Christian school, and they're allowed to wear Fear of God Essentials," Kinna Thomas said. "They're not necessarily allowed to wear some of the other brands."

I think I mostly get it now. Who can pass up a cozy, oversize hoodie, especially one that gives you some fashion cred at the same time?

Parents seem to agree — even if Essentials pieces are expensive.

"If my son knows what he wants to wear and has an idea of his style and his look, I'll support him in that," Amy Nachon said. "Seventh grade is hard enough."

• Julian Richardson worked as a flight attendant for Spirit Airlines for about eight years.
• He was shocked to hear about Spirit's shutdown, despite hearing rumors of it for years.
• He is relying on his side hustle for income while he applies for more flight attendant jobs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julian Richardson, a 42-year-old flight attendant based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I was a Spirit flight attendant for nearly eight years. It was my first and only job as a flight attendant, and I definitely would've stayed much longer if I had the chance.

When someone would get off my flight and say, "This is the best flight I've ever had," it made showing up to work every day so worth it.

I'd heard rumors for years that Spirit might shut down, so I always knew it was a possibility. Still, when I woke up to an early-morning email on my phone from Spirit announcing its closure, I was shocked. I guess I didn't think it would actually happen.

There's a question mark in my mind when I think about job security as a flight attendant, but I'm not ready to give it up.

Everything seemed business-as-usual the day before Spirit shut down

When Spirit shut down, it seemed like everything just ceased to exist.

Fortunately, I wasn't on a trip at the time, but the email said that all flights were canceled, and operations were winding down. Now my insurance has been halted, there is no severance pay, and it's up in the air when I'll receive my final paycheck.

It's a tough situation, but I've managed my emotions by remembering that everything happens for a reason. I'm not super worried about losing my income because I'm confident the skills I've developed will help me find another job.

I don't know what my next role will be, but I've already applied to airlines that have flight attendant openings.

I'm working on my side-hustle, but I'm not ready to give up the benefits of being a flight attendant

I've been making comedic skits on social media for a while, and it's definitely a side hustle for me. It's important to keep a side hustle for situations like this.

The social media income can be very up and down, but right now I'm working on getting more brand deals. Still, I enjoyed my time at Spirit, and I learned a lot. As a flight attendant, I was pretty much responsible for myself. It was up to me to wake up, make it to the airport on time, and catch the shuttle. It taught me a lot of independence and responsibility.

Also, I didn't experience any micromanaging as a flight attendant. In my experience, you might see your supervisors or managers, but you don't see them every day. They're not looking over your shoulder to see what you're doing.

I'm still pretty young, and I feel like I'm really good at what I do, so I'd like to continue working as a flight attendant. Nothing beats flight benefits. I love that part of the job. My family and I could travel at a discounted rate, so I'd definitely like to continue reaping those benefits. That being said, I'm open to other opportunities. I'm not naive enough to put myself in a box.

Eventually, I want to own my own business

Anytime you work for somebody, there's no true job security, so I can't say I feel like there's job security as a flight attendant.

I think the only time you can find true job security is by working for yourself and running a business that is virtually recession-proof. That's why my long-term goal is to eventually own my own business. Still, I'd recommend being a flight attendant to anyone.

Being a flight attendant gives you a lot of flexibility. I've been able to live anywhere I want. It's kind of like a remote job in that way. I had coworkers who lived in Spain and worked for 15 days, then rested for 15 days. There aren't many jobs where you can do that.

Flight attendants also have the opportunity to interact with people and help them have a great experience. That's a part of the job I love.

Spirit Airlines declined to comment on this story.

Do you have a story to share about navigating job loss? If so, please reach out to the reporter at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.

• Carol Leonard, 65, is raising two of her grandsons alone while working as a facilities manager.
• She makes $40,000 annually, enough to buy a house, but not sufficient to retire or get custody.
• One grandson has a part-time job, and she hopes both will be able to get college scholarships.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Carol Leonard, 65, who is raising her grandsons: Blaze, 17, and Jason, 15, in Baton Rouge. Leonard said raising them has been a financial hit, but she's been able to keep the family afloat. Her words have been edited for length and clarity.

There are so many grandparents raising grandchildren, and the system is failing us. I don't need support for myself — I survived fine on my own — but when you have two teenage boys, they need assistance. There's no safety net for grandparents, especially for those without legal rights.

I have five children, whom I raised mostly on my own, and 17 grandchildren. I have my two grandsons because their parents were unable to care for them.

My son is the father of the boys and is 47 now. I've had Jason and Blaze throughout their lives. A few times when they were younger, the court gave me temporary custody when their parents were unable to raise them. I've been that stronghold and safety net to catch them.

My son hasn't signed the papers to give me legal custody

If my son were to walk in and say, "I want them with me," he can walk out of here with them.

I can't afford an attorney to go through the system; the last one I tried to get wanted $800 upfront. Still, the school let me enroll them because the district knows the parents' history. I've been able to get medical care for them, and they're on my tax forms.

Someone told me to try foster care, but it's a road I refuse to go down. I don't trust the system. It would hurt me so badly to know that I let my grandchildren go into foster care because I couldn't afford to feed or house them.

I've tried to apply for food stamps, but they tell me I make too much money

I earn $40,000 a year as a facilities manager at a building. I'd need to make half of that to qualify. The boys have an older sister who gets food stamps and sometimes buys groceries for us. Our church contributes food from the pantry.

I was in a two-bedroom apartment, with Jason sleeping in the living room, but earlier this year, I was able to purchase a small house. They now have their own bedrooms. Our lights and water have never been turned off.

I have a car note, mortgage notes, and other bills to pay. I'd like to be able to give the boys more. It hurts me that we go out to dinner only maybe once a month, and that's a big expense.

I can't give them things that other kids get

I'd love to take them to Disney World or on a cruise, but I can't afford it. They're aware of our financial situation and that we can't do a lot of things, but I don't want them to worry. They know that I don't have the financial means to put them through college, so I'm hoping they can secure scholarships. I won't let them do nothing.

They're good boys and don't do things that difficult teenagers do, other than not cleaning their rooms. Sometimes, I have to crack down more and say no. Jason wasn't doing well in Spanish, so I took his phone away to make him aware of the consequences. That hurt me.

One time, he broke his phone. I could have purchased him a new phone immediately, but I knew he had to learn a lesson. It took me a few months to replace his phone because I needed him to have some form of reliable communication. This isn't what a grandmother should have to do; it's a parent's job.

I have arthritis, so I can't do all the things that parents can

I've had both knees replaced, and I'm a little slow getting around. I'm up at 5 a.m. to get the boys ready, and I have to be at work by 7. I work until 3, and the boys come home and do some housework. Sunday is my day. I go to church, and in the afternoons, I cook and relax. I feel like I'm falling short sometimes as a parent because I don't have the time or energy to cook a full meal during the week.

Blaze works a job on Fridays and Saturdays. It's not a lot of money, but it helps and builds character. They're not driving my car because I can't afford the insurance, so I pick him up at 9 or 10 at night when he gets off. The younger one wants to work too, but I can't carpool two kids to work.

I do try to be their grandmother more than I get to be a parent

I'm a parent by providing them with a shelter over their head, food, and clothing, but I'm a grandmother by being able to spoil them when I can. My other grandchildren come to visit and call me, and I try to spoil them, too.

The boys are closer to their mom than to their dad. I try to have them maintain contact. I try to give them confidence to not feel sorry about what they went through; I don't want them to use their circumstances as a crutch. If they make good decisions, they're going to have good outcomes.

I worry about what would happen if something happens to me. Will they be able to support themselves and be independent? I'm sure some family would assist. I don't want to see them get angry and go into the foster care system and decide to turn to drugs or drinking. They may have to work a little harder to get to where they want to be, but they'll get there.

I love them to death, and all I can do is give them love.

• Tony Tellez, 49, recently launched a job search for the first time in 10 years.
• A near-instant rejection from an employer convinced the IT pro that he wasn't given a fair chance.
• Tellez said he told the company's HR chief that AI was filtering out qualified candidates.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tony Tellez, a 49-year-old IT professional based in Indianapolis. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I started my career at the entry level and worked my way up to essentially running IT companies in the managed-services space, overseeing IT operations for multiple clients. Recently, I found myself on the job market for the first time in 10 years. It's changed a lot.

I got some interviews right away, but I also got a lot of rejections. Nobody likes to be rejected. I've got children, rent, and animals to take care of, and those responsibilities start to weigh on you.

One Sunday night, my frustrations reached a breaking point. I had applied for a senior position at a managed-services firm that I was more than qualified for around 11:15 p.m. About six minutes later, I received an email that simply said, "We have declined your application." The company didn't even provide a reason like, "we're pursuing other candidates."

It didn't make any sense. I applied at a time when no one was likely to be manually reviewing résumés and rejecting them. I reread the job listing, and it clearly said that a bachelor's degree — something I don't have — was preferred but not required.

Also, my best friend is an HR consultant, and she made sure my résumé included all the necessary keywords. I even ran it through an open-source applicant-tracking system to check that it was well-optimized.

So, after I saw that rejection email come in, I went to the company's LinkedIn page, found their HR director, and sent him this message.

Hi,

I just applied for your Service Desk Manager role, and was immediately rejected.

I have 17 years of continued growth and improvement in the IT space including the healthcare space and a lab environment.

My last six years have been in service delivery and operations management. I am highly qualified for this role, but the AI that […] uses is kicking me back within minutes of my application because I do not have a Bachelors degree.

Just a heads up, you are missing out on highly qualified candidates because of a reliance on AI, and while I agree AI has its place in our space, I believe I am proof of its failure.

I simply would ask you to review my resume and credentials manually in order to better evaluate my candidacy.

Thank you for your time.

I sent it partly because it's already frustrating for someone to lose a job and have to search for a new one. It's even worse when you have to deal with rejection from a robot.

Another reason is that I've developed and deployed applicant tracking systems, so I understand what it takes to configure them properly. There's a problem here, and the company's leadership may not know that they're potentially missing out on quality candidates.

I haven't heard anything back, and I probably won't. The job listing is no longer up, so I don't know if it was filled. I just know that I'm not ready to retire anytime soon. I love working. I love fixing things.

I've since used AI to make my résumé more AI-friendly. You've got to fight fire with fire. However, I've also started targeting companies that say in their job listings that every résumé submitted is reviewed by a human. In some of my past jobs, I was responsible for hiring people, and I prided myself on reading every résumé that came in. It's crazy how much the job market has changed.

• Comedy creator Kareem Rahma debuted a long-form show exclusively on YouTube.
• He premiered it at a theater in New York City.
• Let me take you inside the creator-studded night, complete with taxi cabs and a swanky after-party.

There was no red carpet, but a taxi cab photo-op was parked out front, with cameras ready to take guests' pictures.

This week, I headed to a packed movie theater in downtown New York City for the world premiere of "Keep the Meter Running," one of several shows YouTube announced at its star-studded Upfronts presentation.

YouTube, and its content creators, want their own prestige TV moment.

"It's a streaming service. You go home, you sit on your couch, you open the YouTube app, and you watch this television show the same way that you would any other television show," Kareem Rahma, the creator and host of "Keep the Meter Running," told the packed theater.

Creators, like Rahma (of "Subway Takes" fame), are ready to see their content taken as seriously as a big network show.

"If this is a web series, then so is every show on Netflix and every show on HBO Max because it's all the internet now," said Adam Faze, who produced the show alongside Rahma.

"If I'm a digital creator, then so is Shonda Rhimes," Rahma quipped in response.

Welcome to a YouTube premiere

Let me take you inside the night.

The show, in which Rahma tags along with New York City cab drivers to visit their favorite spots, premiered two episodes totaling about 36 minutes.

A few years ago, the same show was a short-form video series on TikTok and Instagram. Now, it's grown up.

With show-branded merch and popcorn, as well as show-inspired cocktails served in classic New York bodega coffee cups, the premiere's reception brought together New York creators, media, celebrities, and cab drivers all under one roof.

After the premiere, pre-paid yellow cabs were lined up outside, ready to ship the guests from the Metrograph theater uptown to the Standard Hotel's swanky Boom bar. Actor Cole Sprouse smoked a cigarette while chatting with Nico Heller, the creator behind the famous New York Nico Instagram account.

I was ushered into a taxi, squeezed between one of Rahma's cameramen and another journalist. In the front, another attendee listened to the driver's life story — emulating the show we all just watched on the big screen.

When we got to the after-party at Boom, we were greeted with flutes of bubbly. The venue, formerly known as the Boom Boom Room, has hosted after-parties for Hollywood events, from the Met Gala to movie premieres.

The venue was filled with hundreds of people, including creator economy staples who spoke about Hollywood and the internet blurring more than ever — some more positively than others.

"It's not short form vs. long form, creators vs. Hollywood, it's all one ecosystem," said Ziad Ahmed, who spearheads Gen Z marketing at talent agency UTA. "The scale of the work that we're doing is much bigger."

If you want to be relevant in culture today, whether you're a creator or a Hollywood star, "you have to live on all of these screens," Ahmed added.

The crowd at Boom was bridging the "gap between Hollywood and the creator economy," Jon Henson, who works at Rahma's talent management firm Underscore, told me.

The party recap

Here's a quick run-down of what I saw:

• The menu: The premiere itself had popcorn and movie snacks, and, at the cocktail party reception, there were tiny chocolate chip cookies and hors d'oeuvres. At the after-party, slices of pizza were carried around on white paper plates. There were drinks upon arrival, a taxi-cab ice luge, and an open bar for part of the night.
• The crowd: After the two episodes aired, Rahma and Faze were interviewed by actor Ramy Youssef. In the crowd were Sprouse, comedian Eric Andre, rapper G-Eazy, UTA cofounder Jeremy Zimmer, and media figures like Feed Me's Emily Sundberg and Byline's Gutes Guterman. The various teams behind the show were also scattered throughout, including Another Normal Day (AND Media), the studio that bankrolled Rahma's show. At the after-party, the crowd danced to a loud DJ set, but mostly mingled. Some filmed social media content. Creators like Delaney Rowe and Tinx arrived after attending other commitments that night (a Coach event and a Guggenheim function, respectively, per their Instagram stories). The party had stamina, too. By the time I called it quits a little past 1 a.m., it was still bumping.

• The takeaway: Creators want to be taken seriously. Grant Weintrob, who's behind the account Life on Film (with millions of followers), told me creators like Rahma are setting the bar. They want bigger, they want better.

• Bond yields surged on Friday, with the 10-year bond approaching 4.6%.
• The spike sent stocks tumbling on Friday, with the Dow falling more than 500 points.
• Incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's stance on QE could add to rising rate pressures, Morningstar says.

Rising bond yields sparked a panic among investors on Friday, and there's little standing in the way of a deeper bond-market rout, according Dominic Pappalardo, the chief multi-asset strategist at Morningstar Wealth.

Yields on 30-year Treasurys have surged above 5% in recent weeks, while rates on the 10-year have risen more than 20 basis points since the start of May to 4.59%. The spike sent stocks tumbling from records notched earlier in the week, with the Dow dropping more than 500 point and the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 losing more than 1%.

According to Pappalardo, three factors are driving the move, which he believes will remain in place to push yields even higher.

The first is the most obvious: investors are worried that surging oil prices driven by the US-Iran war will trigger another bout of inflation.

April's CPI data showed a 3.8% jump in consumer prices year-over-year, the most since 2023, thanks in large part to rising energy costs.

The longer the war goes on and oil prices stay elevated, the more investors grow concerned that inflation will become entrenched. This causes bond investors to demand more compensation through higher yields.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz were fully reopened today, Pappalardo said it would take at least a couple of months to rebuild production infrastructure and have oil flows back to full capacity, meaning oil prices are set to stay elevated for the foreseeable future.

Second, higher rates from elevated oil prices create a knock-on effect in the Treasury market that can stimulate rates to rise further, Pappalardo said. Rising interest rates due to inflation fears US borrowing costs rise, which will spur the even more bond issuance to cover the government's debt service. Increased bond supply, in turn, can translate into higher yields, creating a negative feedback loop of more borrowing and higher costs.

Third, adding fuel to the fire is incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's prior statements opposing the expansion of the Fed's balance sheet, or its buying of assets. If the Fed stops buying Treasurys, it could send yields higher by removing a source of demand from the market.

"I definitely think yields could go higher, particularly on the long end," Pappalardo told Business Insider on Friday. "It's hard really to identify the catalyst that would cause yields to come down."

He added: "5% would not be shocking to me on the 10-year."

Pappalardo said that rising long-term yields would generally be bad for stocks — particularly growth stocks — as they weigh on the value of companies' future earnings as investors compare them against a risk-free rate. Higher rates also mean companies need to issue debt at higher rates, increasing their borrowing costs.

"It hurts corporate fundamentals, it makes, future investment less likely, so it, it really just stifles growth in a variety of ways," he said.

Still, at an index level, Pappalardo said it's difficult to know how higher rates will impact the S&P 500, as the strength of the AI trade continues to fuel gains.

Pratik Desai's childhood home in Roselle Park, New Jersey, is full of reminders of his mother, Smruti. After she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in her small intestine, he did what he could to keep her around a little longer.

The 34-year-old startup founder used AI platforms NotebookLM and Claude to create a tool that synthesized reams of medical information. In one instance, it told him his mom was dealing with complications of a pulmonary embolism. He ran the hypothesis by his cousin, a doctor, and rushed her to the hospital. Desai also said it caught mistakes and misdiagnoses in her records and advised him on what to ask during appointments. Doctors asked if he was a medical student.

Desai is one of dozens of "vibe coders" who have told Business Insider in recent months about how they built apps using simple prompts to chatbots. While many of these early adopters have some technical knowledge, LLMs and other AI tools like Cursor or Lovable provide natural-language prompts to generate code for those without the know-how.

For those with aging parents and ideas to help ease the burden, vibe coding offers a way to bring dream tools to life, even if sometimes imperfectly. Hanna Miller crafted a no-code Chrome extension to review online purchases by her father, who has dementia and would order the same package repeatedly. Bill Atienza, 29, helped older Americans, including his parents, improve their technology skills through vibe-coded tech support; one woman created an app with his help that allows her to speak with her late husband after uploading his voice into Perplexity.

Desai's no-code solution couldn't keep up with his mother's 1,600 pages of notes, and he used his existing tech savvy to build a more complex system. He believes his workflow saved her life three times. She lived for 76 days after her diagnosis before dying at 67.

"My biggest concern was how do I get her as much time as possible with as much quality as possible?" Desai said, standing next to his father, Subhash, in the family's living room. "Not only did we not have the time to deal with the emotional side, it felt immediately like I had to vibe code something and manifest it into existence that day."

Making life more accessible

Amanda Lazar, director of The Health, Aging, and Technology Lab at the University of Maryland, said that vibe coding offers families a way to access customized tools that help ease a complex and varied process.

"There are always issues with these kinds of systems, and there is never a single solution, but it shows a real need and the level of customization and personalization that people need," she said.

Danesh Davar, 36, watched as his mother suffered several hemorrhages in 2019, losing some motor function, including her ability to type. Davar couldn't find dictation tools that fit her needs for under $500 a year. After taking a 2.5-hour vibe coding tutorial, he left his IT management job and built an app he later called Talkativ.

After working on smaller projects on the vibe-coding platform Cursor, Davar, based in London, began integrating more advanced features into the platform, which he built for about $200. The first two versions didn't work well, he said, though he got the desktop app to dictate words in all text boxes and apps, read in over 50 languages, and incorporate auto-punctuation and formatting.

With zero ad spend, Talkativ reached 200 sign-ups in its first three months and processed over 12,000 successful dictations. Most importantly, his mom, who retired a few months ago, has used the system daily.

"She's a rock star and very resilient in that if she puts her mind to something, she will do it," Davar said.

Vibe coding can — and often does — go awry. Without technical acumen, many vibe coders struggle to detect errors in the code or to maintain code, which often requires periodic updates as software changes, for example. Vibe coding can introduce security vulnerabilities, and in some cases, personal information has leaked to the public.

Some vibe coders told Business Insider they worried their creations, if expanded on a broader scale without developer input, could backfire. A February study in Nature Medicine found that health advice from chatbots is often riddled with inaccuracies. In extreme scenarios, people who trusted AI over their doctors died. That's why many of these vibe coders designed apps meant to be used alongside human input.

"When my mom was in the throes of dementia years ago, with my sister being the exhausted caregiver, I had many ideas for tools to support both. But the hurdles were high," said Rick Robinson, vice president and general manager of the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP. "Today, however, AI-fueled vibe coding platforms are making it much easier for normies to quickly go from idea to a working product."

Ricardo Mota, 37, head of design for a tech company, began building his platform Eterna while navigating his mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis. He created a "memory vault" for WhatsApp voice notes, old chat histories, and other memories that his family could revisit.

"She doesn't react that much anymore, but there are moments where she will," Mota said. "I wanted to store those memories."

Eterna is in beta testing with 150 users, and Mota is continuing to improve its features and privacy protections. For now, he's cherishing the memories he and his mother share, playing songs for her that bring her back to a younger and healthier time.

Keeping track of life's challenges

More Americans have begun vibe coding creative solutions to ease the burden of caregiving and solve recurring problems in their parents' lives.

Ray Hollister encountered bumps along the road in vibe coding CareLog, which records on a calendar the caregiving work he and his wife provide for his mother and stepfather to help manage time and spending.

"They are older and needing more hands-on care lately, and we decided we needed to make sure we were documenting exactly what we were doing so that we had strong records," Hollister said.

Matt Sanner, 54, only knew basic Python before vibe coding a scam education app for his parents. His mother-in-law had almost wired $5,000 to someone she thought was her grandson before a bank teller identified it as a scam. His father's computer was hacked after he clicked a link from what he thought was his insurance company.

Sanner, a data manager in Tampa, decided a straightforward app could help his family understand tactics for detecting scams. He vibe coded the app with input from his parents, adding accessible features such as big buttons, adjustable font size, and clear and concise lessons.

