• Europe is worried that Russia could attack countries beyond Ukraine.
• At the same time, Trump has suggested the US would be less involved in helping its NATO allies.
• Without US support, Europe lacks a key capability needed in a conflict with Russia, experts told BI.

If President-elect Donald Trump cuts US military cooperation with Europe, its NATO allies there would lose a key capability needed to resist Russian aggression.

Europe relies heavily on the US for the use of aircraft and weaponry to target air defense systems, known as suppression of enemy air defenses, or SEAD.

If a military can't execute this critical mission, its aircraft are hindered and vulnerable, unable to strike or protect, leaving its ground forces much more exposed and less effective.

"One of the most crucial things that Europe is lacking is SEAD," Tim Robinson, a military aviation specialist at the UK's Royal Aeronautical Society, told BI. He described SEAD as "a crucial role," but one Europe has let "wither the vine."

Reliance on the US

There are few dedicated SEAD platforms on the continent. Germany and Italy's Tornado aircraft carry the AGM-88 HARM munition for targeting radars and are equipped with the needed Emitter Location System, but those are set to be retired next year.

Other NATO partners operate F-16s, which can have a SEAD role, but only US Air Force Fighting Falcons are equipped with the HARM Targeting System for better SEAD.

US allies in Europe are increasingly looking to replace older aircraft with F-35s, but only a few are also acquiring AGM-88 missiles.

(These missiles are highly capable for SEAD missions and were delivered to the Ukrainian air force for this purpose, but less so for the destruction of enemy air defenses, or DEAD, missions.)

"The F-35 was designed specifically to be able to operate against modern SAM systems in both the penetrating strike and SEAD/DEAD roles," Justin Bronk, an air power expert at the Royal United Services Institute, wrote early last year.

He highlighted the fifth-generation jet's advanced stealth, electronic warfare, and active and passive sensor suite for detecting enemy surface-to-air missile systems.

"Despite these very impressive capabilities, simply fielding the F-35 is not sufficient as an answer to European NATO's SEAD/ DEAD problem in itself," he said.

This situation has left Europe heavily dependent on the US, less than ideal amid questions about US reliability and as Russia's war in Ukraine has shown how important defeating enemy air-defense batteries is in modern conflict.

In Ukraine, neither side has been able to conduct successful SEAD operations, leaving both air forces hugely hampered and forcing ground units into grinding battles with heavy casualties.

Mattias Eken, a missile defense expert at the RAND Corporation, said an important lesson from the Ukraine war has been that "air forces must be able to find, suppress, and destroy" mobile surface-to-air missiles to achieve air superiority "against even moderately equipped state opponents."

Eken added that no other Western air force except the US has significant SEAD capabilities. All other NATO forces "have limited penetrating assets, munitions stocks, and experience in operating large, mixed strike packages."

American SEAD might and a lack of European capability

Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Gordon "Skip" Davis, who served as NATO's deputy assistant secretary-general for its defense-investment division, said "the vast majority of the SEAD aircraft, in the event of aggression, would be provided by the US."

Davis told BI that the US has the stealth aircraft, including penetrating bombers, needed to locate and destroy Russian air defenses, and US aircraft have intelligence capabilities "that NATO would have great difficulty in replacing."

He warned that without better SEAD capabilities or US support, NATO "would be hard-pressed to be effective in a large Russian aggression."

Warfare experts at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in April 2023 that "NATO is now wholly dependent on the United States for SEAD capabilities."

A key example was the large-scale NATO air campaign over Libya in 2011, where the US provided almost all of the alliance's SEAD capabilities despite having planned to only play a supporting role in that situation.

Looking ahead, Europe may not be able to count on the US. Trump has been a strong critic of NATO and, in his first term, threatened to withdraw from the military alliance if other nations didn't spend more on their defense.

European countries have dramatically increased their defense spending since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, and some now spend more on defense than the US as a percentage of GDP. (Warfare experts say that's a response to Russian aggression, not Trump's pressure.)

But Europe is acutely aware of Trump's threats, and military experts warn that the continent's increased expenditure is not enough to support Ukraine and prepare for Russia's threats alone. It still needs the US.

