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Today β€” 24 February 2025News

Ayesha Curry says she prioritizes her marriage to Steph Curry over their kids in order to be a better mom

24 February 2025 at 20:48
Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry.
Ayesha Curry says she puts her relationship with her husband, Steph Curry, before their kids.

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Gentleman's Cut

  • Ayesha Curry says she prioritizes her relationship with Stephen Curry over their four children.
  • "And that works for us because then you have two happy people raising the kids in the house," she said.
  • Prioritizing each other involves making time for each other, such as going on date nights, she said.

Ayesha Curry believes that partners should put each other first in order to be good parents.

In an interview with People, Curry spoke about prioritizing her relationship with her husband, NBA player Stephen Curry, over their kids.

"I think for us, our relationship always comes first. Then we're parents," Curry told People. "And that works for us because then you have two happy people raising the kids in the house. So the family sector in our lives always comes first."

The couple, who tied the knot in 2011, share four kids: Riley, Ryan, Canon, and Caius β€” whom they welcomed in May.

This isn't the first time that Curry has spoken about how she and her husband make their marriage work.

In a 2019 interview withΒ HelloGiggles, Curry shared that her parents and her in-laws were the ones who showed the couple the importance of prioritizing each other.

"And then also the biggest thing, both of our parents are still married and have been married for 30-plus years, and the one thing that they both shared with us β€” some through learning it the hard way, some through just making sure that they do it β€” is just making sure that we put each other first, even before the kids, as tough as that sounds," Curry told HelloGiggles.

This involves making time for each other, including date nights, she said.

"Because when you become a parent, you want to put your kids first, and we do, but we do it second to our relationship. Because ultimately, when our relationship is good, the kids are happy, and they're thriving, and our family life is good," Curry said.

At the end of the day, their relationship sets the basis for their family life.

"We have to put that into perspective and realize that it's not us being selfish, it's making sure we set a strong foundation," she said.

The Currys aren't the only celebrity couple who've spoken about making time for each other despite their busy schedules.

Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, Susan, shared that they don't go more than two weeks without seeing each other and being together as a family.

Gordon Ramsay's wife, Tana, says that she and her husband often get dressed up to go out on dates without their kids.

"In our relationship, having little kids again, our present to each other on our last anniversary was, we have to go to the theater once a month, and we have to go out three times a month, and we're not allowed to wear trainers," Tana said.

A representative for Curry did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The deadline has passed for federal workers to reply to DOGE's productivity email — but conflicting guidance persists

24 February 2025 at 22:16
President Donald Trump talking to reporters at the Oval Office; Elon Musk talking to reporters at the Oval Office.
"Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance," Elon Musk said of federal workers who did not email a list of their accomplishments from the past week.

Andrew Harnik via Getty Images

  • Federal workers were told to send a list of accomplishments by midnight on Monday or lose their jobs.
  • However, some federal agencies told their employees not to respond.
  • President Donald Trump and Elon Musk appeared intent on moving forward with the request.

The deadline for federal employees to email in their lists of personal accomplishments passed at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday night.

In the lead-up to the deadline, federal employees received conflicting guidance from President Donald Trump, DOGE leader Elon Musk, and government agencies on how β€” and if β€” they should respond to the request from the Office of Personnel Management.

Here's the latest.

What Trump is saying

On Saturday, the Office of Personnel Management sent an email to federal workers asking them to send an "email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week" by Monday 11:59 p.m. ET.

At a press conference on Monday, Trump said he thought the OPM's email was "great."

"So by asking the question, 'Tell us what you did this week,' what he's doing is saying, 'Are you actually working?'" Trump said.

Trump wasn't clear on what happens if federal workers don't send in their emails.

"And then, if you don't answer, you are sort of semi-fired, or you're fired," Trump said.

When asked about the conflicting guidance agencies have given on the request, Trump said that had been "done in a friendly manner" and that they weren't running counter to Musk's actions.

"Only things such as perhaps, Marco at State Department, where they have very confidential things, or the FBI where they are working on confidential things. They don't mean that in any way combatively with Elon," Trump said.