His mother, Sue, 79, and father, Bob, 83, told Business Insider that the app has made them much more cautious. Bob checks in frequently with his son to confirm that he reacted the right way. It's a welcome change as, according to Sue, he lost $500 a few years back in a scam.

"I must have completely erased that from my mind," Bob said. "I would be willing to take responsibility for something that I could admit to, but that memory is gone."

When medical data takes over life

Before last year, Srdjan Stakic, 49, had never touched code. He had a doctorate in health education and a master's in film production, but his career came to a halt when he was diagnosed two years ago with stage four cancer. When he entered remission, his parents' health declined.

He first used AI to generate summaries of his and their medical care. He wanted a system that could ethically observe them if he wasn't home with them. He turned to Gemini and ChatGPT to brainstorm his idea while consulting his parents about scenarios such as a medical emergency or a fall.

To train the AI tool he built on Lovable, he uploaded training videos for nurses and healthcare workers. He built an AI equipped with cameras to detect falls, but he hired an IT company to help him connect multiple cameras.

He vibe coded the system to send notifications to loved ones or EMS workers, clipping footage from the incident and including their location and a summary of their health records. He's building the system to be more robust as part of his startup, Alvis.

"It's amazing to see how vibe coding is democratizing access to AI tools," said Stakic, in California. "I still don't fully understand code or the extent of what I built, but it seems to be working."

Desai, who built the medical data workflow for his mother's cancer, and his father, Subhash, stood in their living room glancing at a photo of Smruti. She was the matriarch of the family and was a "force of presence," Desai recalled.

After hearing from friends and colleagues who said his tool could help them, Desai is programming a free version.

AI is still, of course, subject to error and can put those without existing tech skills down the wrong path, but even so, it opens the door to more options for caregivers.

"We were able to ask the right questions and push her doctors to do better," Desai said.

Staying beside the bed where Smruti lived out her final days, Desai checked his phone. Messages from work poured in. One was from a colleague who wanted to learn more about the technology.

"This is going to change people's lives," Desai said as his father nodded in approval.

Five figures a month.

That's how much elder care in the US can cost.

As the boomer generation ages, many families are grappling with the question of how to pay for the care their loved ones need. Roughly 70% of Americans who reach age 65 need long-term care during their remaining years, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The costs are steep: The average cost of home care in the US is about $51,480 a year, according to the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Assisted living and nursing homes run even higher, averaging $66,132 and $112,420 a year, respectively.

Business Insider journalists around the globe have been reporting on the lengths to which families go to find care for their loved ones, create a safe environment, and make ends meet as expenses mount. Some have moved to new cities or countries; others have given up their careers or their homes.

Here are eight of their stories.

• Adam Jones owns Myer's Bagels, a Montreal-style bagel shop that tried using AI to edit its social media posts.
• Customers decried the use of AI in the shop's Instagram comments and left negative Google reviews.
• Jones apologized and said he'd be more careful with AI and social media — though he's not anti-AI.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Adam Jones, the 53-year-old owner of Myer's Bagels in Burlington, Vermont. It's been edited for length and clarity.

We specialize in Montreal-style bagel production. For us, it's just north of us. For the rest of the country, it's a newer item. We don't proof them as much, so they don't get as airy. They're denser and a little chewier. We also use wood to cook the bagels.

We're about 22 people, and everyone takes the orders, makes the bagels, and does everything.

You always have to recreate the wheel to stay competitive. Social media is where you need to be. I'm not naive to it, but it's not a stronger part of my experiences. So, I'm learning.

In the past, I've had great employees — i.e., college students — who love social media themselves, so they're happy to take it on. It'd be good for a few months, but then the rest of their lives come into place, and it wasn't a full-time job. It would slowly die. We'd get along fine, but then I'd throw another person on, and the same thing would happen.

Why I used AI for our shop's social media posts

I was pointed to a company that helps small businesses with AI. It helps with human resources. I have a paid accountant and bookkeeper. They can give me their analysis, but why not have a third opinion?

This program does many different aspects of business, and one is social media. It was nice. There's a calendar where you can build a whole month of posts to release on Instagram. We're a college town, so graduation is coming up. I'd ask: What's a neat spin on a post about graduation to encourage someone to come in? The program comes up with an idea.

It allows us to import our photos that we've taken, and it uses those, but it can tweak them. Part of the picture was real. I looked at it and said, "Not too bad." Some of the AI bagels they had in the background didn't look like ours, and I would say, "Can you make that smaller and thinner?"

It didn't take long for our audience to realize what we were posting wasn't 100% Myer's. I appreciate their passion for us not doing this the way they'd like.

One had a picture of our retail bags for the grocery store. Those were actually our photos of the bags. The AI went into our Google, Yelp, or old Instagram comments and pulled out a review from Sam. It put our bags in front of a wood fire that wasn't our fire, and took that quote and made a fake handwritten note.

Was it untruthful? Yes. Was it our fire, image, and background? No. For McDonald's or anyone else who's advertising food, it's in a studio. But Sam is a real person. Sam made that quote, and those were our bags.

We have a picture that we'd used before of our baker rolling out the dough. AI took that photo, superimposed it on a nice wooden cutting board, and then put a fire in the background and a kettle to boil bagels.

That's not how we're laid out, and our customers know that. But it was our real bagels, real hands, real dough.

Between those two photos, I bet there were 25-30 comments for each one, plus people replying.

We had some very passionate, adamant people who went to our Google reviews. They left us one star, claiming nothing about the food, just about this situation. No one called us directly; it was more of a response through social media. The pen is mightier than the sword.

There were a few people who went in to defend us, saying, "Look, they're a small business. They just wanted to be more creative." I appreciate those comments, but certainly the negative responses were much more.

Some were very civil, others I would classify as not very civil. I don't judge on that part. The medium allows it, and for us to be on it, you have to be ready to respond or fall victim to whatever you do.

I apologized — but I'm not anti-AI

We got quite a bit of feedback on a few posts. I went in, pulled them, and apologized.

I wasn't married to the idea. It was a test, or the first foot forward. So, I was willing to erase them and say: "We will do better. We've heard." It's just like, if people don't like a bagel flavor and it doesn't sell, we will make a new bagel flavor.

We're not anti-AI. We will continue to use AI in many aspects of the business, because it's what's going to keep Myer's here for another 30 years. Without extra help, I'm not going to be able to keep up with the rhythm and the pace of growth.

AI is not going away. I look at it as a tool to do things better and easier as a business owner.

It's not good for everything, but it's a tool that has value to make Myer's better for my employees and me. Ultimately, it's also good for the consumers, since it keeps prices down and combats inflation. There's a bigger picture here.

For social media, I think there's still a place for it, but I need to tread much more carefully.

• After my dad died, my mom used part of his life insurance payout to take a family trip.
• My mom, sister, and I took a 7-day cruise that visited several Mediterranean cities.
• It wasn't our typical vacation, but it helped my family reconnect without the stress of planning.

In 2013, my dad died from prostate cancer. He was 56, and I was 25 at the time.

Losing him made my family realize how short our time on this earth — and our time together — really is. With part of his life insurance payout, my mom decided to take my sister and me on a vacation.

None of us had ever considered a cruise. The idea always seemed tacky and commercial to us. But cruising turned out to be an affordable way for us to travel internationally — and, as we learned, a more peaceful way for us to grieve.

We were never "cruise people"

Our family had never been on a cruise together. If I'm being honest, it wasn't really our type of thing. We were more of the "stay in the self-catering chalet and drive yourselves on safari" kind of people.

Growing up in South Africa, my dad worked for a government organization that maintained wildlife conservation areas. We could stay in these areas for free, so almost all of our family vacation time consisted of self-catered stays in basic accommodation in some of the wildest and most beautiful places in the country. It was a privilege that I can only fully appreciate now as an adult.

After my dad passed away, my mom decided to use some of the money from his life insurance policy for us girls to celebrate his life. We knew we wanted to do something different and memorable — the kind of vacation we'd never been able to take as a family of four.

At first, a cruise was the furthest thing from our minds. We pictured them as crowded and commercial — the exact opposite of how we'd always traveled. But the price was right, and not wanting to invest a lot of time in planning something while we were grieving, we decided to go for it.

It turned out to be the easiest kind of travel we'd ever done

In 2014, we went on our voyage. The three of us visited six Mediterranean cities over seven days.

With accommodation, meals, and transport between countries bundled into one upfront cost, it was significantly cheaper than any land-based trip we could have planned. And the real value wasn't financial; it was practical, too.

I love traveling, but it's certainly not stress-free.

"It's this way."

"No, we need to get on this bus."

"Wait, who's got the passports?"

Tensions only escalate when family is involved, especially when everyone is carrying their grief with them, too.

The cruise lightened the mental load of a difficult trip

Without the daily decision-making drama of where to eat, where to go, and how to get there, we spent more time actually enjoying one another's company, which is what Dad would have wanted.

We were all navigating our own versions of grief, but, for the first time since my dad died, we could just be together without needing to manage anything else.

Like those people we used to roll our eyes at, we attended all the evening shows, joined the morning aerobics on the deck, spent hours people-watching, and got my mom hooked on strawberry daiquiris (the virgin ones, because they were cheaper). Looking back, I think those moments mattered more than any destination we visited during the trip.

We didn't become "cruise people" after that, but we understood the appeal

After my dad's death, my mom fought to keep the free accommodation at the conservation areas. My sister now lives in Dubai, and whenever she comes home, we go back to those same self-catering, DIY stays that hold so many memories of Dad. This time, with homemade strawberry daiquiris in hand.

Who would have thought that a cruise could give us the space to appreciate those old family trips in a completely new way?

• Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff had high praise for AI coding agents and Anthropic.
• The CEO said agents have allowed him to be more efficient and faster with product iteration.
• He said Salesforce will also be introducing tech that makes coding easier inside Slack.

Marc Benioff is all in on the AI coding agent craze and is willing to spend big on it for his company.

In an episode of the All-In podcast published on Friday, the Salesforce CEO said his company is projected to spend $300 million on tokens from Anthropic.

Tokens are bits of information, like parts of a word, that a user types and a model processes. AI companies track token usage to bill users and large organizations.

"These coding agents are awesome. Anthropic is awesome," he said. "I am going to probably use $300 million of Anthropic (tokens) this year at Salesforce. Coding. Everything's going to be cheaper to make."

Benioff said in the podcast that AI agents have brought "unprecedented" levels of efficiency at his company, pointing to areas such as service, support, distribution, and marketing.

Last August, the CEO announced that AI agents enabled Salesforce to cut its support staff from 9,000 to 5,000.

With the productivity boosts he's seen with coding agents, Benioff revealed in the podcast that Salesforce is also working on ways to make coding easier in Slack, the productivity platform Salesforce has owned since 2021.

"We're even working on technology inside Slack to make it easier for everybody to code," he said. "You're going to see some cool stuff with Slack and code I'm not ready to talk about yet. But there's no question that we are in a new moment in coding."

Benioff said that while he projects a $300 million spend on Anthropic this year, he doesn't believe every token a company employee use has to go to a frontier model like Anthropic's Claude.

The CEO called for an "intermediary layer" in the future that could determine which token inputs should go to Anthropic and which ones may be suitable for smaller models.

• Andrew Left's defense argued he exposed fraud at Namaste Technologies during his trial.
• Left's lawyer suggested the government went after him for being a "whistleblower of the fraud."
• Left is accused of market manipulation. The defense says he shared his honest opinions.

Andrew Left's defense played offense during his securities fraud trial on Friday, pressing a federal official on why the government targeted him rather than the company he accused of fraud.

Left, a prominent short-seller known for bets on stocks like GameStop and frequent TV appearances, is accused of manipulating the market and deceiving everyday investors, earning over $20 million in the process.

Among the companies Left is accused of making misleading statements about is Namaste Technologies, a Canadian cannabis company that traded over the counter in the US under the stock ticker NXTTF. Left published critical tweets and reports through his firm, Citron Research, about Namaste in the fall of 2018, accusing it of fraud.

Left's defense contends that the short-seller was right about Namaste.

On Friday, during the cross-examination of Anna Hallstrom, a US postal inspector who helped investigate Left, the defense suggested that the federal government went after the "whistleblower of the fraud" rather than the perpetrator.

Eric Rosen, Left's lawyer, outlined what he called "scammy" behavior from Namaste, including planning a "Pledge Party" that told investors if they held their shares for 90 days, they'd get to "party with Snoop Dogg in Montreal." Left had also raised concerns about Namaste's CEO, who was later fired.

Rosen said that after Left accused Namaste of fraud, "no one stepped in to stop the scam."

Namaste was also discussed in the courtroom a day earlier, when a retired firefighter named Billy Banks testified that he'd lost thousands of dollars investing in the company after Left criticized it and the stock tanked.

Rosen asked Hallstrom if she agreed that "people like Mr. Banks need to be protected" and that "regulators weren't stepping in, right?"

"I don't know why there wasn't any regulators stepping in," Hallstrom said.

Rosen also pressed Hallstrom on whether she agreed it was good for people to expose fraud: "It's good to do your own research and put it out on the internet so other people can be saved from investing money in scams, right?"

"But it's bad if he wants to trade around that true report?" he continued.

"It's bad when it's part of a broader scheme to defraud," Hallstrom said.

The exchange captured a central tension in the case: Left's lawyers are arguing that he shared his honestly held opinions and that his projections were often right. Prosecutors say the issue is that he misled the market about his trading actions, and that he said one thing while trading in the opposite direction.

The defense's argument that Left exposed fraud also echoed a common refrain from proponents of activist short sellers — that they provide a valuable service to the market by exposing wrongdoing.

"You think people would decide not to investigate and expose frauds like Namaste if they were subject to restrictions on whether they could trade in connection with their true statement?" Rosen said.

Rosen said Namaste's stock price eventually traded close to zero. Namaste later changed its name to Lifeist Wellness Inc.

The crux of the government's accusation against Left when it comes Namaste is that he coordinated with the hedge fund Anson Funds to prepare Citron Research reports and received some of their trading profits, but did not disclose it.

Left's argues there was no rule or law preventing him from working with a hedge fund.

• Tucker Carlson challenged Kevin O'Leary on taxpayer funding for his Utah data center project.
• In an interview, O'Leary said the data center will create new jobs that benefit the community.
• O'Leary views the AI race as a geopolitical competition, stressing rivalry with China's tech growth.

Kevin O'Leary and Tucker Carlson clashed over AI, taxpayer subsidies for O'Leary's planned Utah data center project, and China, during a wide-ranging interview published Wednesday.

The "Shark Tank" investor defended the Utah development as a necessary investment in America's AI future, as Carlson questioned why taxpayers should help fund infrastructure that could primarily benefit tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Carlson repeatedly asked O'Leary why taxpayers should subsidize a private business whose tenants could be "some of the richest companies in the world."

"They don't necessarily have to do that," O'Leary replied, referring to taxpayers, adding that states that don't subsidize such projects "just won't win any contracts. It's a competition."

When Carlson pressed him on tax breaks, O'Leary said incentives are standard practice for major projects. Carlson argued that tax breaks still shift costs onto ordinary taxpayers.

"Why, if it's such a good business, would you be asking taxpayers to help pay for it without giving them equity in the company?" Carlson asked.

The interview comes amid mounting backlash over O'Leary's proposed 40,000-acre Stratos data center project in Utah, which opponents say could strain the state's water and power resources while offering relatively few long-term jobs.

The project, which was unanimously approved by county commissioners, is expected to consume up to 9 gigawatts of energy — more than double Utah's current electricity usage.

O'Leary has dismissed many critics as "professional protesters" and argued that the center will drive significant economic growth and job opportunities in the region, saying it would create jobs and generate tax revenue, comparing it to other manufacturing projects competing for state incentives.

Carlson and O'Leary also sparred in their interview over whether AI will create or destroy jobs. O'Leary argued that new technologies historically create industries that are impossible to predict in advance. Carlson countered that O'Leary's own examples — AI-powered medical scans and photo cataloging — showed machines replacing human labor.

More than a labor issue, the geopolitical battle with China is at the heart of the AI race, O'Leary said.

"Would you prefer all of us that are developing these data centers put down our shovels and stop while the Chinese accelerate theirs?" he asked, saying the US and its allies need to expand power generation and data-center capacity or risk falling behind Beijing technologically and militarily.

Carlson remained skeptical of taxpayer-backed incentives for billion-dollar AI projects, arguing that states were transferring wealth from ordinary taxpayers to some of the country's richest companies.

"Welcome to America, buddy," O'Leary replied. "This is how it's gone on for 200 years."

O'Leary is a Canadian citizen.

Lorde is back on the road with her Ultrasound World Tour, which continues through 2026 with a mix of arena shows and major festival appearances. The lineup features stops in Mexico, Los Angeles, Toronto, and several major European summer festivals. A handful of dates are already sold out, so availability varies by city and whether you're targeting a headline show or a festival day pass.

Lorde (Ella Yelich-O'Connor) broke through globally with "Royals" and her 2013 debut album "Pure Heroine," quickly becoming one of pop's most influential alt-leaning voices. Since then, she's evolved across eras like Melodrama and Solar Power, building a reputation for sharp songwriting and a live show that leans more "immersive pop performance" than maximalist spectacle.

If you're ready to see her next viral performance live, keep reading to see Lorde's full tour schedule, along with where to buy tickets. When you're ready, you can secure your seats at StubHub and Vivid Seats.

Lorde's 2026 tour schedule

• May 15, 2026 - Inglewood, CA at Kia Forum - $132
• May 17, 2026 - Salt Lake City, UT at Utah State Fairpark - $150
• May 22, 2026 - Napa, CA at Napa Valley Expo - $286
• June 5, 2026 - Queens, NY at Flushing Meadows Corona Park - $289
• June 7, 2026 - Toronto, Canada at RBC Amphitheater - $95
• July 9, 2026 - Madrid, Spain at Iberdrola Music - $84
• July 11, 2026 - Algés, Portugal at Passeio Marítimo de Algés - $88
• July 13, 2026 - Nîmes, France at Arena de Nîmes - $97
• July 15, 2026 - Lyon, France at Les Nuits de Fourvière - $92
• July 16, 2026 - Bern, Switzerland at Gurtenfestival - $101
• July 18, 2026 - Berlin, Germany at Olympiastadion Berlin - $109
• July 21, 2026 - Nyon, Switzerland at Paléo Festival - $104
• July 23, 2026 - Milan, Italy at Parco della Musica di Milano - $112
• July 30, 2026 - Chicago, IL at Grant Park - $310
• July 31, 2026 - Saint Charles, IA at Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater and Event Center - $198
• August 2, 2026 - Montreal, Canada at Parc Jean-Drapeau - $126
• August 15, 2026 - Gothenburg, Sweden at Way Out West Festival - $86
• August 18, 2026 - Pula, Croatia at Pula Arena - $94
• August 20, 2026 - St. Pölten, Austria at Frequency Festival - $91
• August 22, 2026 - London, UK at Victoria Park - $145
• August 25, 2026 - Edinburgh, UK at Royal Highland Showgrounds - $122
• August 27, 2026 - Paris, France at Rock en Seine - $109
• August 28, 2026 - Bristol, UK at Clifton Downs - $118
• August 31, 2026 - Munich, Germany at Olympiahalle München - $97
• September 1, 2026 - Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg at Rockhal - $89
• October 3, 2026 - Austin, TX at Zilker Park - $320
• October 10, 2026 - Austin, TX at Zilker Park - $315

How much are Lorde tickets?

If you're shopping for Lorde tickets on the resale market, prices on Vivid Seats and StubHub can be fairly approachable for some dates — but they can also jump quickly for the most in-demand venues and sections. On Vivid Seats, Lorde tickets currently start at $91, which is about as low as it gets. For a high-demand stop like May 14 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Vivid Seats shows a broader range, with listings starting around $94 and premium options reaching up to $526.

On StubHub, the spread looks similar — and you can see it clearly on specific event pages. For that same May 14 Kia Forum date, StubHub shows tickets as low as $74, while the top end on the same page is about $539. In general, you'll pay the least if you're flexible on seating (upper bowl, side view), while floor/lower-bowl seats and peak nights tend to command the biggest premiums as the show gets closer.

See more: Is StubHub legit? | Las Vegas Sphere tickets | Yungblud tickets | Bad Bunny tickets | Bruno Mars tickets | Harry Styles tickets

Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides.

Zach Bryan has become one of the biggest names in country and folk Americana, thanks to his stripped-down songwriting, massive live shows, and loyal fan base. The Oklahoma-born singer broke out with songs like "Something in the Orange" before turning albums like American Heartbreak and Zach Bryan into major streaming hits, helping fuel demand for his stadium-sized tours.

The artist's tickets can swing pretty widely in price depending on the city, venue, and how close you want to be to the stage. On Vivid Seats, some of the cheapest resale tickets for the 2026 "With Heaven On Tour" are currently starting around $27. For fans trying to spend less, weekday shows and upper-level stadium seats tend to offer the best value.

But because Zach Bryan's tour demand has stayed high — especially after his recent stadium run and breakout success with songs like "I Remember Everything" and "Something in the Orange" — prices can shift quickly once cheaper inventory starts disappearing. Keep reading to check out his upcoming schedule and head to StubHub or Vivid Seats when you're ready to buy.