Thinking about the Russian threat

Russia has repeatedly threatened to attack elsewhere in Europe, and many countries have warned that it could happen in the next few years, especially if Moscow emerges victorious in Ukraine.

It's unclear if the US would or even could withdraw its support, especially for allies who already spend a lot on defense.

US forces are now so integrated in Europe that, if something happens soon, "they're automatically involved" unless the US makes a major policy shift to return forces to the US, Gordon said.

Europe is nevertheless taking actions to address its deficiencies, like a pan-European defense company now developing a new SPEAR-EW missile.

"I think the penny has dropped," said Robinson, but he added that not enough was happening. "It's taking time, I think, for European capitals and maybe multinational organizations to get the momentum going."

Michael Bohnert, a warfare expert at the RAND Corporation, said that it could take years to reconstitute a supply chain for necessary missiles. That means "there really aren't any good options" to cover a deficit in the short term if the US pulls back, he told BI.

Robinson said Europe has an advanced industrial base, but "the difficulty is it's all fragmented."

Some cooperation has taken place, including four European nations agreeing to operate their jets as a single fleet.

Jan Kallberg, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and a fellow at the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, said "acquisition, cooperation, and collaboration are essential."

He said countries should buy assets together and "operate jointly as a multinational force," especially given how large Europe is and how much land may need to be defended.

Fixing Europe's SEAD deficits will take time, during which it will be more vulnerable to attacks. But Russia has demonstrated an inability to effectively use its own assets — a flaw that could ultimately aid Europe.

"Europe will lack enough SEAD capabilities for the next 10 to 15 years," said Kallberg, but "the Russian air force and air defenses can't get their intelligence, command, and control to act together, and lack resources for broad modernization."

"If there is a war," he said, "it is not Europe's abilities that save the day. It is the Russian inability."

• Ajit Pai urged the Supreme Court to uphold a federal law that could ban TikTok.
• The TikTok law requires its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest to avoid a US ban.
• Pai, the FCC chair during Trump's first term, led efforts against other Chinese tech firms.

Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is siding with Congress — and against his former boss, president-elect Donald Trump — in support of a federal law that could ban TikTok.

In a brief filed with the Supreme Court on Friday, Pai joined Thomas Feddo, an official in the Department of Treasury during Trump's first term, to call on the court to uphold the law, telling the justices that it has precedent.

Trump also filed a brief with the Supreme Court on Friday, asking the court to put the law on hold. It's set to go into effect on January 19, one day before Trump assumes office for the second time.

Congress passed the bipartisan law in April, citing national security concerns over the Chinese ownership of the popular social media company. It established a nine-month deadline for TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese company or face a ban in the United States.

TikTok filed a suit in May, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment. The DC Circuit Court upheld the law on December 6. TikTok then filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on December 18. The court is expected to hear arguments on January 10.

Pai was one of numerous people and organizations, from members of Congress to free speech groups, who filed briefs to the Supreme Court in support or opposition to the law.

Pai headed the FCC from 2012 to 2016 under President Barack Obama and then from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump.

In his filing, Pai's attorneys argued that the law has precedent.

They said he "spearheaded rulemaking" that prevented communications companies receiving federal funding from purchasing or using equipment from Chinese-owned tech companies like Huawei and ZTE over data privacy and security concerns.

The briefing says Pai also "put in place" the process for designating companies that could be a risk to national security. The document says these measures are "extremely similar" to the TikTok law passed by Congress.

"Congress and the Executive Branch have routinely identified in legislation or regulation specific companies under China's control that pose particular national security risk," the document says.

"In these other instances, just as with the Divestiture Act, Congress put in place a process for future designations in addition to naming particular threats."

Pai was a controversial figure during his leadership of the FCC. Under his tenure, the FCC ended net neutrality rules, which had governed the internet and been encoded in 2015. Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers should treat all data the same, and not give preference to certain websites or slow down others.

In April 2024, the FCC announced an order that restored net neutrality as an industry standard.

Searchlight Capital — the private equity firm where Pai has been a partner since 2021, when he left his post at the FCC — did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider. An attorney for Pai declined to comment.