In a Saturday Truth Social post published hours before the OPM sent out its email, Trump praised Musk's work with DOGE but said he would like to see Musk "get more aggressive."

Musk's latest comments on the DOGE ask

In an X post on Saturday, Musk wrote that failure to respond to the OPM's email "will be taken as a resignation."

By Monday, Musk's wording had changed.

Musk wrote in an X post on Monday that federal workers who have yet to respond to the request "will be given another chance."

"Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination," Musk wrote.

In a Monday morning X post responding to Garry Tan, the president and CEO of Y Combinator, Musk said the DOGE request was "basically a check to see if the employee had a pulse and was capable of replying to an email."

"This mess will get sorted out this week," Musk wrote. "Lot of people in for a rude awakening and strong dose of reality. They don't get it yet, but they will."

The request echoes one that Musk made to employees at X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Shortly after he bought the social network in October 2022, Musk asked software engineers to print out their latest code for review.

Representatives for the White House and DOGE did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Guidance varies across departments

In a memo to heads of departments and agencies on Monday, the OPM reiterated its deadline for employee emails and said all emails should be addressed to agency heads with OPM copied.

At least eight agencies have told workers they don't have to respond to DOGE's email. These include the Department of Defense, the Social Security Administration, NASA, the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, the State Department, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

It is unclear how the White House and DOGE plan to reconcile the conflicting guidance that has been given since what some agencies are saying contradicts the OPM email deadline.

According to emails seen by Business Insider, some departments have told workers that responses about productivity and accomplishments will be handled by the agencies, not staff.

Other government departments have told employees they can respond to OPM if they wish, but that not responding will not incur penalties.

There have been conflicting communications from some government departments, which first told staff to respond to the OPM email before reversing course.

The Social Security Administration told employees on Sunday that the OPM email is a "legitimate assignment." On Monday afternoon, the agency told employees that responding is "voluntary."

"Non-responses are not considered a resignation," the agency's email to employees read.

This turmoil comes at the end of a chaotic few weeks for government employees, as Musk's DOGE proposed broad head count cuts across government agencies.

Thousands of federal workers have been fired. Some of these workers received termination notices saying that the job cuts were based on performance, per documents BI viewed.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Palantir CEO Alex Karp reveals what he would do if he weren't running the company

24 February 2025 at 19:04
Alex Karp
Alex Karp said if he wasn't leading Palantir he'd be leaning into his hobbies, like Tai Chi and shooting guns.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

  • Alex Karp said if he were not running Palantir, he'd move to his "hermit-like location."
  • At the Economic Club of New York, Karp said he'd lean into hobbies like Tai Chi, shooting guns, and reading.
  • Karp, known for being an eccentric leader, has run Palantir since 2004.

Alex Karp said if he were not running Palantir, he probably wouldn't be running another company β€” he'd be living like aΒ "hermit" and focusing on his hobbies.

The billionaire CEO of the big-data analytics company made the comments on Monday while speaking at theΒ Economic Club of New York.

When asked what he'd be doing if he wasn't leading Palantir, Karp said that while he is suited to running the defense contractor, he wasn't "built to run another company."

"I am a little bit of a hermit, and the minute they fire me, I'm going to be moving back to my hermit-like location and doing my hermit dance," he said, adding that involved things like reading, shooting guns, Tai Chi, and cross country skiing.

Karp also said he's anΒ "introvert" and is not interested in running for office.

He added that he'd also spend time with some friends and might engage in some "debaucherous behavior," prompting laughter from the crowd.

Karp has gained a reputation as an eccentric leader in Silicon ValleyΒ known for being a health and wellness fanatic who keeps Tai Chi swords in his office.

Karp has been CEO of Palantir, which he cofounded, since 2004, building it into a multi-billion-dollar company and major government contractor.

During its earnings call earlier this month, the company reported US revenue growth of 52% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2024, beating analyst expectations. However, Palantir's stock has taken a hit over the past week due to the possibility of defense spending cuts.