Zach Bryan's 2026 tour schedule

• May 27, 2026 - San Sebastián, Spain at Donostia Arena - $51
• May 31, 2026 - Berlin, Germany at Waldbühne - $118
• June 3, 2026 - Oslo, Norway at Unity Arena - $52
• June 6, 2026 - Copenhagen, Denmark at Parken - $112
• June 9, 2026 - Eindhoven, Netherlands at Philips Stadion - $57
• June 12, 2026 - Liverpool, UK at Anfield Stadium - $123
• June 14, 2026 - Edinburgh, UK at Scottish Gas Murrayfield - $112
• June 16, 2026 - London, UK at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £75
• June 17, 2026 - London, UK at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - $98
• June 23, 2026 - Belfast, Northern Ireland at Boucher Playing Fields - $255
• June 24, 2026 - Belfast, Northern Ireland at Boucher Playing Fields - £261
• July 25, 2026 - Eugene, OR at Autzen Stadium - $113
• July 31, 2026 - San Diego, CA at Snapdragon Stadium - $113
• August 1, 2026 - San Diego, CA at Snapdragon Stadium - $132
• August 7, 2026 - Salt Lake City, UT at Rice-Eccles Stadium - $82
• August 13, 2026 - Denver, CO at Empower Field at Mile High - $22
• August 14, 2026 - Denver, CO at Empower Field at Mile High - $35
• August 22, 2026 - Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium - $35
• September 5, 2026 - Glendale, AZ at State Farm Stadium - $53
• September 18, 2026 - Dover, DE at The Woodlands - $136
• September 19, 2026 - Dover, DE at The Woodlands - $145
• September 21, 2026 - Toronto, ON at Rogers Centre - $61
• September 22, 2026 - Toronto, ON at Rogers Centre - $64
• October 2, 2026 - Foxborough, MA at Gillette Stadium - $86
• October 3, 2026 - Foxborough, MA at Gillette Stadium - $134
• October 10, 2026 - Auburn, AL at Jordan-Hare Stadium - $58

How much are Zach Bryan tickets?

Zach Bryan ticket prices vary widely by city, venue, and seat location. On Vivid Seats, the cheapest current listings start at $27 for his August 13 Denver show, while other lower-priced stadium stops include Denver on August 14 from $35, Arlington from $44, and Glendale from $48. Some international and higher-demand dates are already much pricier, with Belfast listings starting around $302 to $305.

StubHub shows the same general pattern: prices are lowest for select stadium dates and climb for busier markets, better sections, and dates with limited inventory. For the most expensive options, expect premium floor seats, closer lower-bowl sections, and VIP-style listings to cost far more than entry-level tickets, especially for major stadium stops and dates where cheaper inventory is already gone.

See more: Is StubHub legit? | Las Vegas Sphere tickets | Kenny Chesney tickets | Ed Sheeran tickets | Megan Moroney tickets | Journey tickets

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LG's C Series OLEDs are among the most consistent performers in the TV industry. If someone asks me for a midrange OLED recommendation, the C Series is almost always in the conversation. But year-over-year improvements have been minimal. For 2026, however, LG is shaking things up. For the first time, the brand is offering a submodel in the C Series, called the C6H.

The C6H is available only in extra-large 77- and 83-inch sizes, while the standard C6 is available in 42-, 48-, 55-, and 65-inch sizes. The smaller C6 is a great TV in its own right, but its performance is very similar to last year's C5. The C6H is a different story.

This larger model uses a more advanced four-stack OLED panel. Four-stack tech was first introduced in LG's premium G5 OLED last year, and it's exciting to see it trickle down to a more affordable series. This type of screen can get substantially brighter than a traditional OLED.

The C6H is one of the TVs I've been most excited to check out this year, and after weeks of testing, it doesn't disappoint. Its launch price is a bit steep, but I'm confident it will get good discounts later in the year. In that context, this is poised to be the big-screen OLED to watch in 2026.

The LG C6H is a souped-up version of the C6, only available in larger sizes

The LG C6H is available in 77- and 83-inch screen sizes. The 77-inch model retails for $3,699, while the 83-inch model retails for $5,299. Those prices are in line with what new midrange OLEDs this big typically launch for, and I expect them both to drop as the year goes on. For instance, you can now find last year's 77- and 83-inch C5 for $2,200 and $3,300, respectively. I tested the 77-inch C6H for this review, but performance is the same across both sizes.

As a submodel of the C6, the C6H carries the same basic design as LG's standard C Series, with a pedestal stand and a thin OLED screen. The panel itself is incredibly slim, which remains one of OLED technology's coolest design perks. But the display has a thicker portion on the back that protrudes out to house its ports and processing components. At its thickest point, the TV measures around 1.9 inches.

The overall look is striking and premium. The back panel has a textured finish, and the display has a clean, modern aesthetic that should look great in any living room or home theater. It's not quite as slick as LG's step-up G Series, which is designed to mount flush against a wall, but the C6H still looks and feels high-end.

LG also gets points for including four HDMI 2.1 ports. All four inputs support up to 165Hz, which is great for gamers who want to connect multiple consoles and a high-end PC. Some rival TVs still only have two HDMI 2.1 ports, so it's nice that LG continues to offer four.

The C6H also comes with the latest version of LG's Magic Remote. This remote supports regular click-button navigation, but it also has motion controls that let you move a cursor around the screen by pointing the remote at the TV.

This is one of those love-it-or-hate-it features. Some people enjoy the pointer-style controls, but others find them imprecise and annoying. I fall somewhere in the middle. For the most part, I found the remote to be fine when using standard button presses, but there are still a few things I don't like.

The biggest issue is the scroll wheel in the center of the remote. This doubles as the enter key when you click it, but it's too easy to accidentally scroll when you're trying to select something. And when that happens, the TV automatically switches to motion control. There really should be an option in the menu to fully deactivate motion control for those who don't like it.

I'm also disappointed that LG no longer includes dedicated input and mute buttons. To access the input selection, you need to hold the Home Hub button down. To mute the TV, you need to hold the volume down button. There is a new favorite button that you can assign a function to, which helps a bit, but I'm not sure why we can't just have dedicated mute and input buttons. The remote also isn't backlit, which is a bummer. These are far from dealbreakers, but they are the kind of little quirks that stand out when the rest of the hardware feels so refined.

The LG C6H delivers stunning OLED picture quality with a major boost in brightness

The LG C6H is a stunning TV. Its OLED panel enables pixel-level contrast, with deep black levels that can completely disappear in a dark room without blooming or uneven patches. And since this submodel uses a four-stack tandem panel, its brightness can rival that of many top QLED and Mini LED TVs. It's a genuinely impressive combination of strengths, with only a few small flaws.

First, let's get the numbers out of the way for my fellow tech geeks. I measured the TV's color and brightness using a colorimeter, pattern generator, and Portrait Displays Calman calibration software. I took my readings in the TV's default Filmmaker Mode, since that preset typically offers the most accurate out-of-the-box image.

Peak brightness on a 10% HDR window reached around 2,011 nits before gradually dropping to around 1,880 nits. That's a very impressive number for an OLED and a big upgrade from the 1,174 nits our reviewer measured on last year's C5. It's also not too far off from the 2,410 nits that the 2025 G5 offered in the same test. I haven't measured the new G6 yet, but I expect its brightness to be similar to the G5's.

Color measurements were similarly impressive. The TV achieved 99.5% of the P3 color gamut used in most modern Hollywood productions. You can't really ask for more than that. Meanwhile, it measured around 78% of the wider BT.2020 color space, which is respectable for an OLED, but not on par with what new RGB LED TVs are capable of. However, it's rare for content to actually use BT.2020 colors. Color accuracy was also exceptional, with an average DeltaE of 1.6. The lower the DeltaE, the more accurate a TV's colors are, and anything below 2 is essentially imperceptible to the human eye.

Now, all that technical jargon might not mean much to many shoppers, but those numbers translate to absolutely gorgeous image quality. High scores with test patterns are one thing, but how a TV actually looks when watching content is what matters, and the C6H is a winner.

It's my job to be nitpicky and look for flaws in a TV's image. This can make it hard to ever sit back and just enjoy a movie or show, since I'm constantly looking for tiny issues. But when watching a TV as good as the C6H, I can actually get lost in how good everything looks. That's not to say it's perfect — more on that in a bit — but its shortcomings are minor compared to everything it gets right.

I watched a wide range of movies and shows, from HD YouTube clips to HDR 4K Blu-rays, and everything looked great. Of course, 4K HDR content looks best and fully takes advantage of the C6H's capabilities. Colors dazzle in movies like "Aquaman," while black levels are deep and inky in titles like "The Matrix." The burning church scene in "1917" is a great showcase for OLED tech's pixel-level contrast, and it demonstrates a level of precision and detail in shadows that no Mini LED TV can match.

The TV's impressive brightness is on full display in "Mad Max: Fury Road," with intense highlights that radiate off the screen. Some TVs struggle with highlights from the chrome car parts in this film, but the C6H handles them with the intensity they deserve. Lightning bolts and explosions in the movie's memorable storm scene genuinely made me squint. This is stellar performance through and through, and a real home theater showcase.

Viewing angles are also excellent, much wider than you'll get with any QLED or Mini LED TV. However, they're not perfect. There is a slight green cast from off-angle, especially when watching neutral tones on the TV. But this is subtle and not a major issue.

Reflections, however, are a weak point. Like other TVs that use a glossy screen, direct reflections can take on a mirror-like quality. If you're unable to control reflections in your room, you might be better off with a matte OLED TV, like the Samsung S95H, but that kind of screen hurts contrast in bright rooms. I ultimately prefer glossy panels, but buyers should keep this in mind.

When it comes to other flaws, I did see some slight vertical streaks in near-black backgrounds, and black levels that occasionally looked a step or two brighter than they should. That said, banding and false contouring — when gradations of color and shadows look blocky rather than smooth — are improved compared to last year's LG OLEDs.

I didn't see any issues in my test scene from "Ex Machina," which exhibits blocky red shades on some TVs. However, particularly tricky test scenes in "The Green Knight" did still exhibit some issues, with unnatural transitions between shades of red in an underwater sequence. But few TVs can handle this scene correctly, and the C6H is pretty solid overall.

Gaming performance is also great. PS5 games in 120Hz mode with variable refresh rate, like "Marvel's Spider-Man," look smooth and vibrant. HDR gaming looks fantastic on the whole, and "Crimson Desert" is a standout on such a large, high-contrast screen.

LG's webOS smart TV system continues to be a mixed bag

The C6H uses LG's webOS smart TV system. It's largely the same as last year's version, with some small tweaks. Setup is straightforward, but you'll need to create an LG account if you don't already have one to access apps.

The platform includes all of the best streaming services, so most people should be covered. However, it's still missing a few specialized apps available on other systems, such as the Criterion Channel.

I didn't run into any major issues with general navigation through the home screen or streaming apps. But I do find moving through webOS's settings menus to be a bit slow compared to rival platforms like Google TV.

The visual design of webOS is decent, but it's not my favorite. By default, a large banner ad appears at the top of the homepage, followed by a row of your favorite apps. You also get various content recommendations and sponsored picks, along with a row of shopping recommendations, which I doubt anyone will find useful.

Of course, ads and sponsored picks are par for the course on any smart TV interface, and LG does deserve credit for allowing you to disable the banner ad and recommendations from appearing on the home screen. This option is a bit buried in the menu, but it's there.

After deactivating them, you simply get a placeholder banner image on top of your main row of apps, and that's it. I prefer this cleaner layout, but some people may find it a bit barebones. WebOS also supports multiple user profiles, so the home screen's recommendations and app selection can be personalized for each user.

The webOS interface also includes a dedicated gaming section with access to several subscription-based cloud services. Most notably, you can use the Xbox or Nvidia GeForce Now apps to stream games to the TV without needing a console or PC. These apps are also available on TVs from some rivals, like Samsung, so it's nice that LG offers them as well.

LG has carried over various AI features it's introduced over the last few years, including AI picture and audio modes that automatically optimize settings. There's also an AI Picture and Audio Wizard designed to personalize how these modes work by learning about your preferences.

If you're unhappy with how any of the TV's built-in video and audio presets perform, these AI functions may be of interest. But as always, I highly recommend just using the TV's Filmmaker Mode and Standard audio mode to get the most accurate playback, and then tweaking things like brightness to your preference for your room.

Voice search can be conducted by pressing the AI button on the remote or by enabling the TV's hands-free microphone and saying "Hi, LG." There's even a cool voice recognition feature that automatically switches the TV to different user profiles based on who's speaking.

However, I continue to find LG's voice assistant to be really inconsistent. In my experience, results for voice queries were often slow, and the TV sometimes struggled to understand what I was saying, returning results for queries that were incorrect. I haven't had issues like this with other assistants, like Google's Gemini.

None of this ruins the experience, but webOS remains one of the C6H's weaker elements. It gets the job done, and I appreciate the customization options, but I'd still rather use a dedicated streaming device for day-to-day use.

Should you buy the LG C6H TV?

The LG C6H is a notable upgrade over last year's C5. Though it's only available in 77- and 83-inch sizes, those shopping for a high-performance big-screen OLED should definitely consider this model first. This isn't just another year-over-year refresh. Thanks to its four-stack OLED panel, the C6H delivers a meaningful boost in brightness while preserving the core strengths that make LG's C Series so reliable.

Right now, the C6H's main competition in the big-screen OLED space is actually last year's LG G5, which is sometimes on sale for less than the C6H currently goes for. The G5 can get a bit brighter and has a more premium design that can be mounted flush on a wall. However, it doesn't come with a stand for those who don't want to mount it.

If you can find the 77- or 83-inch G5 on sale for less than the C6H, I still give that model an edge in overall performance. But the C6H is likely to drop in price over the coming months, and I expect it to become the better value. I know I'll be keeping a close eye on discounts as the year goes on.

The second major golf championship of 2026 is underway, and the competition is heating up heading into the weekend. We've gathered everything you need to know about the event, including how to watch PGA Championship live streams, tee times, and odds.

If you don't want to scroll any further, you can live stream the PGA Championship on the ESPN app and Paramount Plus in the US, and Sky Sports in the UK. Keep reading to learn additional streaming information for the four-day event.

How to watch the PGA Championship in the US

As is often the case with PGA Tour events, the tournament is split between ESPN and CBS properties. ESPN Plus will carry early morning coverage and featured group coverage for all four days, but the main ESPN channel will take over in the afternoon on Thursday and Friday (the first and second rounds). CBS will carry afternoon coverage on Saturday and Sunday (for the third and final rounds).

ESPN Plus coverage is available via ESPN Select ($13 a month) and ESPN Unlimited ($30 a month). Opting for the Unlimited tier allows you to live stream the flagship ESPN network, along with all other ESPN channels. CBS is available to live stream with Paramount Plus Premium, which costs $14 a month.

If you're hoping to watch everything in one place, you can do so with a month-to-month live TV service, which functions like cable without any of the equipment or long-term contracts. The best live TV streaming services we've tested that carry both ESPN and CBS are DirecTV and Fubo.

DirecTV carries both networks in its MySports genre pack, although local channels sometimes vary by market, so it's worth double-checking what's available in your lineup. Plans include access to around 20 popular sports channels and ESPN Unlimited. Subscriptions cost $65 a month, but new users can get $20 a month off their first two months after a five-day free trial.

Fubo carries ESPN, CBS, and around 26 other live channels (plus ESPN Unlimited access) in its Sports + News plan. Subscriptions cost $56 a month, but first-time customers can get $10 off their first month after a five-day free trial.

How to watch the PGA Championship in the UK

The PGA Championship will air on Sky Sports in the UK. You can watch the action by signing up for one of the best Sky TV deals and plans, which vary by contract length and specs. If you're looking for something with a little less commitment, Now Sports offers more flexible plans, including single-day passes for £15.

How to watch the PGA Championship from anywhere

If you're traveling abroad, you can still access your usual streaming options with the help of a VPN. VPNs, or virtual private networks, are handy tech tools that let you temporarily alter your virtual location. This way, your usual websites and apps work from anywhere. A VPN is also a strong way to instantly boost cybersecurity. The services we've highlighted require country-specific payment methods, so this option will work best for those who are just traveling away from home.

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs we've tested. It's a speedy service with a massive variety of servers. and a 30-day money-back guarantee if you find that it's not what you're looking for.

PGA Championship venue

The 2026 PGA Championship will take place at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

PGA Championship odds

As of early Friday evening, Scottie Scheffler is still the favorite to win. According to DraftKings, Scheffler is the current favorite to win at +365, followed by Maverick McNealy at +640 and Jon Rahm at +680. These odds are accurate at the time of writing, but frequently fluctuate throughout the tournament.

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

• Berkshire Hathaway tripled its Alphabet stake and placed a new bet on Delta Air Lines last quarter.
• The company appears to have sold many of the departed Todd Combs' stock picks.
• Warren Buffett's successor as CEO, Greg Abel, exited bets including Amazon, Visa, and Mastercard.

Warren Buffett's successor certainly isn't shy about shaking things up.

Greg Abel, who took over as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO on January 1, made sweeping changes to the conglomerate's holdings in the first three months of this year, a regulatory filing revealed on Friday.

Berkshire built a fresh stake in Delta Air Lines worth $2.6 billion at the end of March, marking its return to owning airline stocks.

The company also more than tripled its stake in Google-parent Alphabet, a key player in the AI boom.

After purchasing nearly 18 million shares of the search-and-advertising giant in the third quarter of last year, it didn't touch the position in Buffett's final quarter as CEO.

But that changed last quarter, as it ramped up its investment to almost 58 million shares, worth around $17 billion at the end of March.

Abel appeared to offload many of the stocks picked by Todd Combs, previously one of Buffett's two investment managers. Buffett, who remains Berkshire's chairman, announced in December that Combs had resigned to join Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan.

Berkshire exited its positions in Visa, Mastercard, UnitedHealth, Domino's Pizza, Amazon, Charter, Diageo, and several other companies. The disposals reduced its total number of holdings to around two dozen.

Abel also pared other holdings including Chevron, Nucor, and Constellation Brands.

On the other hand, Abel and his team added Macy's to their portfolio, and roughly tripled the size of the New York Times stake they established in the preceding quarter, boosting it to around 15 million shares valued at around $1.3 billion on March 31.

Berkshire foreshadowed significant changes to its stock portfolio in its first-quarter earnings earlier this month. The report showed that it sold about $24 billion worth of stocks, and bought around $16 billion worth.

The Delta wager is likely to surprise close followers of Berkshire.

Buffett famously sold his stakes in the "big four" US airlines in April 2020, admitting he'd made a "mistake" by betting on them. In his shareholder letter for 2007, he described the airline business as a "bottomless pit" and quipped:

"Indeed, if a farsighted capitalist had been present at Kitty Hawk, he would have done his successors a huge favor by shooting Orville down."

REI's Anniversary Sale is one of the biggest outdoor gear events of the year, and it is already packed with discounts on camping gear, hiking shoes, travel accessories, bikes, apparel, and outdoor tech. The sale is especially popular because it includes a mix of REI Co-op essentials and major brands that rarely see deep markdowns outside of seasonal events.

This year's sale includes deals on outdoor favorites from brands like Hoka, Patagonia, Stanley, Garmin, Osprey, and The North Face, along with discounts on tents, coolers, backpacks, and hiking layers ahead of summer travel season. Whether you are planning camping trips, upgrading your hiking setup, or just looking for comfortable outdoor basics, there is a good chance something on your wishlist is included.

Because inventory tends to move quickly during REI's larger sale events, some of the best deals do not last long. Below, we have rounded up the best REI Anniversary Sale deals worth shopping right now, including standout discounts on outdoor gear, shoes, apparel, and travel essentials.

Best REI Anniversary sale deals

If you're an REI Co-op member, you can also save an extra 20% on one full-price item by adding the code ANNIV26 at checkout.

When does the REI Anniversary sale end?

The REI Anniversary sale runs through May 25. Though that's plenty of time to score discounts, we recommend acting fast. Stock is often limited during the retailer's biggest sales.

Is the REI Anniversary Sale for members only?

Anyone can shop during REI's Anniversary Sale, with or without a membership. However, members do get an exclusive coupon to use that knocks 20% off any one full-price item. With code ANNIV26, members can save big on tents, outerwear, shoes, hiking gear, and more.

For savings every day of the year, check out our roundup of the best REI coupons and promo codes.

Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel on mobile for more deals and shopping news.

• The scorching stock rally faded on Friday as inflation fears stoked a shift to risk-off among investors.
• US stocks fell as Treasury yields spiked and oil prices crept higher again,
• Investors weighed the impact of a stalemate in the Iran war after Trump's meeting with China's Xi.

The inflation boogeyman is back.

Stocks on Friday dropped sharply after a fierce rally in tech lifted major indexes to all-time highs throughout the week.

The catalyst for the big drop is Treasury yields, which surged on Friday as investors grew fearful about inflation risks following data this week that showed prices increasing at the fastest pace in years.

The 10-year US Treasury yield jumped 14 basis points to 4.6%, while 30-year yields was up 11 basis points to 5.12%, its highest level in a year. Bond yields are higher globally, with Japan and UK yields also hitting multi-year highs.

There was no one smoking gun for the surge in yields on Friday, but rather a confluence of reminders that inflation is still a problem for markets.

The Treasury sell-off comes just after Trump's Federal Reserve chair pick, Kevin Warsh was confirmed by the Senate. Consumer and producer inflation data earlier in the week dented the outlook for the Fed's to cut rates, even as Warsh is expected to be more dovish than outgoing chair Jerome Powell.

The market has priced out rate cuts in 2026, a major shift from the two to three cuts expected at the beginning of the year. Instead, investors expect rates to remain unchanged by year end, with some rising expectation for a hike.

"This all reinforces expectations that the Federal Reserve, under the new chairmanship of Kevin Warsh, will be unable to loosen monetary policy further, something which is bound to annoy President Trump," David Morrison, a senior market analyst at Trade nation explained.

Major indexes end Friday's session in the red, with the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 down over 1%, marking a reversal from fresh all-time highs hit earlier in the week.

Here's where major indexes stood at the 4:00 p.m. ET closing bell:

• S&P 500: 7,408.51, down 1.24%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 49,538.40, down 1.05% (−525.06 points)
• Nasdaq Composite: 26,225.14, down 1.54%

"There probably isn't any historical precedent for the plethora of shocks buffeting the US economy," Bank of America analysts wrote on Friday. "It has become increasingly clear in the last few months that inflation is a problem," they added.

The downturn in stocks comes as oil ticks higher on the ongoing war in Iran. Brent oil nears $110, up 3.66% at $109.58, while WTI oil rose
4.37% to $105.59.