• Ridley Scott has advised against vacationing in Malta, a film location for "Gladiator II."
• Politicians in Malta are not happy about it.
• Malta paid the "Gladiator II" producers $48 million for filming there.

Director Ridley Scott has advised people to avoid visiting Malta, one of the filming locations for his action flick, "Gladiator II."

His remark upset politicians in Malta, where a local incentive funneled millions in rebates to the movie's production company.

"I wouldn't advise going there on holiday," Scott said during a discussion in front of a live audience with director Christopher Nolan earlier this month. "I would not go back there on holiday."

"Gladiator II" received a €46.7 million — about $48 million — rebate for working in the country, according to the Times of Malta.

Malta's Film Commissioner Johann Grech originally shared an edited clip of the interview on Facebook that did not include Scott's comment about visiting Malta. The director also said the architecture in Malta "goes from medieval right through to renaissance, and when it's good, it's spectacular."

However, once the full version made the rounds, some members of Malta's parliament were not happy. Julie Zahra, the opposition party's minister of culture, said in a Facebook post on Friday that Grech had been "humiliated" by Scott and should step down from his position. She then urged the film industry to also focus on local talent, saying the industry "deserves much better."

Later that day, Adrian Delia, another member of Malta's parliament, tagged Scott in a separate Facebook post. Delia said Scott had achieved worldwide fame and accolades and "mesmerized millions with tales of historic legend brought to life."

"Sadly however seems you have not managed to learn respect. Towards those who welcomed you warmly, shared and lent their history and culture and showered you with millions to credit to your tax bill. How unfortunate," the post read.

Malta is one of several international destinations, including Croatia and Iceland, offering filmmakers rebates. The rebates are a way to entice filmmakers, who often hire local workers and contribute to the economy far beyond the cost of the rebate.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo previously defended Malta's rebate incentive during an interview with The Malta Independent published in 2023.

"When we say we will give €47 million as a cash rebate, it means that while this production is being filmed in our country, over €110 million is being spent. So giving the impression that the country is losing money is completely wrong, is misleading," he told the outlet.

Bartolo said this method of investing in the film industry has provided jobs to local residents.

"These people who are earning money or improving their skills to then be able to work in Malta or abroad, are we going to lose them this work? Or are we going to say we will continue investing in this industry to really increase opportunities, improve the skills of our crews," he said.

Representatives for Scott, Grech, Zahra, Delia, Paramount Global, and the Malta Film Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Homelessness hit a record high this year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development found.
• About 770,000 people were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in January.
• In a silver lining, homelessness among veterans decreased markedly.

This year, homelessness was the worst it has ever been — for everyone except veterans, that is.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development released the results from the annual point-in-time surveys of unsheltered homeless people, which cities nationwide conducted in January.

Overall, homelessness was the highest it has been since the government began keeping track, with about 770,000 experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a single night in January. That's an 18% increase from the same time in 2023, the HUD said in its report released on Friday.

"While this data is nearly a year old and no longer reflects the situation we are seeing, it is critical that we focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness," Adrianne Todman, HUD's acting secretary, said in a press release.

Veterans were the sole group that saw a positive change. According to the survey, homelessness among veterans dropped to 32,882, the lowest number on record and about an 8% decrease from 2023. Unsheltered homelessness among veterans also dropped to 13,851, an 11% decrease from 2023.

"This year, HUD has helped connect nearly 90,000 veteran households to stable, rental homes," the department said in the press release. The Department of Veterans Affairs permanently housed 47,925 vets in 2024.

Researchers at the Brookings Institution found that homeless people in many major cities rely on temporary and emergency shelters. Building paths to permanent housing, on the other hand, improved housing access overall, leading to declines in homelessness in some cities, the researchers found.

• When I was a college student, I decided to skip studying abroad.
• There were many reasons, but mainly, I wanted to stay with my boyfriend and roommate on campus.
• Now, as a mother of two, I regret that decision to travel freely at a young age.

I went to a liberal arts college that felt, at times, like a four-year sleepaway camp.

After spending high school studying, not dating, and having no social life, college was a dream come true. During freshman year, I snagged a great roommate, several lifelong friends, and a boyfriend.