During the talk on Monday, Karp also shared why he left academia. After attending law school at Stanford University, Karp pursued a Ph.D. in philosophy at a university in Germany.

"I left academia because I felt like I was almost always right, and it didn't matter because it was all politics," Karp said. "So I had to go into business because in business there is a deliverable."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Mike Johnson boxed in by House GOP defectors on "big, beautiful bill"

24 February 2025 at 17:43

The list of no's is growing for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and time isn't on his side.

Why it matters: Flipping votes on a budget resolution isn't impossible, but it could force Johnson to delay bringing it to the floor.


  • ⏰ That would further undermine the House's effort to get "one big, beautiful bill" over to the Senate by the end of April.
  • πŸ’₯ Two current public "no" votes, Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), say the spending cuts aren't enough.
  • πŸ™‰ At least one other Republican is a private "no" vote, Burchett told reporters Monday evening.

Johnson and his leadership team are projecting public confidence they will be able to pass the resolution Tuesday evening.

  • "There's a couple of folks who just have lingering questions," Johnson told reporters Monday, "but I think all those questions can be answered and we'll be able to move forward."
  • "We'll see," Johnson told reporters when asked if the vote is still on for Tuesday night. "But it'll happen this week."

🚨Johnson says he won't negotiate ahead of a vote, including with moderates who are concerned by Medicaid cuts.

  • "Everybody needs to understand that the resolution is merely the starting point for the process," Johnson said Monday, per Politico.

The big picture: Johnson sided with his most conservative lawmakers in building this budget package. Now they're threatening to leave him hanging.

  • "If the Republican budget passes, the deficit gets worse, not better," Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) posted on X.

Zoom in: Johnson is trying to fuse together 218 votes with the unusual combination of a huge debt limit increase, deep spending cuts and Trump's wish list on tax cuts.

  • Johnson has freaked out his moderates with the depth of the spending cut targets, which will be hard to hit without cuts to Medicaid and nutrition programs.
  • That's for naught if conservatives tank the bill first.

Zoom out: Some senior Republicans remained optimistic that the current framework β€” which will also add up to $4.5 trillion in tax breaks if Congress cuts $2 trillion in spending β€” will eventually find enough votes for passage.

  • "It's going to reduce the debt to GDP ratio," Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told reporters. "It's important to me and important to our president."
  • "I don't expect it to change," he said. "I feel like we landed at a really good place."
  • "We're going to be fine," Arrington told Axios.

Federal workers sue over Musk's DOGE email soliciting updates

24 February 2025 at 11:22

The federal agency that sent out an email over the weekend asking workers what they accomplished last weekΒ can't fire those workers for not responding, claims an amended lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of federal employees.

Why it matters: It's the latest potential legal stumbling block for DOGE and Elon Musk's slash-and-burn workforce strategy.


Catch up fast: Over the weekend, at President Trump's prodding to be more aggressive, Musk announced that workers would get an email asking what they'd done in the past week. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," he said.

  • The email went out on Saturday to millions of workers β€”Β subject line "What did you do last week"? β€”Β causing confusion and an array of responses inside federal agencies, with many telling employees not to respond.
  • Crucially, the email did not threaten workers with termination.

Where it stands: On Monday afternoon, President Trump appeared to back Musk's threat β€” if employees don't respond to that email, "you're sort of semi-fired or you're fired," he said, answering reporter questions during an event with French President Emanuel Macron.

  • "A lot of people are not answering because they don't even exist."

Reality check: Musk and the White House have provided no evidence to back up that claim.

Zoom in: The Monday lawsuit amends an earlier complaint filed by a coalition of unions, including the AFL-CIO and American Federation of Government Employees.

  • It challenges the legality of mass firings of probationary workers β€”Β those that have been employed in their current roles for only a short time. Tens of thousands of such workers have been terminated, per the suit.
  • Only federal agencies have the ability to hire and fire their workers, the lawsuit says.

The Office of Personnel Management, the federal government's HR office, which sent out the email over the weekend, does not have that authority, the suit alleges.

  • "In creating OPM and delegating duties to its Director, Congress did not authorize OPM or its Director to order the termination of employees at any other federal agency."