The rise in oil comes after US President Trump's meeting with China's Xi. Following the talks, investors didn't seem to find Trump's rhetoric about Iran and the Strait of Hormuz reassuring that the conflict in the Middle East and the historic oil market disruption will be resolved soon.

Investors' beliefs that the an end the the Iran war is around the corner, and a sharp decline in China's oil imports have helped steady oil futures during the conflict.

Trump reported that China agreed to buy US oil, which could threaten the structural forces, the decline in China's oil imports and the increase in US oil exports, that are propping up oil price stability during the war.

The US Dollar index climbed to 99.30, it's highest level since early April.

Congress released a list of 42 US military aircraft reported lost, damaged, or destroyed during the Iran war, based on information from the Pentagon, Central Command, and news reports. The Defense Department estimated the total cost of the losses at $2.6 billion.

One of the most expensive aircraft damaged during the war was an E-3 Sentry surveillance plane, which was hit by an Iranian drone and missile attack in Saudi Arabia. Each aircraft originally cost the Air Force about $270 million.

Other destroyed or damaged aircraft include the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, MQ-4C Triton spy drone, and the A-10 Warthog, among others.

In the report, Congress said it was "unclear" whether the Defense Department had provided it with an accounting of all the lost aircraft, information with a budgetary impact that may be essential to Congress' oversight role.

• Actors Chuck Norris, Patrick Muldoon, Robert Duvall, and James Van Der Beek died in 2026.
• So did "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams, Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, and pop icon Neil Sedaka.
• Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson and media mogul Ted Turner also died.

Below, we look back at those we lost in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Scott Adams, 68

Adams based the character in his beloved "Dilbert" comic strip on his coworkers at the telephone company he worked at in the 1980s. By the end of the decade, the character and his satirical office humor began appearing in comic strips.

At its peak, "Dilbert" was syndicated in over 2,000 newspapers. A cartoon series debuted in 1999 and ran for two seasons.

Adams gained notoriety when he began writing blog posts praising Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential run. In 2023, "Dilbert" was pulled from newspapers across the US following racist comments made by Adams.

Adams died on January 13 following a bout with metastatic prostate cancer.

Brad Arnold, 47

As the lead singer of 3 Doors Down, Arnold launched the group into fame with the 2000 rock anthem "Kryptonite," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.

The success led to other hits like "Loser," "Here Without You," and "When I'm Gone." Arnold's vocal range and lyrics focused on love and love lost, which fueled the group to stardom.

Arnold died on February 7 after a battle with cancer.

Afrika Bambaataa, 68

Regarded as a pioneer in hip-hop during the 1970s and 1980s, Lance Taylor, known professionally as Afrika Bambaataa, would go on to influence the likes of Queen Latifah and A Tribe Called Quest throughout his career.

First gaining attention as a DJ in the Bronx, Bambaataa signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1981 and released landmark songs like "Jazzy Sensation" and "Planet Rock."

Bambaataa founded the hip-hop awareness group, Universal Zulu Nation, in the 1970s to steer kids away from gang life. Bambaataa stepped down as the head of the organization in 2016 after accusations of sexual abuse.

Bambaataa denied all claims.

He died on April 9 due to prostate cancer.

Nicholas Brendon, 54

Brendon played the beloved character Xander Harris in all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Brendon also starred in other TV shows, including "Criminal Minds" and "Kitchen Confidential."

Brendon died in his sleep on March 20. According to his family's statement, the cause was natural. In 2023, Brendon suffered a heart attack and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also had cauda equina syndrome, which led to several spinal surgeries.

"While it's no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis, and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing," the statement to The Hollywood Reporter read. "Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart."

Robert Carradine, 71

As a member of Hollywood's famed Carradine family, Robert was destined for a career on screen.

He got one of his first screen credits starring in his brother David Carradine's popular 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" and went on to land roles in everything from Samuel Fuller's World War II classic "The Big Red One" to the "Lizzie McGuire" series that made Hilary Duff a star.

But for a generation, Robert Carradine will always be known as the king of the nerds, embodying the iconic geek Lewis Skolnick in the 1980s franchise "Revenge of the Nerds."

Carradine's family shared statements with Deadline that emphasized being open about his struggles with mental illness.

"We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby's valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder," Carradine's family said. "We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness."

Carradine died by suicide on February 23.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Bud Cort, 77

Cort's baby-faced looks, combined with his wit and sophisticated persona, led to him becoming the epitome of 1970s counterculture when director Hal Ashby cast him as the lead in the 1971 movie "Harold and Maude."

The dark comedy stars Cort as Harold, a twenty-something who is obsessed with suicide until he meets 79-year-old eccentric Maude (Ruth Gordon). The movie would go on to become a cult classic thanks to Cort and Gordon's unique on-screen chemistry.

Before that, Cort scored bit parts in Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H*" (1970) and "Brewster McCloud" (1970).

After "Harold and Maude," Cort worked steadily for the rest of his life, occasionally showing up in hit movies like Michael Mann's "Heat" (1995) and Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (2004).

Cort died on Feb. 11 following a long illness.

Eric Dane, 53

Long before becoming one of TV's most recognizable heartthrobs, Eric Dane was building his career with guest roles on series like "Saved by the Bell" and "Married… with Children."

He later gained wider attention with appearances on "Charmed" before landing his breakout role as Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan on "Grey's Anatomy." He most recently starred in HBO's "Euphoria," where he played Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi's character, Nate Jacobs.

Dane has two children with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart. In April 2025, the actor said that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Dane died on February 19 at age 53 after battling the disease, his publicist confirmed in a statement to Business Insider.

"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," his publicist said.

Robert Duvall, 95

Robert Duvall built a career of timeless cinema classics: "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now," "THX 1138," "The Natural," "Days of Thunder," "The Apostle," and the list goes on.

Duvall will be best remembered for starring in three of director Francis Ford Coppola's iconic films: playing Tom Hagen in the first two "Godfather" movies and playing Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now," in which he delivers one of the most memorable lines in movie history: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

Duvall was lauded for his acting talent, from not saying a word while playing Boo Radley in his first big screen role in the 1962 classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" to his portrayal of a country singer dealing with alcoholism in 1983's "Tender Mercies," which earned him an Oscar.

He died on his ranch in Virginia on February 15, no cause was given.

Valentino Garavani, 93

For over six decades, one name has been synonymous with women's high fashion: Valentino.

The Italian designer launched his fashion business in Rome in 1960 and never looked back. Soon, every star wanted to be seen in his creations. They've been worn by icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Sharon Stone, and more.

Though Garavani retired from designing in 2008, his label is still a red carpet staple, as is his famous shade of bright red dubbed "Valentino Red."

Garavani died on January 19. No cause was given.

Donald Gibb, 71

No one defined a bully for a generation more than Gibb's hulking fraternity character Orge in the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies of the 1980s.

Since the original raunchy comedy was released in 1984, Gibb's intimidating size and loud yells of "NERDS!" have become as memorable as the pocket protectors worn by the movie's geeks.

Gibb went on to star opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in his classic 1988 action movie "Bloodsport." He also landed guest star roles through his career on shows like "Quantum Leap," Magnum P.I.," "MacGyver," "Night Court," and "Cheers."

Gibb died on May 12 following health complications.

Jesse Jackson, 84

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, a minister, and an activist icon who twice ran for president.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson experienced Jim Crow segregation on public buses and at school firsthand. It would shape the rest of his life.

His fight for civil rights began in the 1960s, when he helped organize protests and demonstrations across the US and worked closely alongside civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

His decadeslong career as a leading civil rights activist included support for modern national movements, such as the push for voting rights, the fight against racism, and a higher minimum wage.

Jackson ran for president twice, both times as a democrat. He placed third for the party's nomination in 1984 and second in 1988. This marked the most successful presidential runs of any Black candidate prior to Barack Obama.

Jackson announced in 2017 that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In November 2025, Jackson was treated in a Chicago hospital after complications from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative condition.

Jackson died on February 17.

Patrick Muldoon, 57

In the 1990s, you couldn't escape the piercing eyes of Patrick Muldoon.

He played Austin Reed on "Days of Our Lives" for most of the decade, and when he wasn't on the soap, he was over on "Melrose Place" playing the villain role of Richard Hart.

If being on two iconic shows wasn't enough, he also showed up on "Saved by the Bell" and had a role in the cult classic movie "Starship Troopers."

Muldoon died on April 19 after a heart attack.

Tom Noonan, 74

Standing at a towering 6' 5", Tom Noonan was born to play the bad guy. And he did just that, starring as the villain in movies like "Manhunter," "RoboCop 2," and "Last Action Hero."

But this actor had more to show off. He showcased his comedy chops as Rodney Dangerfield's degenerate gambling friend in the 1983 comedy "Easy Money," and set up the heist for Robert De Niro in Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat."

His knack for storytelling also translated behind the camera. Noonan wrote, directed, and starred in the drama "What Happened Was," which won the grand prize at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Noonan died on February 14; no cause was given.

Chuck Norris, 86

Few action stars Chuck Norris' credentials.

Before he ever stepped in front of a camera, he was a martial arts champion and a black belt in Karate, judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, and Tang Soo Do.

His talents would become known the world over in 1972, when he faced off against Bruce Lee in "The Way of the Dragon."

Through the 1980s, Norris became one of the biggest action stars in the world thanks to movies like "A Force of One," "The Octagon," and the "Delta Force" and "Missing in Action" franchises.

In the 1990s, he took over the small screen, playing the lead in the "Walker, Texas Ranger" TV show, which aired in over 100 countries during its run from 1993 to 2001.

Norris was hospitalized on March 19 in Hawaii and died the following day, according to his family. No cause was given.

Catherine O'Hara, 71

O'Hara, who was best known for her roles in "Beetlejuice" and "Home Alone," got her start in the Canadian comedy scene, appearing in the now-legendary cast of "SCTV."

It would mark the beginning of a fruitful partnership with fellow actor Eugene Levy, who became her frequent costar and collaborator in memorable appearances in Christopher Guest films like "A Mighty Wind" and "Best in Show" and television series like "Schitt's Creek," which earned her an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in 2020.

O'Hara's representation confirmed her death to Business Insider on January 30. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed in a death certificate viewed by People that O'Hara died of a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as an underlying cause.

Valerie Perrine, 82

Perrine found herself cast alongside the biggest stars of the 1970s.

She played the love interest opposite Jeff Bridges in 1973's "The Last American Hero" and Robert Redford in 1979's "The Electric Horseman." She earned an Oscar nomination for starring alongside Dustin Hoffman in 1974's "Lenny."

For most, she'll be remembered best for sharing the screen with Gene Hackman as the secretary to his evil Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman." She also starred in the sequel. As Ms. Teschmacher, her loyalty to Luthor is questioned when she rescues Superman (Christopher Reeve) after he's chained with Kryptonite.

Perrine died in her home in Beverly Hills on March 23. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015.

Neil Sedaka, 86

Sedaka is responsible for some of the biggest pop songs of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Brooklyn native wrote over 500 songs, including classic hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Bad Blood" and the Captain & Tennille song, "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Sedaka died on February 27; no cause was given.

Kiki Shepard, 74

In her 15-year tenure as a co-host on "Showtime at the Apollo," Kiki Shepard was considered royalty at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.

Known in the building as "Apollo Queen of Fashion" thanks to her dazzling outfits, Shepherd was a fixture on the show from 1987 to 2002.

Throughout her career, Shepard also appeared on TV shows like "Baywatch," "A Different World," "NYPD Blue," and "Grey's Anatomy."

Shepard died on March 16 after suffering a heart attack.

Béla Tarr, 70

Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr became a legend in the arthouse world for his unflinching work featuring several-minute-long takes.

With movies like "Family Nest" (1979) and "The Turin Horse" (2011), Tarr showcased his slow cinema style while focusing on marginalized characters living bleak lives. Tarr pushed the envelope with his style when he made "Sátántangó" in 1994, which had a run time of 450 minutes.

His work influenced several arthouse filmmakers, including Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant's "Death Trilogy" ("Gerry," "Elephant," and "Last Days").

Tarr died on January 6 following a battle with a "long and serious illness."

James Tolkan, 94

You might not recognize the name, but if you're a movie fan, you know the face.

Tolkan's tough-guy persona made a mark on movie history in films like "Top Gun" and the "Back to the Future" franchise.

In "Top Gun," he played Commander Tom "Stinger" Jardian, who famously gives Tom Cruise's character a tongue lashing, saying, "Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash."

In "Back to the Future" and its sequels, he played Principal Strickland, who had zero tolerance for "slackers."

Other credits include "Serpico," "WarGames," "Masters of the Universe," and "Dick Tracy."

Tolkan died on March 26; no cause was given.

Ted Turner, 87

Ted Turner changed the television landscape thanks to his maverick maneuvers to harness the 24-hour news cycle.

After taking over his father's advertising company in the 1960s at the age of 24, Turner embarked on a path to change the media landscape by buying up radio and TV stations around the South. He even bought sports teams including the Atlanta Braves MLB team and the Atlanta Hawks NBA team.

All of that programming would eventually become part of TBS, a "super station" that showed old movies, reruns, and Braves and Hawks games.

Turner then set his sights on the news. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour news channel, in June of 1980.

Over the decades, Turner gained celebrity status, particularly after marrying with Jane Fonda, a union that lasted from 1991 to 2001. In 1991, he was named Time's "Man of the Year." He sold his networks to Time Warner for $7.5 billion in 1996.

Turner died on May 6; no cause was given.

James Van Der Beek, 48

Van Der Beek was beloved all over the world for his role as the titular teen Dawson Leery on the WB series "Dawson's Creek."

The series, which ran from 1998 to 2002, turned Van Der Beek into a star and a teen heartthrob. While "Dawson's Creek" was still airing, he'd cement his stardom playing the lead role of high school quarterback "Mox" Moxon in the 1999 coming-of-age drama "Varsity Blues."

Van Der Beek found steady work the rest of his career in movies like "Texas Rangers" and "The Rules of Attraction, and memorably played a fictional version of himself on the TV series "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," and performed on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2019.

Van Der Beek learned he had stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, and publicly announced his diagnosis in late 2024.

Van Der Beek previously told Business Insider that the news came as a shock, given the subtleness of his symptoms and his efforts to stay as healthy as possible.

"I was doing everything," he said. "I was doing sauna, cold plunge, weightlifting, Pilates. I would dance and also do football training."

Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11.

Bob Weir, 78

Weir was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead.

The singer-songwriter wrote and/or sang on songs like "Sugar Magnolia," "Playing in the Band," "Truckin,'" "I Need a Miracle," and "The Other One."

After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir went on to form several other bands, including Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites, RatDog, The Other Ones, and, alongside John Mayer, Dead & Company.

In the summer of 2025, Weir was diagnosed with cancer.

Weir died on January 10.

Frederick Wiseman, 96

For over five decades, Wiseman's brand of non-fiction storytelling put a spotlight on everyday people.

From high schoolers to hospital workers to Air Force cadets training for nuclear war, Wiseman's close to 50-film catalogue is an unvarnished reflection of America over the last half century.

Wiseman died on Februay 16, no cause was given.

• Abigail McCulloch started playing padel, a racket sport popular in South America, during business school.
• She'd been searching for a career option she was passionate about, and found it on the court.
• She dropped out of Wharton after a year to found her Chicago club.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Abigail McCulloch, founder of Alma Padel. It has been edited for length and clarity.

A few years ago, I was feeling very uninspired about my career. I studied economics, Spanish, and German in college, then worked for a tech startup in New York City. I couldn't see myself in that world long-term, so I decided to go to business school. At the time, it felt like a natural next step.

At the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, recruiting starts almost immediately. I attended recruiting events but left feeling apathetic. I couldn't see myself working in banking for the rest of my life.

I realized I was most motivated to work hard when I was passionate about the project. If I didn't buy into what I was working on, I struggled. It became clear that I was going to need to build something of my own — I just had no idea what that might be.

The idea started with a joke

Around that time, I started playing padel with a group of classmates from Wharton. I wanted to try something new and connect with people. I wasn't the best player, but I immediately loved padel. It felt like a combination of the many sports I'd played growing up. Because the sport is relatively new to the US, everyone is open and friendly, and I really enjoyed the social aspect.

Driving home from padel one day, I lamented that I really needed to figure out what to do with my life. Someone joked, "You should just open a padel club."

I laughed along, but inside I instantly knew that's what I would do. I got to work immediately, creating a business plan and conducting research.

I invested 6 figures of my own savings

I applied to an accelerator hosted by UPenn and was accepted about eight weeks after I'd first had the idea of starting a club. That was crucial as I moved the business forward. I received a five-figure grant, but even more importantly, I leveraged the acceptance to give my idea legitimacy. I could point to the accelerator and say, "Smart people think this is a smart idea."

Ultimately, I needed to put my own money behind the club to make it what I wanted it to be. I invested about 80% of my savings — six figures — into the business. That felt risky, but necessary.

At that point, I wanted to drop out of Wharton. It wasn't a question to me: it needed to be done. Since padel is relatively new, time was of the essence in getting the club off the ground.

When I told my parents I was dropping out, my dad immediately understood. My mom — who is an entrepreneur herself — wasn't thrilled. She comes from a family where education is a very strong safety net. I think she's still hoping I go back and finish my master's.

We did over $1 million in revenue in our first year

Things moved quickly. I signed a lease within eight months of that comment in the car; six months later, the club opened. In hindsight, it was a quick turnaround, but at the time, the minutes crept by slowly. Today, the club has been open for about 14 months.

There's nothing sexy about being a founder at this stage. A lot of my work is service-oriented. I spend time connecting with the community and being on the courts. It's not something you necessarily need a degree for.

I've been working so hard that I haven't had time to pause and appreciate where we are. And yet, the club is successful. During our first year, we did over $1 million in revenue. I'm not yet where I want to be with the business, but I'm on my way and excited about the future for myself, my club, and this sport.

• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis lived in luxurious homes throughout the East Coast.
• She spent her childhood summers in mansions in the Hamptons, New York, and Rhode Island.
• The home she shared with John F. Kennedy before the White House just sold for $6.125 million.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis grew up in spacious New York apartments and several-acre estates, and, after her marriage, spent summers at the famed Kennedy Compound and winters on the family's estate in Palm Beach.

Still, she said her family's "happiest years" were those spent with her husband, President John F. Kennedy, in the White House.

Before they moved there, the couple lived in a 19th-century red-brick home in Georgetown, Washington, DC, which recently sold for $6.125 million, Mansion Global reported. The Kennedys bought the home in 1957 for $82,000.

While most of Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis' former homes can only be admired from the outside, one of her final properties is open to visitors.

Parts of what was once known as Red Gate Farm on Martha's Vineyard opened to the public last summer, The Vineyard Gazette reported in June. Two public trails meander through the land, which was sold by the Kennedy family to two nonprofits in 2020 and is now known as Squibnocket Pond Reservation.

Here are all of the impressive places she lived in and owned in her lifetime.

Before she was a Kennedy or an Onassis, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier spent her early years in New York City.

In 1932, the Bouviers moved into an apartment on the sixth and seventh floors of 740 Park Avenue.

The apartment building was developed by her grandfather, James T. Lee, The New York Times reported. At least for a period, her father couldn't afford to furnish it so Jackie and her sister could roller skate from room to room, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The apartment building later became a home for billionaires and was once considered one of the most iconic apartment buildings in the city.

In 2017, her old apartment sold for $25.25 million.

In the 1940s, Bouvier's mother remarried, and they left New York.

They moved into a Georgian-style mansion called "Merrywood" in McLean, Virginia, near Washington, DC.

The 23,000-square-foot mansion, which was built in 1919, had nine bedrooms and 13 bathrooms.

Bouvier's mother had married an oil magnate named Hugh D. Auchincloss, who owned the mansion.

The home sits on the edge of the Potomac River and has an extensive garden.

Bouvier wrote fondly about the house in her diary, saying, "I always love it so at Merrywood — so peaceful … with the river and those great steep hills."

Bouvier spent her summers at her paternal grandfather's East Hampton estate.

The 8,500-square-foot home, which was built in 1917, is called "Lasata," which means "place of peace," in the native Algonquian language.

In 2023, fashion designer Tom Ford bought it for $52 million, The Wall Street Journal reported.

She also spent some of her summers at her maternal grandfather's house in East Hampton called "Wildmoor."

The 18th-century home, covering about 5,700 square feet, was a shingle-and-clapboard wooden house with a view of fields, a swamp, and the sea, per the WSJ.

In 2021, the house was sold for $6.8 million.

Her next notable property was the Kennedy family's summer home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.

Joseph Kennedy Sr., John F. Kennedy's father, bought a white-shingled cottage in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in 1928 for $25,000, or about $470,000 today. The coastal Massachusetts cottage became the Kennedy family's home base for years to come.

Before they married, Bouvier and John F. Kennedy spent time together there.

It later became known as the "Kennedy Compound."

In 1953, Bouvier became a Kennedy when the couple married in Newport, Rhode Island.

They had the wedding reception at her mother's husband's sprawling estate, known as "Hammersmith Farm," anchored by a grand, 28-room Victorian-era mansion.

The property was last sold in 1999 for just over $8 million.

The estate became a part-time summer home for the Kennedys, along with the Kennedy Compound.

Jackie Kennedy spent summers on the estate during her childhood, and the Kennedys later vacationed there in the summer of 1961.

In 1953, not long after the Kennedys were married, they rented a four-story, four-bedroom house in Washington, DC.

The Kennedys lived there for almost two years.

They enjoyed throwing dinner parties and spending time in the back gardens.

The house, which was built in the 1940s, is about 3,000 square feet.

It last sold for $4 million in April 2025.

Two years later, in 1955, the Kennedys moved to "Hickory Hill," another Georgian-style house.

The home was built in 1815 and had a tennis court, a pool, and 12 fireplaces on a 5.6-acre plot in McLean, Virginia.

They bought it from Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, The Washington Post reported.