When it came time to decide if I should study abroad, it was sophomore year, and I was still going strong with my roommate, friends, and boyfriend. I didn't want to leave them, so I decided not to study abroad.

I'm big on accepting my past decisions, but this one, to decline the opportunity to study abroad, is one of my persisting regrets.

I didn't study abroad for a few reasons

When asked, I told people I "couldn't" go abroad and still graduate on time. I was a double major and trying to minor in classics. There were quite a few graduation requirements I'd yet to take, and I remember thinking it would be hard to get all my credits for general ed and my majors while abroad. I didn't want my senior year of college to be spent scrambling to graduate.

If I'm being honest with myself, though, I was scared. I wasn't good at learning languages, so I'd either have to go somewhere English-speaking or put forth a significant effort to gain mediocre language skills in order to navigate another country. I wasn't a very chill traveler, had only ever traveled with family, and liked my comfort foods and spaces.

But my biggest fear was that I would miss out on a great social life I built. Socially, my life had never been better. I'd found a home at my school, had friends who were like family, and was in a relationship. He told me he wasn't planning to go abroad either for similar reasons: He also had a competitive major and liked his life the way it was.

I didn't want to miss a moment with those people.

I regretted my decision the following year

I was immensely lucky and privileged to be at college: A scholarship and my parents paid my tuition. I should've taken the opportunity given to me at that time, so it was short-sighted not to have the chance and study a culture other than my own.

My junior year ended up being one of the most stressful times of my life. The boyfriend and I broke up and got back together — and then we had even more issues. Many of my friends were abroad either for one semester or the whole year, including my previous roommate. Her replacement for the fall semester and I were, to put it mildly, a bad fit. I never felt so alone as I did those first few months of junior year.

I regretted not going abroad, but I was still nervous to do so because my on-and-off-again boyfriend was still on campus.

Years later, I still imagine what my life would be like if I did study abroad

Looking back 20 years later, I wish I'd just gone on my own little adventure. It would have been good for me to stretch my comfort zone at 20 when I was able to move more freely than I am now that I'm financially and physically responsible for myself and two kids.

Because I married that college boyfriend, had two children, and then divorced in 2020, I often wonder if it was worth staying behind for him.

I honestly think it was a sliding doors moment, and my entire life would be different today if I'd taken the opportunity. While I'd like to think I learned from my junior year experiences, I think I could have gotten there faster with a little physical distance from the place and people I'd come to rely on for emotional regulation.

The "Friends" finale aired in the spring of my freshman year — when I was entrenched in these relationships. Rachel famously gets off the plane, doesn't go to Paris, and gives up her dream career. We were supposed to think her staying with her friends and baby-daddy/sometimes boyfriend was the peak of romance. Now, I wish that both Rachel and I had gotten on that plane and taken the chance on the unknown.

• Andrew Jernigan, 51, has moved with his family between the US and Brazil multiple times.
• The last time he lived in Brazil, his children were teenagers and found the move difficult.
• He says that when moving with kids older than 12, parents need to think about safety and college.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Andrew Jernigan, CEO of Insured Nomads. It has been edited for length and clarity.

The first time I moved to Brazil was in 2000 to marry a Brazilian woman I had been introduced to by a friend and had been writing to for quite some time. We were engaged on my first visit and married the following year after I moved there.

My family has moved four times between the US and Brazil. We learned that there are more things to consider when moving with teenagers than when moving with little kids.

We moved to Brazil, so our kids could connect with their mom's culture

After getting married, my wife and I moved back to the US and then to Ghana for a time for her work. In 2008, we decided to take some time to live back in Brazil with our three young children. We wanted our children, who were half Brazilian, to learn Portuguese and be exposed to different cultures. We also wanted to live somewhere for a while with a low cost of living to enjoy the benefits of the dollar's value.

We moved back to the US when I had a job opportunity in Northern California. It was an adventure with fun times in the Bay Area, hiking in the mountains, and a community of diverse nationalities that the kids thrived in as well. My wife pursued further education while there, then her MBA and MPH at the University of Alabama. A company in Brazil hired her, so we made another move to Brazil in 2019.