The intrigue: Several federal agencies have told their workers not to respond to the email request.

  • If their agency does require a response, workers have until 11:59 pm Monday to do so.
  • After that, it's up to federal agencies to decide next steps, a White House official told Axios Monday afternoon β€”Β before President Trump's "semi-firing" comment.

What to watch: Also on Monday, an independent federal oversight agency said that some of the administration's mass firings of probationary workers were unlawful, per a report in Government Executive.

The bottom line: It's a confusing time to work for the federal government.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional reporting on the firings of probationary workers.

Meet Juliana Pasquarosa, the 'Bachelor' contestant who's emerging as a frontrunner for Grant's heart

24 February 2025 at 17:16
A headshot of "The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana.
Juliana Pasquarosa is one of the remaining contestants on season 29 of "The Bachelor."

Matt Sayles/Disney

  • Juliana Pasquarosa is one of the contestants on Grant Ellis' season of "The Bachelor."
  • She caught Grant's attention on night one, but doesn't go on a one-on-one date until week five.
  • Juliana is a 28-year-old client service associate based in Newton, Massachusetts.

As the competition heats up on season 29 of "The Bachelor," contestant Juliana Pasquarosa is quickly becoming a strong contender for Grant Ellis' heart.

"It has been so long since I have had a big crush or felt the butterfly feelings for a man. It's a little bit of a fairytale and my heart's happy," Juliana, 28, says during week three.

By week five of the show, Juliana is one of the seven remaining women. After patiently waiting all season, she finally gets to spend solo time with Grant during a one-on-one date in Scotland on Monday night's episode, and their connection grows even stronger.

Here's everything to know about Juliana.

Juliana has a job in finance

"The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana during week one.
"The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana during week one.

ABC

Grant is a day trader, and Juliana also has some ties to the financial sector. According to her LinkedIn profile, Juliana has been working as a client service associate at Winthrop Wealth, a wealth management firm, since May. She's also a social media manager for La Beautique Salon.

She graduated from Lasell College with a degree in marketing in 2018.

Juliana's family is the most important thing to her

"The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana during week one.
"The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana during week one.

ABC

In her intro package during the season premiere, Juliana says, "My family is like the center of my life."

"We're big, Italian, loud, crazy,'" she adds. "We really support each other."

Juliana also explains that she was cheated on a lot during a long relationship, which led her to a "dark place," but she credited her family with picking her up.

Juliana's ABC bio says that her parents were high school sweethearts, and she hopes to similarly find lasting love.

Based on the caption of one of herΒ InstagramΒ posts, Juliana's older sister signed her up for "The Bachelor" without telling her. Given how things are going with Juliana and Grant so far on the show, she may have to thank her sister.

She loves dogs

Juliana has a dog named Charlie and her ABC bio says that she "wants to own a dog-friendly bar one day."

"For a random $5-Walmart-parking-lot purchase, you sure turned out to be one of the biggest blessings," Juliana wrote in part on Instagram.

Juliana's bubbly disposition gets Grant's attention from the start

"The Bachelor" season 29 contestant Juliana plays piano for Grant during the season premiere.
Juliana and Grant during "The Bachelor" season 29 premiere.

ABC

After sharing a cannoli with Grant during her limo entrance on night one, Juliana impresses the Bachelor with her piano skills later that evening.

"Juliana immediately has my attention," Grant says. "She has some skills that I definitely don't have. Not to mention, she's gorgeous. She's a talented woman and I love that."

Juliana also tells Grant that she's a bubbly person because of the love she got from her family. Although the competition begins with 25 women, Grant tells her that he has his eyes on her.

"I like your personality and you're beautiful," he tells her before they share their first kiss.

Their connection gets overshadowed by some of the drama throughout season 29, but Juliana does eventually get to spend time with Grant at a castle in Scotland.

"I just feel like a princess," Juliana says. "Cinderella can take a full backseat because this is like, next-level type of love."

New episodes of season 29 of "The Bachelor" premiere on Mondays.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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