Two years later, the Kennedys sold it for $250,000 to John's brother, Robert, who would end up raising his own family there.

Jackie didn't want to go back after her daughter was stillborn.

Robert Kennedy was at the house when he heard John had been assassinated, the Baltimore Sun reported. He spent an hour alone, walking around the estate.

In 1956, the Kennedys bought a summer home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, right beside the original Kennedy summer home.

The 4,484-square-foot clapboarded home sat on less than an acre of land and soon became part of the "Kennedy Compound."

They spent $45,948 on the house, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In 1957, the Kennedys bought an 18th-century brick row house in Georgetown for $82,000.

Jackie spent about $18,000 on remodeling the home, which was built in 1811, and she decorated it with armchairs and fine porcelain.

Her husband campaigned and was elected president during their years here, Architectural Digest reported. They lived in the home between 1957 and 1961, selling it soon after.

In 2026, the 5,215-square-foot, five-bedroom home sold for $6.125 million.

Though not a property she owned, Jackie lived in the White House with her family during her husband's presidency from 1961 to 1963.

She later described this period as her family's "happiest years," The Daily Beast reported.

While they were living in the White House, they spent winters at her father-in-law Joseph Kennedy's Palm Beach estate.

The Palm Beach estate became known as the Kennedys' "winter White House." In 2020, the house sold for $70 million and underwent extensive renovations by the new owner.

In 1963, after her husband was assassinated, Jackie and her children left the White House and moved into an 18th-century home in DC.

She paid around $175,000 for the five-bedroom house but only lived there for about a year. It was too public, and she reportedly became overwhelmed with all of the tourists.

In 2017, it was purchased for $5.25 million.

In 1964, they returned to New York after she bought a 5,300-square-foot apartment on Fifth Avenue.

The then-$200,000 apartment had five bathrooms, three fireplaces, two terraces, and a library. It also had a view of Central Park.

Jackie Kennedy owned the apartment until she died in 1994.

It was bought from her estate in 1995 for $9.2 million. 

The buyer said she hadn't done much upkeep, and they ended up gutting the whole apartment.

While she was alive, she began dividing her time between France, Greece, Martha's Vineyard, and New Jersey.

She kept New York as a home base.

She also got married again in 1968 to a Greek shipping magnate named Aristotle Onassis and became Jackie Onassis, or "Jackie O."

In 1974, she purchased a country home, a converted barn on almost 10 acres, for $200,000 in Peapack, New Jersey.

She liked the area for its natural beauty and space for horse riding, The New York Times reported.

She knew the area well because she had previously rented a farmhouse described by The Times as a "badly made-over barn" in Bernardsville since 1965.

After she bought the property, she painted it yellow with white trim.

After her death, a neighbor and friend bought the property for $1.47 million in 1997.

The neighbor, Marjorie McDonnell Walsh, told The Wall Street Journal they tore the house down.

"It doesn't matter," she said when declining to share details about the new house. "The much more important thing is we both love the property. It's a private valley. It's beautiful."

In 1979, after her second husband died, Jackie decided to build a new house called "Red Gate Farm," on 340 acres of land in Martha's Vineyard.

She reportedly spent a little more than $1 million on the land, and then another $3.1 million on building the house, which was finished in 1981.

The main building covers 6,456 square feet. There's also a four-bedroom guest house, a pool, and a tennis court. The property stretches across a mile of beach.

In 2020, the estate was put up for sale for $65 million.

Two nonprofits, the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank and Sheriff's Meadow Foundation, bought 304 acres of the land for $27 million, the Vineyard Gazette reported, and the Land Bank later bought an additional 32 acres. It is now known as Squibnocket Pond Reservation, and members of the public can walk on trails that cut through the land.

The Kennedy family still owns 65 acres of the estate, including the home, per the Vineyard Gazette.

Editor's note: This story was first published in September 2023 and was most recently updated in May 2026 with additional information.

Another week has passed, which means there's a new selection of fresh films and TV shows now streaming. We've scanned through the slush to highlight the six best movies, TV shows, and specials worth streaming the weekend of May 15, 2026.

Among the can't-miss new programming is a stand-up comedy special from "Abbott Elementary" star Lisa Ann Walter. In the nonfiction field, you can also find a new, breezy season of TV from Stanley Tucci in "Tucci in Italy" and a touching documentary about a comedy icon in "Marty, Life Is Short." Perhaps the most enticing premiere this week is the latest series in the "Yellowstone" universe, a Texas-set adventure for Beth and Rip called "Dutton Ranch."

6: The Punisher: One Last Kill

If you've been lost since the finale of "Daredevil: Born Again" Season 2, Disney Plus and Marvel have a special to help fill the gap. "The Punisher: One Last Kill" brings back Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle for a special episode (co-written by Bernthal) as he attempts to move on with his life, but things have a way of catching up with him. Deborah Ann Woll, Jason R. Moore, and Judith Light also star in "One Last Kill." The special presentation is now streaming on Disney Plus.

5: Lisa Ann Walter: It Was An Accident

After five seasons of making people laugh on "Abbott Elementary," Lisa Ann Walter is trying her hand at a stand-up comedy special. In "It Was An Accident," the actress and comedian chats about her career, family, getting older, and more in an intimate salon-style setting in Philadelphia. The special is streaming on Hulu and the Disney Plus and Hulu bundle.

4: Off Campus

Move over "The Summer I Turned Pretty," there's a new Prime Video young adult romance book adaptation. Based on Elle Kennedy's series of the same name, "Off Campus" follows a university ice hockey star and another college student who decide to start a fake relationship in the hopes of catching a crush's attention. The soapy series stars Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli, and arrives on the heels of the hockey romance "Heated Rivalry." All episodes are now streaming on Prime Video.

3: Tucci in Italy

If you caught the Tucci bug watching "The Devil Wears Prada 2," then you're in for a treat. Stanley Tucci returns for a second season of his hit food and travel series, the aptly named "Tucci in Italy." In the latest season, Tucci visits five new regions of Italy, including Naples and Campania, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto. The season premiered on National Geographic, and all five episodes are now streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu.

2: Marty, Life Is Short

Martin Short has been in the comedic limelight for the better part of his life, and a new documentary film digs into his staying power. "Marty, Life Is Short" gives an intimate look into his life, bolstered by interviews with some of the people who know him best. Interviewees include Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks, John Mulaney, and the late Catherine O'Hara. The documentary film is streaming on Netflix.

1: Dutton Ranch

This week's must-watch show picks up where "Yellowstone" left off. "Dutton Ranch" follows Beth and Rip's next adventure as the couple starts their own ranch, leaving Montana for a new life in Texas, with Carter in tow. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reprise their iconic "Yellowstone" roles, and they're joined by Annette Bening and Ed Harris for the latest installment in the popular franchise. Following a double-header premiere, one new episode streams weekly on Paramount Plus on Fridays.

Also streaming

The main weekly recommendations we make consist of new TV shows and season premieres, recent films newly available on streaming, and stand-up comedy specials. That said, there are still several stellar ongoing shows dropping new episodes, as well as newly available movies to rent or buy. We've gathered some of our top recommendations below (featuring a few recommendations from last week's what to stream guide).

• "Survivor" Season 50 (new episodes Wednesdays on CBS, live via DirecTV, Paramount Plus Premium, or next-day on Paramount Plus)
• "Project Hail Mary" (available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV)
• "Widow's Bay" (new episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV)
• "The Boys" Season 5 (Wednesdays on Prime Video)
• "Euphoria" Season 3 (new episodes Sundays on HBO Max)
• "For All Mankind" Season 5 (new episodes Fridays on Apple TV)
• "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" Season 11 (new episodes Fridays on Paramount Plus)
• "You, Me, & Tuscany" (available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV)

If you're interested in learning more about these streaming apps, check out our guides to the best streaming services and best live TV streaming services. For additional recommendations, you can explore our roundup of the best streaming deals and bundles.

The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to feel bigger than any edition before it. For the first time, the tournament will be hosted across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and expanded to 48 teams, which means more matches, more cities, and more chances for fans to get in on the action. But knowing how to get FIFA World Cup tickets hasn't been smooth sailing for many footy fans.

How to get FIFA World Cup tickets

We've scoured the internet for reliable options to buy legit World Cup tickets. After the fiasco of the opening rounds of lotteries and multiple logins to the official FIFA sites, we've seen the usual reseller sites pop up with tickets for every World Cup match.

• Browse tickets at StubHub or Vivid Seats

And unlike the first few weeks, we're finally starting to see prices drop - by as much as 30% in some cases. FIFA is still releasing tickets in dribs and drabs, but we're finding they're much more expensive than comparable seats on the resale market.

Keep reading to see the full schedule for the 2026 World Cup. If you're ready to commit, head to Vivid Seats, or StubHub to secure your seats.

FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule

For the World Cup, the field expands to 48 teams split into 12 groups of four. Each team plays three group-stage matches (one vs. every other team in its group), and the top two teams in each group advance — along with the eight best third-place teams — to form a 32-team knockout bracket.

We've listed all of the group matches below, along with when and where the knockout fixtures take place afterwards. We've also added the cheapest price for a ticket for each match in US dollars.

These prices are changing constantly, of course, but are correct at the time of publication. Since they initially went on sale a few months back, we have noticed some prices actually dropping in the last few weeks, at least.

June 11, 2026

• Mexico vs. South Africa at Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Ciudad de México, Mexico - from $1892
• Korea Republic vs. Czechia at Estadio Akron (Chivas Stadium) in Zapopan, Mexico - from $364

June 12, 2026

• Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $937
• United States vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $954

June 13, 2026

• Haiti vs. Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $639
• Australia vs. Turkey at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $287
• Brazil vs. Morocco at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $1139
• Qatar vs. Switzerland at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $230

June 14, 2026

• Côte d'Ivoire vs. Ecuador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $653
• Germany vs. Curaçao at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $432
• Netherlands vs. Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $716
• Sweden vs. Tunisia at Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Monterrey, Mexico - from $294

June 15, 2026

• Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $336
• Spain vs. Cabo Verde at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $480
• Iran vs. New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $261
• Belgium vs. Egypt at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $462

June 16, 2026

• France vs. Senegal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $756
• Iraq vs. Norway at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $295
• Argentina vs. Algeria at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $747
• Austria vs. Jordan at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $179

June 17, 2026

• Ghana vs. Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $472
• England vs. Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $905
• Portugal vs. Congo DR at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $659
• Uzbekistan vs. Colombia at Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Ciudad de México, Mexico - from $642

June 18, 2026

• Czechia vs. South Africa at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $209
• Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $325
• Canada vs. Qatar at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $506
• Mexico vs. Korea Republic at Estadio Akron (Chivas Stadium) in Zapopan, Mexico - from $2350

June 19, 2026

• Brazil vs. Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $856
• Scotland vs. Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $743
• Türkiye vs. Paraguay at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $262
• United States vs. Australia at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $906

June 20, 2026

• Germany vs. Côte d'Ivoire at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $663
• Ecuador vs. Curaçao at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $333
• Netherlands vs. Sweden at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $459
• Tunisia vs. Japan at Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Monterrey, Mexico - from $346

June 21, 2026

• Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $313
• Spain vs. Saudi Arabia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $493
• Belgium vs. Iran at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $335
• New Zealand vs. Egypt at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $212

June 22, 2026

• Norway vs. Senegal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $468
• France vs. Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $404
• Argentina vs. Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $962
• Jordan vs. Algeria at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $185

June 23, 2026

• England vs. Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $708
• Panama vs. Croatia at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $493
• Portugal vs. Uzbekistan at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $719
• Colombia vs. Congo DR at Estadio Akron (Chivas Stadium) in Zapopan, Mexico - from $578

June 24, 2026

• Scotland vs. Brazil at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $1532
• Morocco vs. Haiti at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $246
• Switzerland vs. Canada at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $557
• Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $206
• Czechia vs. Mexico at Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Ciudad de México, Mexico - from $1066
• South Africa vs. Korea Republic at Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Monterrey, Mexico - from $285

June 25, 2026

• Curaçao vs. Côte d'Ivoire at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $233
• Ecuador vs. Germany at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $911
• Japan vs. Sweden at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $382
• Tunisia vs. Netherlands at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $279
• Türkiye vs. United States at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $676
• Paraguay vs. Australia at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $268

June 26, 2026

• Norway vs. France at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $765
• Senegal vs. Iraq at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $340
• Egypt vs. Iran at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $232
• New Zealand vs. Belgium at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $279
• Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $165
• Uruguay vs. Spain at Estadio Akron (Chivas Stadium) in Zapopan, Mexico - $1439

June 27, 2026

• Panama vs. England at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $786
• Croatia vs. Ghana at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $479
• Algeria vs. Austria at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $186
• Jordan vs. Argentina at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $798
• Colombia vs. Portugal at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $2539
• Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $192

June 28, 2026

• Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $501

June 29, 2026

• Group E winners vs. Group A/B/C/D/F third place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $530
• Group F winners vs. Group C runners-up at Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Monterrey, Mexico - from $522
• Group C winners vs. Group F runners-up at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $628

June 30, 2026

• Group I winners vs. Group C/D/F/G/H third place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $699
• Group E runners-up vs. Group I runners-up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $507
• Group A winners vs. Group C/E/F/H/I third place at Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Ciudad de México, Mexico - from $800

July 1, 2026

• Group L winners vs. Group E/H/I/J/K third place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $469
• Group D winners vs. Group B/E/F/I/J third place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California - from $590
• Group G winners vs. Group A/E/H/I/J third place at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $389

July 2, 2026

• Group K runners-up vs. Group L runners-up at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada - from $711
• Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $643
• Group B winners vs. Group E/F/G/I/J third place at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $432

July 3, 2026

• Group J winners vs. Group H runners-up at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $1845
• Group K winners vs. Group D/E/I/J/L at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $534
• Group D runners-up vs. Group G runners-up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $508

July 4, 2026

• TBD vs. TBD at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - from $959
• TBD vs. TBD at NRG Stadium at NRG Park - Complex in Houston, Texas - from $767

July 5, 2026

• TBD vs. TBD at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $1007
• TBD vs. TBD at Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Ciudad de México, Mexico - from $1035

July 6, 2026

• TBD vs. TBD at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $816
• TBD vs. TBD at Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event - Complex in Seattle, Washington - from $749

July 7, 2026

• TBD vs. TBD at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $815
• TBD vs. TBD at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada - from $814

July 9, 2026 - Quarter-final

• TBD vs. TBD at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts - from $1149

July 10, 2026 - Quarter-final

• TBD vs. TBD at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California - from $1652

July 11, 2026 - Quarter-final

• TBD vs. TBD at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - from $2014
• TBD vs. TBD at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri - from $1381

July 14, 2026 - Semi-final

• TBD vs. TBD at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - from $2181

July 15, 2026 - Semi-final

• TBD vs. TBD at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia - from $2016

July 18, 2026 - Bronze final

• TBD vs. TBD at Hard Rock Stadium - Complex in Miami, Florida - From $782

July 19, 2026 - Finals

• TBD vs. TBD at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - from $8467

How much are FIFA World Cup tickets?

There's no getting around it, the 2026 World Cup ticket prices are the highest we've ever seen. Some venues are notably more expensive than others, and prices for the more popular teams are especially high.

Given tickets for the knockout rounds will be in flux until we know more about what teams are involved, let's focus on prices for the group stages for now.

At the time of writing, Mexico City, and not just because of the super high price of the opening game of the tournament, has the highest average ticket price per match for the cheapest ticket at $1, 200. This is closely followed by Zapopan at $1,182, then Miami at $1,180.

East Rutherford, New Jersey, comes in at $832, on average, as the cheapest ticket price for its matches. Arlington, Texas, sits at $753, and Foxborough is $630.

On the opposite end of the scale, the average cheap seats in Atlanta start at a much more reasonable $324, Monterrey, Mexico, is $308, while a trip to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara looks almost bargain-like at $225.

It won't be much of a surprise, though, to see that these lower prices often reflect the lack of international soccer superpowers playing at the time, with the one exception of a couple of Spain's matches in Atlanta.

When did 2026 FIFA World Cup tickets go on sale?

Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup first went on sale in September 2025, when FIFA opened the Visa Presale Draw as the initial sales phase (a lottery-style window for eligible Visa cardholders). After that, FIFA continued releasing inventory through additional sales phases (including draw-based windows and subsequent purchase periods), with availability varying by match, venue, and demand.

If you're looking for the next major buying opportunity, FIFA opened the Last-Minute Sales in early April 2026, on a first-come, first-served basis, via the official FIFA ticketing platform. Since this window has long passed, StubHub and Vivid Seats are your best bet for secondhand seats to sold-out games.

See more: Best sports streaming services | ESPN streaming review | How to watch NHL games

Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides.

• Heathrow's AI assistant handles traveler inquiries via WhatsApp, reducing the need for phone calls.
• Heathrow leveraged its longtime partnership with Salesforce to create the tool, called Hallie.
• Hallie is set to expand to the airport's website and app later this year.

Nearly 85 million travelers passed through Heathrow Airport in 2025. Amid the hustle and bustle, they had plenty of questions: How long will it take to get through security? Which Starbucks is closest to my departure gate? If my bag was left behind at security, how can I find it?

Peter Burns, Heathrow's director of digital, e-commerce, and marketing, told Business Insider that he wanted to improve customer service at Europe's busiest airport, where demand keeps increasing. "As we grow capacity, we have to find a technology solution," he said. To do that, Heathrow spent the past three years deepening its longtime partnership with Salesforce, which started in 2009, Burns said.

Heathrow first implemented Salesforce's generative and agentic AI products in 2023, with a focus on customer service applications. These initial tests led to the launch of Hallie, the airport's customer service AI agent that lives on WhatsApp and answers nearly all traveler questions without human help, in March 2025, said Burns. Since finding earlier this year that Hallie significantly reduced the number of customer calls to the airport, Heathrow is looking to further implement the tool on its website and app.

Customer service has been a popular use case for generative AI across industries since the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, said Gartner Research Vice President Bern Elliot. Elliot told Business Insider that a company's customer contact centers can act as AI incubators because their return-on-investment metrics — time saved, agent call volume, response times, and response quality, among others — are clearly defined.

"You don't have to connect very many dots to get from what you deployed to what is the measurable improvement," Elliot said. "It makes for a great starting place in your AI journey."

However, infusing AI into customer service systems isn't a straightforward process, said Elliot. AI systems should be trained on a company's most up-to-date data; otherwise, large language models are more susceptible to giving incorrect responses. "Having AI-ready data is a huge issue," Elliot said.

Burns — along with Salesforce's senior vice president of solution engineering, Paul O'Sullivan — spoke with Business Insider about how Heathrow and Salesforce collaborated to navigate these data complexities and launch Hallie.

The tech

Though Heathrow's initial Salesforce investments lacked AI capabilities, Burns said they were critical to creating a unified database that would later serve as the foundation for the airport's customer service AI agents.

Heathrow's relationship with Salesforce started in July 2009 when it deployed Salesforce Service Cloud, a platform that helps customer service agents manage inquiries across multiple channels. By July 2021, Heathrow's customer and marketing data had been uploaded to Salesforce's real-time data platform, giving airport employees in customer service, marketing, and e-commerce live views of passenger data.

Burns said Heathrow became an early adopter of Salesforce's generative AI capabilities in 2023, largely because of the airport's existing Salesforce product use. AI deployment began that January with two internal use cases: autonomously drafting replies to customer inquiries and creating case wrapups, the summaries that customer service agents prepare after helping someone. These two tests fed more information into Heathrow's database, helping to continuously refine the quality of AI-drafted responses, Burns said.

By late 2023, Salesforce's Agentforce — the software company's autonomous AI platform that can complete customer service, sales, and marketing tasks automatically — was deployed in the airport's contact center to assist human agents with two specific tasks: Writing responses to customer questions and, after a case was resolved, generating a summary. Previously, agents had to type out every response and case summary, Burns said.

He added that Heathrow worked closely with O'Sullivan and his team of UK-based engineers to test and improve the airport's AI capabilities before Hallie's launch. Salesforce has regularly met with Heathrow's team since their partnership began in 2009, with in-person visits about once per quarter and regular virtual catch-ups every other week, O'Sullivan said. In recent years, their meetings have focused on observing contact agents' workflows and identifying pain points where AI could be applied.

O'Sullivan told Business Insider that it is critical for executive leadership, product managers, engineers, and representatives from security, data, and cloud teams to be on the same page before deploying tools like Agentforce, since internal databases could be outdated and make the technology less useful. "The reality is these agents need to be exactly like you and I, and how we work, because we're constantly learning," he said.

At Heathrow, Agentforce pulls from the airport's database of 500 articles outlining processes. However, some of the policies took several months to gather, update, and implement, Burns told Business Insider.

In July 2024, Heathrow added more of its internal data to Salesforce's data platform, enabling the airport to provide customers with real-time flight-tracking data.

Heathrow's unified data foundation, which brought together Heathrow customer data, airport maps, flight statuses, and advances in generative AI, led to the March 2025 launch of Heathrow's AI agent Hallie. On WhatsApp, travelers can ask Hallie questions about upcoming flights, how to find specific airport amenities and terminals, and the length of the security line.

The outcome

Prior to the launch of Hallie, 70% of customer inquiries were handled by phone, said Burns. Thanks to the bot's agentic capabilities, by March 2026, phone calls accounted for 10% of traveler inquiries.

Later this year, Hallie will expand beyond WhatsApp so customers can access the tool on Heathrow's website and app, Burns added. The airport is also considering future rollouts for Hallie, like at kiosks throughout its terminals.

Still, Hallie's guardrails are limited: it only scrapes data from Heathrow's website and internal database, Burns said. "We aren't letting the agent go out into the open web and pull out other information," he said. This decision somewhat limits the AI agent's outputs, as it cannot yet handle personalized questions like, "Where can I pick up my checked bags?"

Burns said it was important for Hallie to provide accurate responses, and added that external sources could have inaccurate or out-of-date information. Looking forward, Heathrow plans to add more functionality to Hallie so passengers can use the tool on platforms beyond WhatsApp, Burns said.

• Business Insider will reveal our sixth annual Seed 100 list, celebrating the most successful early-stage investors.
• The list makes it clear AI is changing seed investing, just like it's changing everything else.
• Find out who made the 2026 list and hear from two investors in a LIVE Q&A, Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Scroll down to watch.

Spotting young companies that are poised to make a big splash isn't easy.

That's why Business Insider compiles an annual Seed 100 list, celebrating the top 100 early-stage investors - venture capitalists whose bets are paying off in measurable ways.

Now in its sixth year, the list also highlights how seed investing is changing. As hot AI startups dominate the scene, small checks are being replaced by multi-million dollar investments. Seed rounds may now total a billion dollars or more.

Alongside the Seed 100, Business Insider also publishes the Seed 40, which specifically highlights successful women investors.

Both lists include investors who have made at least 5 active investments between 2011 and 2026 and whose companies have gone public, been acquired, and/or attracted additional rounds of funding.

The lists are compiled using data analysis supplied by Termina, a software platform spun out of Tribe Capital.

So who landed on this year's Seed 100 and Seed 40? Join senior correspondents Ben Bergman and Melia Russell in this live Q&A to find out.

Bergman and Russell will also interview two prominent investors from the list. Those conversations will dig into the investments each made and the companies they are eyeing next.

Tune in Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

• Switzerland kept its No. 1 spot on US News & World Report's list of the best countries in the world.
• The 2026 rankings compared 100 countries across factors like infrastructure, health, and tourism.
• The US didn't crack the top 10 in this year's list.

Once again, Switzerland has claimed the top spot as the best country in the world.

The 2026 rankings, released Thursday, were compiled by US News & World Report in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Unlike previous iterations of the list, this year's rankings did away with a perception-based approach of surveying experts and business leaders, and instead used a data-driven methodology.

To determine the rankings, researchers evaluated 100 countries across eight categories, including governance, culture and tourism, civic health, economic development, health, infrastructure, opportunity, and the natural environment. The rankings also factored in 24 other subcategories, including healthcare, public safety, labor markets, poverty, and wealth.

The resulting best countries are predominantly a mix of popular and more underrated destinations across Europe. Some major global favorites, including the United States and Japan, didn't crack the top 10.

US News senior data editor Evan Comen told Business Insider that the reason the US didn't make the top 10 is its uneven performance across the eight major categories.

"The US is No. 2 in economic development, No. 1 in culture and tourism," Comen said. "But then these advantages are offset by weaker performance in some of the more data-heavy categories that wouldn't really be reflected in perceptions; things like health, infrastructure, and civic health."

Below are the 20 best countries in the world, according to US News & World Report.

Population data for each country is from the US Census Bureau, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) information was sourced from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

20. South Korea

• Population: 51.4 million
• GDP: $3.1 trillion

Rounding out the top 20, South Korea still ranks high in a few categories. Its capital city, Seoul, is a cultural hub for fashion, technology, and entertainment.

The Asian country ranked sixth in economic development, its highest finish in a category. It also ranked seventh in health.

19. Canada

• Population: 39.5 million
• GDP: $2.7 trillion

Canada, the northern sibling to the US, matches fairly closely with its border mate in overall ranking, but has separation in some categories, like economic development.

Canada doesn't rank high in a lot of categories, but finishes in the top 20 mostly, signaling balance. Culture and tourism is Canada's highest ranking, where it finished eighth.

18. United States

• Population: 342.4 million
• GDP: $29.3 trillion

In what might be a surprising placement to some, the US barely cracked the top 20 in this year's rankings. A leader in cultural tourism and economic development, the country had uneven performance across other categories.

The US has the highest GDP on the list by far; however, it struggles in many categories, such as health and infrastructure, where it doesn't rank in the top 20.

17. Japan

• Population: 122.1 million
• GDP: $6.7 trillion

Japan has cultural significance that reaches every corner of the world. With its busy cities and mountainous landscapes, it's a popular tourist destination.

Japan ranked highest in health and civic health, finishing in fifth and second, respectively.

16. Singapore

• Population: 6.1 million
• GDP: $547.4 billion

Singapore, an island nation in Southeast Asia, is a bustling country marked by tall buildings and modern architecture.

The country leads in infrastructure, according to US News, and finishes near the top in other categories, such as economic development, governance, and health.

15. Iceland

• Population: 370,000
• GDP: $32.3 billion

Iceland, the least populous country on the list, packs a punch in a lot of US News' important categories. Known for its vast landscapes, it finished 10th in culture and tourism, while it ranked first in the heritage and cultural attractions subcategory.

The Nordic island nation finished first in both health and opportunity on this year's list.

14. Australia

• Population: 27.9 million
• GDP: $2 trillion

Home to the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House, and wildlife galore, Australia is a unique country with loads to do.

However, culture and tourism aren't its strongest assets: it ranked 18th in that category. Australia's best finish was in health, where it ranked sixth.

13. Ireland

• Population: 5.3 million
• GDP: $759.6 billion

Ireland, the third-largest island in Europe, is only about 100 miles from the United Kingdom, but it has its own culture.

Scoring highest in culture and tourism, Ireland finished in the top 20 for nearly every category, including economic development, governance, and infrastructure.

12. France

• Population: 68.7 million
• GDP: $4.3 trillion

France is a popular tourist destination with a diversity of attractions, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to historic chateaus to a stunning Mediterranean coastline.

That diversity landed it fifth in the culture and tourism rankings — its highest finish. It also ranked high in economic development and health, at 10th and 11th, respectively.

11. Belgium

• Population: 12 million
• GDP: $880.2 billion

Belgium borders four different countries, and, in turn, blends a lot of those cultures into its own unique brew. It has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.

Civic health is its strongest category, where it ranks seventh, but it has generally high rankings across the board.

10. Austria

• Population: 9.2 million
• GDP: $695.4 billion

Austria may be a less popular tourist destination than other European favorites like the UK and Italy, but it has been gaining attention for its relatively lower costs and scenic views.

In this year's rankings, it placed 14th for both culture and tourism and economic development. It also ranked 21st for modern urban livability and quality of life.

9. Luxembourg

• Population: 701,000
• GDP: $105.6 billion

Luxembourg is often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, Germany to the east and France to the south, but the country ranks among the best in the world on US News' list.

Though it placed ninth overall this year, Luxembourg ranked third in infrastructure, sixth in opportunity, seventh in governance, ninth in solo travel, and ninth among the best countries to start a business.

8. Finland

• Population: 5.6 million
• GDP: $366.1 billion

The "land of a thousand lakes" finally made the top 10 this year. In individual categories, Finland ranked first for modern urban livability, fourth for infrastructure, and fifth for civic health.

7. United Kingdom

• Population: 69 million
• GDP: $4.3 trillion

The United Kingdom has weathered political and economic turmoil in the wake of Brexit, but even so, it remains a favorable destination and performed well in this year's rankings.

It placed third in culture and tourism and fourth in economic development. The country also earned strong marks for infrastructure and opportunity.

6. Norway

• Population: 5.6 million
• GDP: $588.8 billion

Norway is one of the world's few remaining constitutional monarchies, giving it a unique blend of old-world tradition and modern governance.

This year, the country ranked second in health, fifth in opportunity, and fifth in governance.

5. Netherlands

• Population: 17.9 million
• GDP: $1.5 trillion

The Netherlands, often informally referred to as Holland, finally made the top five in this year's overall rankings. Across individual categories, the country ranked third in governance, seventh in both eco-tourism and infrastructure, and eighth in economic development.

4. Germany

• Population: 83.9 million
• GDP: $6.2 trillion

Germany has repeatedly landed in the top 10 of the US News rankings, and this year it rose to fourth overall.

The country placed third in economic development, fourth in both culture and tourism, and seventh among the best countries for raising children.

3. Sweden

• Population: 10.7 million
• GDP: $752.8 billion

In the categories of governance and opportunity, Sweden ranked fourth and third, respectively, while ranking sixth in civic health.

Notably, the country ranked first for a comfortable retirement.

2. Denmark

• Population: 6.1 million
• GDP: $483.8 billion

The Northern European country located on the Jutland Peninsula ranked second in both infrastructure and governance.

Denmark also ranked high in categories like modern urban livability, education, entrepreneurship, and overall quality of life.

1. Switzerland

• Population: 9 million
• GDP: $877.8 billion

For another consecutive year, Switzerland ranked No. 1 on the Best Countries list.

The Central European nation also topped the rankings in categories such as economic development and governance, while placing second in opportunity, culture, and tourism.

It earned strong marks across several other areas, including education, entrepreneurship, solo travel, digital nomadism, modern livability, and quality of life.

• SAM 26000, a Boeing VC-137C, operated as Air Force One from 1962 to 1998, carrying eight presidents.
• Lyndon Johnson was sworn in on board, and the plane transported John F. Kennedy's body from Texas.
• SAM 26000 is housed at the National Museum of the US Air Force, where visitors can walk through it.

"If history itself had wings, it would probably be this aircraft," Vice President Al Gore said of the SAM 26000 Air Force One plane upon its retirement in 1998.

The first Air Force jet designed and built specifically for US presidents, SAM 26000 (pronounced two six thousand) carried eight presidents between 1962 and 1998 — every leader from President John F. Kennedy to President Bill Clinton.

After 13,000 flying hours over 36 years of service, the plane was retired to the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where it remains on display.

I visited the museum in August 2025 and walked through the historic aircraft. Take a look inside.

The SAM 26000 Air Force One jet, a Boeing VC-137C, was completed in 1962 for President John F. Kennedy.

The Boeing VC-137C was a customized and modified version of a civilian 707-320B airliner. It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines, each with 18,000 pounds of thrust.

First lady Jacqueline Kennedy chose the plane's blue and white paint colors in coordination with industrial designer Raymond Loewy.

The first lady also added the words "United States of America" to the aircraft to signal its importance as the president's plane.

In a tragic period of American history, SAM 26000 transported President John F. Kennedy's body home after his assassination in 1963.

President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president aboard the plane hours after Kennedy was pronounced dead.

Now an interactive museum artifact, visitors can board the plane the same way US presidents did via a staircase leading into the cabin.

Admission to the National Museum of the US Air Force is free.

SAM 26000 is located in the museum's William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery. The exhibit also includes other presidential planes such as the first presidential aircraft, nicknamed "Sacred Cow," President Harry Truman's Douglas VC-118 named "The Independence," and President Dwight Eisenhower's Lockheed VC-121E, the only aircraft of its kind ever built.

The first stop on my self-guided tour was the cockpit, which featured a four-person crew.

The crew consisted of a pilot, copilot, navigator, and flight engineer. The navigator and flight engineer roles were eventually replaced by GPS and computerized technology on later Air Force One planes.

Two phones were located behind the flight deck.

A plaque above the phones read, "This telephone is subject to monitoring at all times. Use of this telephone constitutes consent to monitoring."

An equipment storage space contained a first-aid kit and firearms.

The closet also had a rack to hang suits and coats.

Next, I walked by the plane's communication facility.

The secure communication center allowed presidents to place calls anywhere in the world while in flight.

Meals were prepared in the galley.

The galley included a stovetop, oven, sink, and small counter space where flight attendants heated and plated meals.

This seating area was used by presidential staff, members of the press, and Secret Service agents.

The aircraft could hold up to 40 passengers.

The seating area, like many areas of the plane, is now protected by plastic barricades.

I noticed fox decals above the seats, which a museum volunteer told me was a nod to the 89th Airlift Wing, which operates Air Force One.

Stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the 89th Airlift Wing is tasked with flying the president and high-ranking government officials. The group is also referred to as "SAM FOX," which stands for "Special Air Missions Foreign."

The presidential stateroom was located down a long hallway.

The benches in the hallway were hollow to offer additional storage.

The president's spacious quarters featured a desk, couch, television, and private bathroom.

In 1969, Nixon redesigned Air Force One and moved the presidential quarters over the wings, which was the quietest and smoothest part of the plane during flight.

The stateroom came with two phones, each with a different purpose.

Presidents used the white phone to communicate with crew members and other passengers on the plane, while the beige phone could be used to call anywhere in the world.

Behind the presidential stateroom, a conference room provided more meeting space.

The room was furnished with throne chairs, a folding table, and another TV.

Additional conference areas provided more seating for staff, Secret Service members, and VIPs.

Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter sat here while flying to attend Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat's funeral in 1981.

An office area across the aisle featured an electric typewriter, scanner, and more phones.

Presidents used the electric typewriter to write and edit speeches while on board the plane.

The office wall was decorated with a map of the United States.

President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president in this area of Air Force One's cabin after Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while visiting Dallas. He was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital at 1 p.m., and Johnson took the oath of office at 2:38 p.m.

Jacqueline Kennedy's pink suit was still smeared with blood when Federal Judge Sarah T. Hughes administered the oath of office on Air Force One. Johnson's wife, Lady Bird Johnson, stood to his right.

Standing in the very spot where Johnson was sworn in after Kennedy's assassination was awe-inspiring.

Even blocked off by plastic barricades, the plane's cabin preserves a pivotal moment in US history.

These four seats toward the back of the plane were removed to make room for Kennedy's coffin on the flight from Dallas back to Washington, DC, in 1963.

The Secret Service had to break the handles off the casket to make it fit through the plane door.

Air Force security personnel operated out of this area at the back of the aircraft to secure the plane while it was on the ground.

The seating area featured six seats, a phone, and a folding table.

My tour ended at the back of the plane with a view of its call sign on the tail and an American flag.

According to US Flag Code, an American flag decal must always be positioned so that the stars face forward.

Air Force One remains an instantly recognizable symbol of US might, making my walkthrough tour a memorable experience.

Like many modes of presidential transportation, such as the bulletproof limousine known as "The Beast" and the Marine One helicopter, Air Force One is about more than simply getting the president from point A to point B. It symbolizes the power of the United States and its elected leader wherever it goes.

The image projected by presidential planes remains of great interest to President Donald Trump, who opted to accept a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari royal family in May 2025 instead of waiting for Boeing to deliver its long-delayed new Air Force One jets.

• I flew on Singapore Airlines for the first time.
• I was surprised that I could select my seat for free in economy.
• The seats were spacious, the food was decent, and I loved the in-flight entertainment selection.

When it was time to plan my first trip to Asia, I knew I wanted to book an airline I'd never flown before. No option seemed better than Singapore Airlines.

A certified five-star airline by Skytrax, Singapore Airlines was named the world's best international airline by Travel + Leisure in 2025. It also won the title of best airline in Asia at last year's Skytrax World Airline Awards, considered the Oscars of the aviation industry.

While Singapore Airlines is famous for its luxurious suites and first-class cabins, I could only afford an economy ticket. But my experience was still far better than my recent trips on US airlines.

I was impressed with Singapore Airlines before my flight even began.

I decided to travel to Japan after a friend's wedding in Sydney and booked an economy ticket on Singapore Airlines. There are four different tiers of economy — lite, value, standard, and flexi — but only standard was available on my flight.

The trip, which included a layover in Singapore, cost $814.

While booking my Singapore Airlines ticket, I was surprised to find that I could select seats on both of my flights for free. I could even choose one of the "Forward Zone" seats, which are closer to the doors and allow you to disembark first from economy. This felt like a great option since my layover at Changi Airport was less than an hour and a half.

Plus, I got to pick the window seat (my favorite) for both flights.

I was also surprised by the airline's generous weight limit for checked bags.

I'm a notorious overpacker. If there were a gold medal for shuffling items from your checked bag to carry-on to meet the 50-pound limit of most US airlines, I would be the Simone Biles of the sport. It's a natural gift — I don't even have to train!

So, I was shocked when the Singapore Airlines attendant told me I needed to put more stuff in my checked bag, not less. She informed me that the weight limit for checked bags in economy is 30 kilograms, or about 66 pounds. If you fly Singapore Airlines on economy lite or value, the limit is 25 kilograms, or about 55 pounds.

Being able to unload my overstuffed carry-on and gallivant around duty-free was an unexpected pre-flight treat.

Before boarding my flight, I grabbed a pair of headphones by the plane's entrance.

It was a small detail, but I appreciated that I could immediately sit and start watching a movie without waiting for an attendant to pass out the headphones.

My chair was far more spacious than what I've come to expect from US airlines.

As someone who's only flown economy, I've become all too accustomed to the increasingly shrinking seats.

But I was flying on an Airbus A380-800, the world's largest commercial aircraft, and it had some very comfortable seats — even in economy. My seat, which was 19 inches wide, felt surprisingly spacious.

A plush gray pillow and a hefty blanket were waiting on my seat.

They both felt like major upgrades from the paper-thin sheet and the flimsy maxi-pad-esque contraption I've received on long-haul flights with various US airlines.

There was plenty of legroom.

When I first sat down, I was surprised I could still stretch out my legs, even with my backpack under the seat in front of me.

Once the woman in my row and I realized no one would be taking the seat between us, we easily slid both of our backpacks under the middle seat and enjoyed the extra space.

The seat in front of me had helpful buttons and compartments.

Under the left corner of my screen were buttons to turn on the overhead light and call the attendant, plus an outlet to charge my phone. Under the right corner was a stand-alone drink holder. There was also a shelf under my screen, where I stored my headphones when I wasn't watching anything.

I also appreciated the four separate pockets in front of my seat. I could easily store my phone, book, magazine, charger, and water bottle in all of them.

I also had access to an extensive entertainment selection.

According to its website, Singapore Airlines offers more than 1,900 on-demand options via its KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system.

There was everything from "Wicked" to "The Substance," which I didn't feel brave enough to watch on a plane.

TV options included food shows, kids' programs, and classics such as "Law & Order" and "The Golden Girls."

Before takeoff, flight attendants passed out hot towels to everyone on board.

The custom, known in Japanese as "oshibori," has been a longtime signature of the Singapore Airlines brand. Each towel is perfumed with the airline's "Batik Flora" scent, which combines the floral notes of various flowers that are native to Singapore.

As soon as I had given my hands a refreshing cleanse, an attendant returned to retrieve the towel.

Within 20 minutes of takeoff, we were given our first drink and snack.

Who hasn't chugged their little drink on a plane because there wasn't enough space?

Thanks to the stand-alone cupholder, I could leisurely sip on my complimentary glass of white wine as I snacked on the peas-and-crackers snack and read my book.

Then came the dinner service.

Every tray included an entrée of chicken or fish (the vegetarian meals had already been served), bread, a small noodle salad, Australian cheese and crackers, and a mini water bottle. I was surprised it came with metal cutlery rather than the plastic or wood I'm used to seeing in economy.

I started with the salad, which featured vermicelli noodles and shrimp cooked far more delicately than expected for an in-flight meal. The shrimp were plump and fresh, pairing well with the light, tangy dressing that covered each noodle.

I opted for the chicken entrée, which was solid. The meat was tender and covered in sauce, while the potatoes were well-cooked but under-seasoned.

It wasn't exactly gourmet, but it was a huge upgrade from the undercooked pasta and rubbery meat I've had on many long-haul flights with US airlines. (And I'll never forget the tortilla filled with a cut-up hot dog.)

Shortly after we'd settled into dinner, attendants offered us an ice cream sandwich for dessert.

The delicious vanilla fudge brownie was a highlight of the flight. It featured a chocolate crunch on the bottom that satisfyingly snapped with every bite.

An hour before landing, we were given a hot snack.

We were offered a choice between a sandwich with sweet potato and cheese or sweet chili chicken. I chose the latter, which was fine. I couldn't taste the sweet chili, but it was a nice, warm snack.

Overall, I had a great first experience on Singapore Airlines.

At the end of the day, economy is economy. Still, the experience has become increasingly uncomfortable as US carriers shrink their seats and add more fees.

By comparison, flying on Singapore Airlines felt like a breath of fresh air. From the hot towel and spacious seats to the decent in-flight entertainment and food options, my nine-hour flight seemed to fly by.

It's easy to see why Singapore Airlines consistently ranks among the top in the world. I can't wait to fly on one of its planes again.

We tested TA3's viral swimsuits and newer apparel with editors across a range of body types, fit needs, and style preferences to see whether the brand lives up to the hype. TA3 first drew attention after founder Leila Shams appeared on Shark Tank to demonstrate the waist-sculpting effect of her designs, then gained even more momentum on TikTok, where videos of shoppers tightening the corset-style back lacing racked up millions of views. With that kind of buzz, we wanted to find out how the pieces actually perform beyond the dramatic mirror reveal.

In our testing, TA3 stood out for its supportive construction, curve-enhancing fit, and high-impact, confidence-boosting silhouettes. The brand's pieces are undeniably pricey, but several editors felt the combination of shaping, support, and quality made them easier to justify. In this TA3 review, we break down which styles are most worth considering, plus how they fit on different bodies.

Before diving in, one thing is worth saying up front: no one needs shaping swimwear or a cinched silhouette to look good. But for shoppers who want that extra support and sculpting effect, TA3 has built its reputation on delivering exactly that.

If you want more of our favorite suits, see the best swimsuits for women.

The Lifty

TA3's Lifty is a shaping one-piece designed for shoppers who want more lift and support than a typical swimsuit provides. Its underwire construction, adjustable lace-up back, and uncommonly broad size range — including multiple torso lengths and cup sizes up to J/K — make it especially appealing for fuller busts. The overall effect is sculpting and waist-defining, but it's still more customizable than many one-pieces that rely solely on compression.

It's also our top pick for the best swimsuits for large busts and one of our favorite one-piece swimsuits ever.

Sally's review of the Lifty

Size Sally tried: Large, F cup, short torso

I love all of my TA3 swimsuits, but the Lifty is my favorite. The underwire is seriously supportive and helps avoid the dreaded uniboob that some one-pieces can cause. The sizing also feels almost miraculous: you choose your bodice length, swimsuit size, and cup size, which makes for an unusually precise fit. I've never had a one-piece fit me better.

The thick shoulder straps are comfortable and adjustable, and the cups support me perfectly without digging in. It's also cute enough to double as a bodysuit with jeans or flowy linen pants. Most importantly, it really does create a snatched waist. The lace-up back cinches you in impressively well, but you can loosen it when you want less compression, which makes it feel more versatile than most shaping swimsuits.

Sam's review of the Lifty

Size Sam tried: Medium, D/DD cup, short torso

The Lifty is a fantastic suit that offers incredible bust support and a cinched waist with real wow factor. It instantly creates a snatched, sculpted look, which makes it feel especially fun and confidence-boosting to wear. But after taking it to the spa and into the sauna, I realized it's not my top pick for pure lounging and relaxation. You can absolutely loosen the back lacing and make it much more comfortable, but to me, this is a suit that's at its best when you want to look amazing and be seen — not necessarily when you want to fully melt into a lounge chair for hours. For photos, pool parties, and statement swim moments, though, it's fantastic.

The Plungey

TA3's Plungey is a shaping one-piece with a more classic, straightforward feel than the Lifty. Its main draw is the deep neckline, which gives it a sexier look, while the brand's signature lace-up back helps create that cinched TA3 silhouette. It still offers shaping and support, but overall it feels like a more basic, less structured option — a good pick for someone who wants the brand's snatching effect in a simpler, lower-cut style.

Note: We tried the original version of the Plungey, which doesn't have the metal detail at the neckline base.

Jaclyn's review of the Plungey

Size Jaclyn Tried: XL, regular torso

I felt like a catfish in a swimsuit. The fit up top was great, and I felt very secure and flattered at the bust, something that usually concerns me about swimsuits that aren't bra-sized. However, I felt like the suit gaped at the bottom.

The Plungey is very reminiscent of a shapewear bodysuit. It's not the most comfortable swimsuit I've ever worn, but it's a small trade-off for a few hours to feel confident enough to have a photo shoot out in public of myself in a swimsuit. Plus, I felt secure swimming in it.

Sam's review of the Plungey

Size Sam tried: Medium, short torso

You know that Photoshop feature where you can pull your waist in so that it looks smaller? Well, this suit does that in real life. Now, no one's waist ever needs to look smaller — all bodies are beautiful. But as someone with a larger chest and a short torso, I feel most comfortable in clothing with waist definition (A-line dresses are my go-to). 

And boy, oh boy, does the Plungey suit excel in waist-defining. It actually lifts your breasts while pulling your waist in, creating an hourglass shape that I've never seen with another swimsuit. I got tons of compliments when I wore this, which is a true testament to the power of this simple black bathing suit with its magic lacing. 

I'm five-foot-two, so I got the suit in the short version, but there are also different lengths, which is why this suit also made our list of the best swimsuits for long torsos. 

Sally's review of the Plungey

Size Sally tried: Large, short torso

As someone with a DDD cup, I was curious whether such a low-cut suit would actually feel secure, and I was impressed by how well it held everything in place. I wore it while swimming and snorkeling on vacation in Mexico and felt confident throughout.

The pull string also did a great job defining my waist without feeling too restrictive. I could tighten it for more compression and a more dramatic shape or loosen it for a more comfortable fit. I also appreciated the adjustable straps and the option to choose a short torso length, since I'm 5'1.

After five or six washes, the Plungey still looks great, with no stretching or discoloration. The construction feels sturdy enough that the $178 price tag seems more worthwhile.

The Brazilian Bombshell

TA3's Brazilian Bombshell is one of the brand's sexier, more statement-making one-pieces. It combines built-in shaping with molded cups, removable push-up pads, and adjustable straps, so the effect is lifted through the bust and noticeably cinched through the waist. The signature lace-up back adds to that sculpted look, while the Brazilian-style, cheekier back makes it feel more revealing and less everyday than some of TA3's other suits. Overall, this is the style to choose if your priority is a dramatic, va-va-voom silhouette rather than subtle shaping.

Sam's review of the Brazilian Bombshell

Size Sam tried: Medium, short torso, large cups

The Brazilian Bombshell is one of the most statement-making TA3 suits I tried. It gave me a noticeably lifted look through the bust, a cinched effect through the waist, and an overall silhouette that felt very glam and intentionally sexy. The leopard print only adds to that energy. Even though it's bold, it still felt supportive and well constructed, so I didn't feel like I was sacrificing security for style.

The Goddessy Maxi Dress

The Goddessy Maxi Dress brings TA3's signature waist-cinching effect to a floor-length silhouette that feels more polished than overtly shapewear-y. It's designed to define the waist and smooth the midsection, but the drapey skirt keeps it from feeling too tight or rigid.

Sam's review of the Goddessy Maxi Dress

Size Sam tried: Medium

I loved the Goddessy Maxi Dress and felt incredibly confident in it. It delivers TA3's signature waist-cinching effect in a dressier, more dramatic silhouette, while the flowing skirt keeps it feeling elegant rather than restrictive. Overall, it struck me as a flattering, confidence-boosting piece that feels polished and special.

The one drawback for me was the bust fit. As someone with a DD chest, I found the top a little small, especially compared with TA3's swimwear, which offers more precise cup-size options. Still, I really enjoyed wearing the dress, and if the bust works for your proportions, it's a standout choice for anyone who wants shaping with a more glamorous, occasion-ready feel.

What we don't like about TA3

The corseting can cause drooping on the butt part: Gabi and Jaclyn reported the same issue. When the corset is pulled tight, it creates some gaping at the seat of the suit, which can make the back look a little unflattering.

When pulled tight, the suit isn't the most comfortable, but we highly recommend loosening the corset straps when you're just lounging on the beach. The snatching effect is great for pictures or for when you want to be seen, but it does make you feel a little like you're in the Victorian era.

FAQs

How do TA3 swimsuits work?

The garment's fabric feels like activewear compression material, not all that dissimilar to a super supportive sports bra. The front and back waist area is lined with power mesh, which helps smooth and shape.

The corseted design starts at around the mid-back, near where the waist is typically smallest, and laces up to around the shoulder blades. With adjustable straps, removable bust pads, and some leeway with the corseted strings, the suit's sizing is quite accommodating and able to be modified depending on your preference for the day.

How does the sizing work?

When shopping for your perfect size, note that you are able to choose from the regular/long or the short torso fit, which is available for all of their current styles. And from XS to 4X, they have an impressive size range that feels inclusive and intentional. We found that the suits fit true-to-size, but the lace-up system offers a lot of wiggle room in terms of sizing.

Different neckline styles can also be paired with different cuts on the hips, but not every style has a high-cut version.

Can you actually swim in TA3 swimsuits?

Yes — TA3 is still swimwear, not just shapewear that looks like a swimsuit. The swim fabric is engineered to resist chlorine, salt water, and UV rays, though the more sculpting-focused styles may feel less lounge-y than softer, less structured suits.

What is TA3's return policy?

TA3 says it accepts returns and exchanges within 21 days of purchase for eligible orders. For international orders, the brand says returns and exchanges are not accepted, and sale items may be subject to stricter rules depending on the discount.

The bottom line 

It's no secret that these are on the pricey side – but given the quality, TA3 is worth it. Each suit is an investment piece that will be a staple in your closet for many summer vacations of beachside getaways to come.

Aside from comfort and its customizable fit, many appreciate a piece that pairs well with an outfit in between sunbathing and swimming (say, walking around a beach town or at the resort lunch spot) – and this one-piece acts as the ideal complementary item for denim shorts, a swimsuit coverup, or even loose beachy pants.

If you want to feel polished, snatched, and totally secure when playing around in the water, this suit may be your next best purchase.

• GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen's eBay listings have ended. He earned $168,421.39.
• The top-earning item was a large statue from "Halo 2," which sold for $15,100.
• GameStop offered $55.5 billion for eBay (which eBay rejected). Cohen's haul accounts for about 0.0003% of the proposed price.

Ryan Cohen pulled in a hefty sum from his baseball cards, merch, and gaming collectibles, thanks to his eBay listing stunt.

The CEO of GameStop posted a collection of items for resale after announcing his unsolicited bid for eBay, which the company has since rejected. "I'm selling stuff on eBay to pay for eBay," he wrote on X earlier this month.

One week later, the listings have closed, and the items have sold.

Cohen's total haul: $168,421.39.

The highest-earning item was a large Master Chief statue from "Halo 2." The statue was listed for local pickup in Grapevine, Texas — where GameStop is headquartered — and sold for $15,100. It received 105 bids.

Other top earners include two store signs from shuttered GameStop locations ($14,921, 105 bids) and two collectible statues from "South Park" ($13,400, 87 bids).

Cohen also sold a collectible card picturing Donald Trump's 2016 swearing in, which was graded as a PSA 10. The card sold for $6,470 with 44 bids. The buyer seemed pleased, leaving Cohen a positive review, calling it a "smooth transaction" with "excellent communication."

The lowest-earning item was a 1995 baseball card of Vladimir Guerrero. It pulled in $1,694 and 69 bids.

Of course, the haul is a drop in the bucket of GameStop's $55.5 billion bid, which Cohen has said would be "half cash, half stock." The $168,421.39 total is about 0.0003% of the deal total, emphasizing the publicity stunt nature of the item listings.

Cohen's profile was briefly suspended by eBay after its system flagged high price points. EBay restored the account — but not before Cohen posted about it on X.

One casualty of Cohen's initial vision for the listings was his socks, which at one point had attracted bidding over $14,000. Used underwear and socks violate eBay's used clothes policy.

Cohen now faces an even steeper uphill climb toward his goal of becoming CEO of a combined eBay and GameStop entity. EBay earlier this week rejected GameStop's offer, and its chairman, Paul Pressler, called the proposal "neither credible nor attractive."

After the rejection, Cohen responded with an email to Pressler, writing that the company "should not dismiss a $125 per share proposal without engaging on its substance" and that "shareholders deserve the opportunity to evaluate them," FT reported.

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Cohen signaled he wasn't done fighting for a deal.

"They have a job to do the best for shareholders and engage on this, and if they don't then we'll do whatever we need to do," he said.

• Getting a dedicated elbow pad for my desk was a huge comfort upgrade.
• Before, my elbow often hurt when I leaned it on my desk for hours while typing.
• Now? Baby, I'm in heaven!

I'm a caring person, so allow me to care for you: You should get yourself an elbow rest pad for your desk. Trust me on this.

It doesn't really matter which one — you can get a variety of colors/options on Amazon, or Staples, or wherever you shop. This isn't an ad, just my own genuine recommendation coming from the bottom of my cold, dark heart.

Do you find yourself at your computer, and while you're not actively typing, you rest the elbow of your non-mouse-using arm onto your desk? Me too!

And do you find that sometimes, that elbow gets a little sore from sitting there on a hard desk surface for potentially hours a day? Me too!

(Body horror storytime: Several years ago, my elbow suddenly swelled up and got hot and painful over the course of a few hours; I got woozy and feverish, requiring a trip to urgent care for an antibiotic shot. An orthopedist told me the next day it appeared to be a case of bursitis, which can appear rapidly in the elbow if banged or just from resting it on your desk for hours a day.)

Do you ever find yourself wanting to put something soft — the end of your sweatshirt, a folded-up winter hat, the edge of your Neoprene laptop case — under where your elbow goes to give it some comfort? Buddy, you know what I'm about to say (me too).

What if I told you that there is an item you can use, a special one made exactly for this purpose, that will relieve that specific pain and, by extension, the suffering and misery of your tortured existence? And that this one magical object will break you free of the prison of your corporeal suffering and help you ascend to a plane of pure light and fully locked-in-ness of being able to use your computer without any distractions of physical sensations in your body — just pure oneness with your Excel spreadsheet or Chrome tabs.

I know what you'd say. You'd say, Katie, thank you. Thank you for changing my life. I owe you everything; you are the queen. Hey, pal, you said it, not me.

I bought myself an elbow rest pad on Temu last year. It was marketed to nail technicians. Which makes sense — like using a computer, doing a manicure includes a lot of time with your arm's weight on your elbow while doing small tasks with your other wrist. (The exact product listing I bought no longer exists, but this one for $4.74 is nearly identical.)

Admittedly, I've had spotty luck with ordering ergonomic desk products from Temu. In that same order, I also got a mousepad with a gel wrist support, which started leaking goo all over me after a few weeks. I admit I have no one to blame but myself here. But the elbow rest doesn't use gel; it seems to be just regular foam underneath plastic, and it has held up well.

More importantly, it's a boring pale gray and blends in with the rest of my desk. It's small and easy to move out of the way when I don't want to use it. It does one thing, and it does it well. Cheap, unobtrusive, and effective: those are the best possible qualities of any sort of gizmo or doodad.

Like I said, you don't have to get the Temu one. But wherever you get your desk supplies: Get one!

• New data showed which US jobs pay the best on average.
• Pediatric surgeons had the highest average annual wage in 2025.
• Top-paying jobs were largely in healthcare, but pilots and flight engineers ranked highly.

Years of schooling in healthcare usually pay off.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data showing the pay of hundreds of occupations as of May 2025. Many positions earn six figures, exceeding the national average of $69,770.

Pay can be one factor job seekers consider when they're applying for work. A lot of people are actively seeking jobs in the US: 7.2 million people were unemployed in March, outpacing the number of openings. It's also graduation season, so more people may be tweaking their résumés, building a network, and scouring postings in the coming months.

Studying to become an ophthalmologist, a pediatric surgeon, or a pilot can lead to high compensation.

Business Insider ranked the new occupation estimates by average annual wage, excluding catchall job categories, such as "Surgeons, all other." Almost all of the 13 top-paying jobs typically require a doctoral or professional degree. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers usually need a bachelor's.

Below are the 13 highest-paying jobs, alongside estimates of how many Americans are employed in them.

13. Psychiatrists

Average annual wage: $269,940

Employment: 27,980

12. Obstetricians and gynecologists

Average annual wage: $279,040

Employment: 21,260

11. Pathologists

Average annual wage: $285,420

Employment: 11,110

10. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

Average annual wage: $288,650

Employment: 103,560

9. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric

Average annual wage: $304,650

Employment: 8,950

8. Emergency medicine physicians

Average annual wage: $317,480

Employment: 32,880

7. Dermatologists

Average annual wage: $323,530

Employment: 11,370

6. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

Average annual wage: $346,490

Employment: 4,910

5. Anesthesiologists

Average annual wage: $360,570

Employment: 38,760

4. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

Average annual wage: $373,570

Employment: 14,100

3. Radiologists

Average annual wage: $381,530

Employment: 26,770

2. Cardiologists

Average annual wage: $454,940

Employment: 17,290

1. Pediatric surgeons

Average annual wage: $502,050

Employment: 1,190

• Instead of attacking with Shaheds at night, Russia is now trying dayslong strike campaigns.
• This week, Ukraine said it was attacked with over 1,500 drones and 50 missiles for two straight days.
• Two analysts studying Shahed warfare said it's an early sign of a new tactic aimed at wearing Ukraine down.

For Ukrainian cities, the last two days have been a near-constant barrage of drones and missile strikes, culminating in Russia's largest and most unrelenting long-range attack in the war so far.

It's another major episode in a new style of Russian drone warfare emerging in the last few months.

Where the Kremlin previously relied on attacking Ukraine with delta-wing Shaheds at night — when they're harder to spot — it's starting to deploy them in extended windows that last long into the day, forcing Ukrainians to shelter for hours or take their chances to go about their lives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country came under siege from 1,567 drones and 56 missiles from Wednesday to Thursday, describing the assault as "massive and virtually continuous."

This week's bombardment was a "prime example" of the trend, said Igor Anokhin, a Ukrainian senior analyst who sifts through data on Russia's Shahed strikes for the Washington-based think tank Institute for Science and International Security.

The latest salvo marks the fifth time that the Kremlin has used sustained strike periods this year, he told Business Insider.

"I wouldn't call this a fully established pattern yet, but it is clearly becoming a new operational model," Anokhin said.

The first of these prolonged attacks was in late March, when Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones into Ukraine over 24 hours, Anokhin added. Another notable example occurred in mid-April, when continuous drone and missile attacks lasted for 32 hours.

That's against a daily average of 143 to 219 drones this year, depending on the month, according to Anokhin's analyses of Ukrainian and open-source data.

Russia often also targets Ukraine's electrical grid, forcing millions to go through the winter without heat in a campaign aimed at reducing the population's will to resist.

Why daytime strikes?

Enduring an extended onslaught is exhausting, as Business Insider's Jake Epstein and Rob Leslie found during the recent attack. They took cover for hours in a Kyiv bomb shelter, waiting sleeplessly through the night as explosions rattled the city.

Shahed attacks are so frequent that they've already become an accepted part of life for Ukrainian civilians. Anokhin said that's the point.

"The main goal is psychological pressure and economic terror," he said. "Keeping Ukrainian cities on high alert for many hours, disrupting civilian life, and targeting energy and critical infrastructure."

The heightened pressure also puts Ukraine's multi-layered air defense network to the test. To counter aerial attacks, Ukrainian forces deploy a mix of mobile machine-gun crews, interceptor drones, electronic warfare, and high-end defensive missiles.

The sheer volume of threats from Russia strains that system. For example, it runs the risk of forcing Ukraine to fire more rare, expensive interceptors to destroy a cheap drone, making room for ballistic missiles to find their mark.

Russia employed that tactic this week: After hours of drone attacks, missiles began pounding Kyiv on Wednesday evening.

Zelenskyy said air defenses destroyed at least 93% of Russia's drones during the attack, but that only 73% of Russia's missiles were downed. As of Thursday evening, 24 people were confirmed dead, and another 48 were injured, he added.

Each Shahed costs less than $50,000 to produce and carries up to 110 pounds of explosive that strikes with a shrapnel-laden blast powerful enough to cripple buildings and kill civilians.

Federico Borsari, a researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis who focuses on drone warfare, told Business Insider that the daytime attacks can also serve a secondary purpose.

Many of Russia's decoy drones are equipped with electro-optical sensors, which can scout the battlefield while soaking up Ukrainian air defense munitions, he said.

"The main targets are typically mobile fire groups, ground-based air defense launchers, and other high-value military targets," Borsari added.

In other words, the daytime drone waves can pinpoint high-value targets for follow-on attack.

Anokhin's analysis found that in April, 66% of Russia's launched one-way drones were Shaheds, while the rest were decoys or other types of strike drones.

The production problem

Russia has attacked in longer windows before, but not at this scale. Both Borsari and Anokhin said a key change is Russia's growing ability to deploy more drones faster.

"It would be ideal to destroy production in Alabuga," said Anokhin.

The Yelabuga Special Economic Zone, also known as Alabuga, in Russia's Tatarstan region, is home to the Kremlin's main factory for Shaheds, which has come under intense global scrutiny as a vital component of the Russian war effort.

Russia is working quickly to ramp up production there, even as Ukraine sends its own long-range drones to attack the factory.

On May 9, Radio Free Europe reported that satellite images showed new facilities and hangars at the site, expanding the campus by 340 hectares while more construction was starting on another 450 hectares.

Per Anokhin, Russia's Shahed deployment has grown steadily since early 2025 and now accounts for a larger share of drone strikes, rising from 59% of total launches in the fall of last year to 64% this spring.

Ukraine's ragtag air defense network, however, appears to be working. Anokhin's analysis shows that while nearly a third of Russia's Shaheds were hitting targets in the fall, that proportion has fallen sharply to around 14% in April.

The country has been emphasizing cheaper systems, such as its interceptor drones. Ukraine's air force estimated in February that about 30% of Russian drones are downed by these inexpensive remote systems, though the reported proportion has risen to 70% in some periods.

Borsari and Anokhin said separately that they believe Russia's extended daytime drone waves will become a more permanent fixture in the war.

"However, it is unclear whether the Russian targeting strategy is bearing fruit," said Borsari.

• Zcash, a cryptocurrency launched a decade ago, is suddenly surging in popularity.
• Crypto pros say investors are drawn to the token due to its emphasis on privacy.
• Interest has been rising for months, ever since a post on X described Zcash as "insurance against Bitcoin."

A decade-old digital token is suddenly all the rage in crypto circles.

ZEC, a token launched in 2016 using the Zcash blockchain protocol, has seen its price surge 50% in a month, even as bitcoin struggles to break out of its slump. The apex crypto is up about 6% in the same time.

The token is relatively unknown outside of some prominent early adopters, who prized the crypto for its emphasis on privacy. It received little attention for years before unexpectedly surging late in 2025.

"People care about ZCash because it represents one of the few major crypto networks built around financial privacy as a core feature rather than an afterthought," stated Daniel Reis Faria, CEO of AI-focused asset management firm Zerostack. "As surveillance across both traditional finance and blockchain increases, there's renewed interest in assets that preserve optionality and confidentiality."

Reis Faria told Business Insider that Zcash appeals not just to crypto traders but also to institutions because it protects the details of their transactions.

"What Zcash offers that bitcoin doesn't is shielded transaction capability," he noted. "Bitcoin is often misunderstood as anonymous, but in reality it's highly transparent and traceable."

Bobby Ong, CEO and Co-founder of CoinGecko, traces the surge in Zcash interest to an October 1 X post from tech entrepreneur Naval Ravikant who stated simply "Bitcoin is insurance against fiat. Zcash is insurance against Bitcoin."

On the day of the post, Zcash was trading at $74 per coin. Since then, it has risen to a peak of more than $600 per token. Ong noted that several other catalysts have followed since Ravikant shared stoked fresh interest last year.

"That momentum was followed by major allocations from Multicoin Capital and Arthur Hayes, the launch of the first US spot Zcash ETF, and the emergence of digital asset treasury company (DATCo) Cypherpunk Technologies accumulating ZEC — all of which reinforced the view that privacy coins were moving back into the mainstream conversation," he said.

The defining narrative seems to be that in a world increasingly driven by AI and powerful tools that could jeopardize the security offered by cryptography, the need for privacy is increasing.

In January, an analyst at Jefferies predicted that the rise of quantum computing will be a top threat to bitcoin in the future. Meanwhile, a man who had been locked out of his crypto wallet for 11 years claimed this week that he used Anthropic's Claude to brute force his way back in, getting the AI bot to test 3.5 trillion passwords.

Heightened anonymity and privacy is the central part of what's driving the appeal of Zcash right now, causing traders to embrace the crypto that, until recently, seemed largely forgotten.

Samantha Bohbot, chief growth officer at digital asset investment firm RockawayX, said she isn't surprised by the recent Zcash rush.

"Privacy coins have become more interesting, especially with the rise of LLMs," she said. "People are giving models more personal data than they've given any technology before, and over time they'll want to protect their data privacy more. Money and LLM usage are where that demand lands first."

• Paramount Skydance's chief tech officer is leaving the company after seven years.
• The departure was planned, a person familiar with the move said.
• Read outgoing tech chief Phil Wiser's final memo to employees.

Paramount Skydance's tech chief is stepping down as David Ellison's digital transformation heats up.

Phil Wiser, Paramount's chief tech officer, told his colleagues on Friday morning that he's leaving at the end of May after seven years with the company.

"Writing this and sharing this news is harder than I expected," Wiser said in his farewell memo, which was obtained by Business Insider.

Wiser said in his memo that he wasn't retiring. A person familiar with the move said Wiser instead may look to work with tech startups. This person said Wiser's decision to step down on May 29 was part of a planned transition.

"Phil has played a meaningful role in shaping our technology strategy during his time here," said Dane Glasgow, Paramount's chief product officer, in a follow-up email to staffers.

Glasgow credited Wiser for "advancing our technical and digital capabilities, all while helping to strengthen the technology foundations as we scaled our global direct-to-consumer business."

Instead of hiring a new chief tech officer, Glasgow told employees that Wiser's responsibilities will be divided among four executives who will report to him:

• Laksh Nathan, EVP and chief information officer
• Jim Harrison, EVP of infrastructure & media technology
• Frank Governale, SVP of production technology & operations
• Carlo Joseph, chief information security officer

Wiser joined the company in September 2018 after serving as the tech chief for Hearst and Sony. He saw plenty of change during his tenure, including the Viacom-CBS merger, a rebrand to Paramount, and the Paramount-Skydance tie-up — plus the COVID-19 pandemic.

"His leadership has further contributed to the modernization of our platforms and the integration of data and technology across our brands," Glasgow said in his memo.

In his final missive to Paramount staffers, Wiser said that what he was "most grateful for is not the accomplishments — as remarkable as they are."

"It is the people," Wiser said. "The culture of this team. The way you solve hard problems together. The way you hold each other up through wave after wave of change and uncertainty. The way you have consistently shown what is possible when talented, good people commit to something. That is what I will carry with me."

Paramount has embraced a "tech-forward" approach since Ellison became CEO last August. He's told employees that "prioritizing investments in advanced technology and data capabilities" is the key to narrowing the gap with Netflix in the streaming space.

In recent months, Paramount+ has launched a short-form video feed and explored adding video podcasts and interactive elements like shopping features and sports stats.

Paramount is also combining the tech platforms for its namesake streamer and Pluto TV, its free streamer, in a process called "convergence" that involves bringing key tech teams together.

Ellison has made several crucial hires to expedite the 114-year-old media company's tech transformation, including former Google exec Hugh Williams and Glasgow, who came over last fall from Meta.

Read Wiser's full memo to employees here:

To my Paramount TECH team,

Writing this and sharing this news is harder than I expected.

After seven-plus years together, I have decided to leave Paramount.

But before I do, what I most want to say — the only thing that really matters — is thank you.

Thank you for showing up, every single day, through conditions that would have broken lesser teams.

Thank you for:

• The late nights and the early mornings. For the problems you solved that no one ever saw, and the ones you fixed that kept the whole thing running and got none of the credit.
• Being relentlessly focused on the complete technology and service experience for our internal and external customers.
• Every integration meeting, every migration, every system failure at 2 a.m. that somehow you turned around by dawn.
• Not flinching when COVID hit — keeping our people safe and our voice on the air.
• Protecting the company diligently while building modern, AI-first cybersecurity capabilities.
• Doing whatever was needed to get that show on the air, that production asset delivered, or that promo to pop.
• Streaming all of those live events at record-breaking scale, starting with the Super Bowl in 2019, on infrastructure that was a fraction of what exists today.
• Rebuilding our entire media supply chain, ad tech ecosystem, licensing solutions, and more into genuinely best-in-class technology and operations platforms.
• Embracing the AI opportunity early and bringing others along to advance our capabilities.
• Giving us one final win together — Oracle Fusion in just 15 months, a feat almost no organization at our scale has pulled off.

While delivering on all of this for Paramount, you also kept innovation, technical excellence, and user experience at the forefront of our efforts.

I saw all of it. Every bit of it. You set the company up for real success going forward.

But what I am most grateful for is not the accomplishments — as remarkable as they are. It is the people. The culture of this team. The way you solve hard problems together. The way you hold each other up through wave after wave of change and uncertainty. The way you have consistently shown what is possible when talented, good people commit to something. That is what I will carry with me.

The challenges coming down the road are real. The pace of change in technology, in AI, in how content is made and distributed — it is only accelerating. The work ahead will be demanding. None of that is new to this team.

I want to be clear about something: you are exceptionally well-positioned for everything ahead of you. The foundation we built together — the infrastructure, the platforms, the operational discipline, the AI capabilities we put in place — is not just solid. It is a genuine competitive advantage. You have done the hard work. You know how to do this.

As for me, I am heading back to my Silicon Valley tech roots to advance some ideas on enterprise AI. More to come on that at a later time. Needless to say, I remain energized and excited about the possibilities emerging in this AI revolution.

Seven years. What a journey.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside every one of you. And I will be cheering you on as I dive into what's next.

I am here through the end of May and hope to see many of you in the coming weeks to say farewell. You can always find me online — please stay in touch.

Stay Scrappy!

Phil

• Jack Antonoff defended traditional songwriting as a "holy process" in an open letter.
• Antonoff denounced AI-generated music as a way to fake making art.
• He isn't the first artist to condemn the use of artificial intelligence in the arts.

Artificial intelligence has seeped into many industries, and one hit songwriter has a strong opinion on its place in the arts.

Jack Antonoff, the 42-year-old singer-songwriter who has worked with Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, published a letter Thursday in defense of the "ancient ritual" of making music. In an Instagram post, Antonoff slammed those looking for a way to make songwriting easier or quicker.

"You don't have to write music anymore, you don't have to record it, and you don't have to bring the band out and play it," Antonoff said.

AI-generated content has made its way into fields from academia to illustration to music. Some companies are developing AI tools to automate tasks in the music industry, such as mastering a track. There are also AI assistants specifically designed to write songs and AI pop stars dropping singles on streaming platforms.

Antonoff is having none of it. He condemned the idea of using tech to optimize the "holy process" of writing, recording, and performing music. He said he spoke on behalf of himself, his band, and "everyone I know," as he called out "bad actors" who he said would eventually be revealed by the slop they produce.

"So to everyone who is gassed up about the new ways you can fake making art, by all means drive right off that cliff," Antonoff said in the letter. "We're genuinely happy to see you go."

He's not the first in the music industry to come for AI-generated music. Label Universal Music Group has gone toe-to-toe with AI multiple times to get music made to look and sound like its artists taken down from streaming platforms. Artist Jason Derulo has also said AI music lacks soul.

Antonoff said that the new musicians he knows aren't interested in AI-generated music. He was blunt in what he thinks about the people creating "slop" that's hitting streaming services these days.

"Godless whores," he wrote.

• After we got married, we rented out our spare bedroom to save money. At first, it worked well.
• Eventually, we started to feel uncomfortable in our own home and too reliant on this extra income.
• I'm grateful we rebuilt our savings, but we no longer have a roommate and don't want one again.

Shortly after getting married, my husband and I had the idea to rent out the spare room in our two-bedroom apartment to help rebuild our savings.

We'd just spent a lot on our wedding and honeymoon, and reducing our biggest living expense meant we'd have more money in our pockets each month.

Our spare bedroom is at the far end of our apartment, far enough away to maintain our privacy, making it an ideal space to rent. Plus, a friend of a friend was looking for a place to live.

Getting a roommate felt like the perfect opportunity and a great way for us to get back on track financially — and, for a while, it was.

At first, our new living arrangement worked well and provided a huge financial relief

For the first few months, things went really smoothly.

Our new roommate was in the hospitality industry and primarily worked at night, whereas my husband and I worked during the day. Since everyone had different routines, we weren't stepping on each other's toes.

It was also nice to share some of the household responsibilities, and keeping the apartment clean became second nature with a roommate. When someone else would be using the kitchen or bathroom after you, you wanted to make sure it's in good shape for the next person.

The biggest perk of our new living situation was the financial relief: one-third of our bills were covered. With this, our savings began to grow, and my husband and I started planning some vacations.

We took a two-week-long road trip around Sicily and were able to visit my husband's family in Argentina. We also have a dog, and our roommate loved dogs, so when we were away, they would take care of her.

So, my house was tidy, we had a live-in dog sitter, and our savings were growing. What could go wrong?

Over time, my husband and I stopped feeling comfortable in our own home

I wouldn't say that one particular incident caused us to second-guess having a roommate. Rather, over time, we realized this couldn't be a long-term solution.

We were newlyweds, and although taking romantic vacations was dreamy, we started to crave our privacy at home. Oftentimes, we found ourselves not wanting to use the common spaces in the house and trying to make as little noise as possible.

Before having a roommate, one of our favorite activities at the end of a long day was curling up on our couch to watch a movie. Now, we found ourselves doing this in our bedroom.

When we'd hear my roommate's key in the lock during mealtime, we'd sometimes scurry into our room with our dinner plates just to have quiet time alone.

We couldn't enjoy the beautiful home we had worked so hard to make our own, and feeling uncomfortable in it was affecting the intimacy in our marriage.

Eventually, the financial benefits just weren't worth it anymore

After a few months, we'd also begun to rely too much on the savings from renting the spare room.

Having more money to save each month also meant having more to potentially spend.

We were definitely traveling more than we could realistically afford on our own — a sign of lifestyle creep. This financial relief was always meant to be temporary; we couldn't get too attached to it.

It had also started to cause tension and arguments between my husband and me. I was ready for the roommate to leave, and my husband wanted them to stay a bit longer so our finances could get back on track after all the big spending on our trips.

So after a year and a half, we decided to give our roommate two months' notice to leave. This gave them time to find something, and gave us time to prepare financially to go roommate-free.

It's been just the two of us for about six months now, and we definitely feel freer in our own home — able to watch long movies on the couch and leave a dish or two in the sink, guilt-free.

We're still adjusting to working with a much tighter budget, but at least it's a more sustainable one.

Although we'd like to avoid having a roommate again, I would still recommend this to couples looking for extra cash flow as long as they weigh the pros and cons and set a clear deadline with their partner for how long the arrangement will last.

• Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
• When the sun goes down, the ship glows with bright, color-changing lights on its outdoor decks.
• Take a look at how the cruise ship transforms with vibrant colors at night in side-by-side photos. 

After taking my first cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, I think the ship might be even more beautiful at night.

During my nighttime walks across the 1,188-foot-long ship on a seven-day Caribbean cruise in 2021, I noticed it was equipped with a variety of lighting that transformed the vessel into a colorful oasis when the sun went down.

Take a look at the vibrant nighttime atmosphere at sea.

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world.

With 18 decks and 8 "neighborhoods," 21 restaurants, and a slew of bars and activities, this cruise ship is massive.

The ship has four outdoor decks that all guests can enjoy at night.

Kids on the ship have a 1 a.m. curfew.

All the pools close by 11 p.m., according to Cruise Compass, a daily schedule received on Royal Caribbean cruises.

Decks 15 and 16 are the pool decks.

But the decks are stunning at night, with lights beneath the water.

Above the pools, more lights change colors. I thought the rainbow glow over everything made the decks feel magical.

From the upper decks, guests can see the glows of the Central Park inner neighborhood on deck eight.

The outdoor deck full of plants lights up yellow at night. It reminded me of my own neighborhood at home during the holiday season.

Down on deck six, there's another outdoor neighborhood, the Boardwalk.

Reminiscent of a carnival, it's even brighter and more colorful at night.

Some lights in front of restaurants are on during the day, like the ones in front of this candy store.

Sugar Beach is a candy store that's right across from the carousel on the Boardwalk.

But above them, additional lights come on at night, making the space even more colorful.

I thought the neon lights at Johnny Rockets enhanced its classic diner feel.

At the back of deck six, the Aquatheater glows neon at night.

Pictures of stars fill the screens.

I found that when night came, the best place to be was deck 16, for the sunset views followed by glowing pools.

Exploring these mostly-empty, lit-up decks after hours was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been engaged for nearly a year.
• Their couple style has evolved since they first appeared publicly together in September 2023.
• They often sport the same brands and colors when they step out together.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are among the most famous couples on the planet.

Eyes have been glued to the pair since the earliest days of their relationship, with fans eagerly watching Swift attend Chiefs games and the couple going on date nights in New York. Over 37 million people liked their engagement announcement when they posted it on Instagram in August 2025.

In the early days of their relationship, it was fun to see Swift try on a Chiefs jersey or Kelce don a friendship bracelet. Nearly three years in, as Swift and Kelce have become a more established couple, their couple style has evolved, too.

From subtly coordinated Chiefs attire to sporting the same brands or colors, check out some of Swift and Kelce's couple looks, ranked from least to most stylish.

Swift and Kelce wore subtly coordinating outfits at one of their first joint NFL appearances.

Swift and Kelce were photographed leaving the Chiefs game together on October 22, 2023. Both wore red to celebrate Kelce's team.

Kelce's look consisted of a red-and-cream checked flannel shirt and popsicle-printed khakis, both designed by Billionaire Boys Club & Icecream. Green CNCPTS and Nike sneakers completed the outfit.

Swift paired an Ellie Mae Studios vintage Chiefs sweatshirt with a black skirt. The look was cute, but it wasn't distinct from an outfit any other Chiefs fan might wear to a game.

Though the couple's looks worked together, Swift's and Kelce's support for his team was the takeaway from the outfits, not their cohesiveness as a couple.

They both rocked baseball caps at Coachella in April 2024.

Swift's and Kelce's outfits for Coachella also felt subtly coordinated, as they both chose to accessorize their looks with a green-and-white baseball cap.

Swift paired a black top and jacket with a black Halara skirt, black Gucci sneakers, and a black Stella McCartney bag. She also wore a hat representing "New Heights."

Kelce, on the other hand, wore an R13 plaid shirt over a white tee, a colorful bandana around his neck, blue-and-white Martine Rose striped jeans, and white Converse high-tops. His "Happy Gilmore" hat was white with green font, making it the inverse of Swift's.

The couple wore statement jackets for their first public date night in New York City in October 2023.

The duo made their first official appearance as a couple in New York City on October 14, attending a taping of "Saturday Night Live" together.

Swift paired the Versace Medusa corset with high-waisted black trousers. She wore her Gant coat open, showing off the corset. The checked jacket was the only pop of color in her look, as her Aupen bag and Greymer shoes were black.

Kelce's patterned Jil Sander coat was similarly the star of his look, though he wore a little more color than Swift. His Burberry pants were brown, which he paired with a white button-down and white Christian Louboutin sneakers.

Both took an elevated approach to date-night fashion for their hard launch.

They both played up the texture of their looks for another October 2023 date night in New York.

The next day, the couple stepped out in New York again for another date night.

The base of Swift's look was black, as she paired a backward Khaite skirt with a Balenciaga corset top and Louis Vuitton boots. The sheer floral top from Jean Paul Gaultier, worn over the corset, brought color to her ensemble.

Kelce opted for a matching corduroy set, which he wore with a black shirt. Nike sneakers completed his laid-back look.

Both Swift and Kelce made a bold fashion statement at the Chiefs' 2024 debut.

After wrapping the European leg of the Eras Tour, Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium to support Kelce in the first game of the 2024-2025 season. They both took a more glamorous approach to their game-day fashion than in 2023.

Swift sported an all-denim look, including the denim version of Versace's Medusa corset top and denim shorts from Grlfrnd. The shorts showed off her maroon Giuseppe Zanotti boots, and she toted a Louis Vuitton trunk bag.

Swift also wore over $60,000 in jewelry to the game, including the TNT bracelet Kelce had custom-made for her.

Kelce left the game in a Lanvin set, featuring a white-and-orange ombré pattern that flowed from his shirt to his pants. A Homebred Legends trucker hat and Bottega Veneta sunglasses completed his colorful look.

Pops of red connected Swift's and Kelce's looks for the US Open in September 2024.

The couple made multiple public appearances together after the Chiefs' 2024 opener. For instance, they attended the US Open men's singles finals, where they both wore pops of red.

Kelce wore another coordinating set to the match, pairing a Gucci cardigan with matching shorts. Both featured red and green lining, coordinating with the red-and-green Gucci bucket hat Kelce wore with the look.

Swift chose a red-and-white gingham sundress from Reformation for the sporting event. The dress featured a dropped waist and a sweetheart neckline, giving the summery look structure. Her outfit also featured Gucci touches, including her platform sandals and the bag she carried. Crap Eyewear sunglasses tied the look together.

The ensembles felt more intentionally coordinated than some of Swift's and Kelce's past looks, highlighting how their couple style had evolved since they were first romantically linked.

They also wore complementary sporty looks to attend the Stanley Cup Finals in June 2025.

Kelce and Swift cheered on the Florida Panthers at the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals in monochromatic outfits inspired by the team's red and white colors.

Kelce wore a red sweatshirt and shorts from Elwood, which he paired with a red-and-white Panthers hat designed by Palm Tree Crew.

Swift, on the other hand, opted for a cream set from Area, pairing the brand's crystal-trimmed track jacket with the matching embellished shorts. She accessorized the set with cream Prada ankle boots and a black Chanel handbag. She also wore her hair in a braid, adding to the ensemble's casual feel.

Both Swift and Kelce looked sporty and chic, and it was fun to see their looks ooze team spirit when paired together.

The pair had different takes on autumnal fashion for a date night in November 2025.

Kelce looked to American Eagle's collaboration with Tru Kolors Brand for his date-night look, wearing a matching maroon courduroy jacket and trousers.

He wore a black tee under the jacket, which complemented his Louis Vuitton x Timberland boots. A diamond pendant from Palm Tree Crew and another from Louis Vuitton brought a pop of glam.

Swift was dressed in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton for the evening. She paired a ribbed pullover with a mini wrap skirt, atop Fleur du Mal fishnet tights embroidered with floral motifs. Knee-high boots and a bag, both Louis Vuitton, completed the look.

Swift's and Kelce's looks both read autumnal, with the former's gothic feel and the latter's red hue. They worked well together without feeling overly coordinated.

Their outfits for a September 2024 wedding at Electric Lady Studios were some of their best to date.

In September 2024, Kelce accompanied Swift to supermodel Karen Elson and art collector Lee Foster's wedding at Electric Lady Studios, where Swift frequently records her music.

Swift attended the nuptials in Zimmermann's cream Halliday dress, which featured scalloped detailing on the bodice and cutouts on the waist. The skirt was also embroidered with an array of flowers.

She paired the floral dress with cream Christian Louboutin heels, a blue Vivienne Westwood bag, and red lipstick.

Kelce wore two of the same designers as Swift, though his look was all black. He paired a short-sleeved Vivienne Westwood cardigan with black trousers and Christian Louboutin loafers.

The couple's outfits looked effortlessly chic, complementing each other without going over the top.

The couple wore subtly coordinating accessories for a night out in New York in October 2024.

Swift and Kelce were photographed going out to dinner in New York in October 2024. Although their outfits weren't coordinated, they wore Louis Vuitton accessories that stylishly tied their looks together.

Swift wore shades of light brown and black, pairing Gucci's net corset top with a black miniskirt from RTA and a camel coat designed by Ralph Lauren. She carried a Dior Saddle bag and wore Louis Vuitton's LV Roxy Platform Ankle Boots, as well as the brand's Ombré Blossom Open Ring.

Jacquemus designed Kelce's navy-and-cream blouse, which he wore with black pants and Lanvin sneakers. He also selected Louis Vuitton accessories for the evening, wearing the Monogram Craggy Necklace and Monogram Craggy Bracelet.

Both Swift and Kelce looked stylish and luxurious.

Swift's and Kelce's outfits for a December 2024 outing featured subtly cohesive color schemes.

Swift and Kelce stepped out together in New York City in December 2024 in mostly one-toned ensembles. However, both included a nod to the other's outfit with their looks.

Kelce walked hand in hand with Swift in Nahmias' waxed trucker jacket and baggy jeans, both in red. He wore a white Saint Michael shirt with black lettering and black boots from Louis Vuitton and Timberland.

Almost exactly opposite to Kelce, Swift's outfit was almost entirely black, aside from the red bottoms of her Christian Louboutin sandals and red lipstick. She wore a black minidress from Fleur du Mal with a high neckline, a crystal-adorned coat from Simkhai, and a Stella McCartney tote dripping with crystals.

Kelce let Swift sparkle for their awards show debut as a couple in March 2026.

The couple made their long-awaited debut at an awards show in March 2026, when Kelce accompanied Swift to the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Their outfits were worth the wait.

Swift wore a Wiederhoeft set for the occasion. The mint-green top had a corset bodice with exposed boning and sparkly detailing, offset by the simple, coordinating miniskirt. She played up the green with Jimmy Choo slingbacks in the same color.

Swift also wore plenty of luxury jewelry with her look, the priciest being the bi-color tourmaline earrings from Dena Kemp, which cost $36,000.

Kelce kept his look simple, wearing an all-black ensemble that included a Tom Ford polo shirt, trousers, and a leather jacket. He also wore Tom Ford boots, a Louis Vuitton necklace, and a David Yurman amulet.

Swift and Kelce couldn't have chosen better looks for an awards show where Swift was nominated. She dazzled in her colorful look, and Kelce was stylish while letting her shine.