When we lived in Brazil without children or with young children, there was nothing but good about living abroad. The cost of living was cheaper, and the children could attend local schools, pick up the language, and experience Brazilian culture. As a family, we'd escape to the mountains and seaside for days out. We felt that we could have lived there forever.

During the last stint of living in Brazil, from 2019 to 2021, our children were all over the age of 12, and we had to consider their futures and their safety.

We had to budget for private schools

My kids wanted the opportunity to attend universities outside Brazil. This meant that we couldn't put them in the local Brazilian schools because they wouldn't allow them to work toward SATs or A-levels to get into American or British universities.

Instead, we budgeted to place them in the American School of Rio de Janeiro. They got a great education and were exposed to expats from all around the world, but it was very expensive.

The school didn't have the same level of sports clubs as in the US. My daughter had played lacrosse, and my son wanted to row for the crew — neither of those sports was available to them in Brazil.

We moved back to the US for many reasons

As teenagers, they wanted to be independent of us, but we had to be very watchful of them due to safety concerns. They could be targets of theft and even kidnapping. We know it happens, and were very protective of them going around the city on their own.

Whereas in the US, we wouldn't think twice about leaving them at parties or going to a friend's house, we were always on alert for their whereabouts and who they were with if they were out of the house while we were in Brazil.

There were little things they missed, too. They missed comfort foods like peanut butter and American candy. And we all missed our extended family.

But the main reason we came back to the US in 2021 was my kids' trajectory in school. Reintegrating back into American schools as teenagers had its challenges. Their friends had been in school together, going to birthday parties together, and attending summer camps together for three years.

My kids had missed all of it and had to figure out how to insert themselves back into their old world.

We miss life in Brazil

Even though we knew moving back to the US was the right thing to do while our children were still teens, we still remember the incredible beaches, forests, and mountains of Brazil. We all miss being able to quickly access the rugged, wild outdoors. There were always cultural activities we could go to as a family, and we spent hours eating together at restaurants with some of the best food I've ever tasted.

Even though we haven't ruled out living in Brazil in the future, we'll wait to move back until our kids are out of the house. But we'll be sure to visit often until we return to live again.

• North Korean forces are being sent forward in "human waves" against Ukraine, the White House said.
• A spokesperson said the tactic has resulted in heavy casualties, with more than 1,000 killed or wounded in the past week.
• The North Korean troops are treated as expendable and sent on "hopeless" assaults, they said.

North Korean forces are suffering heavy casualties as they carry out "human wave" attacks against Ukrainian troops, a White House spokesperson has said.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that the US now assesses North Korean soldiers are carrying out "massed, dismounted assaults" against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region.

"And these human wave tactics that we're seeing haven't really been all that effective," Kirby said. "We assess that they've resulted in heavy casualties for these North Korean forces."

"Our estimate is that, to date, they have suffered more than 1,000 killed or wounded in this particular fighting in just the past week of them fighting on the front lines."

Kirby said it was "clear" that Russian and North Korean military leaders saw the troops as "expendable" and were "ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses."

He added that the soldiers "appear to be highly indoctrinated, pushing attacks even when it is clear that those attacks are futile."

North Korean troops first arrived in Russia in October. Ukraine said in November that it had for the first time attacked North Korean forces in Kursk, where Ukraine advanced into in August as part of its fightback against Russia's invasion.

Pyongyang's losses have since mounted, according to South Korean and Western intelligence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that preliminary estimates suggested that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in Kursk.

North Korea's military is one of the biggest in the world, but it has little battle experience. South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) reportedly said that some of Pyongyang's troops are ill-prepared for drone attacks and the terrain in Kursk.

Ukrainian officials and soldiers have said some North Korean troops have been killed by drones that they did not realize were dangerous, while Ukrainian intelligence said others accidentally killed eight Russian soldiers in Kursk in a "friendly fire" incident caused by a language barrier.

Warfare experts told Business Insider that North Korean troops appeared to be suffering high casualties as they were not given much training but that the troops could learn to adapt to the battlefield.

The NIS warned that North Korea nevertheless appeared to be preparing to put more troops in Russia, The New York Times reported.

Kirby also said on Friday that the US has reports "of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured."

The alleged treatment of North Korean soldiers is not dissimilar to how Moscow has treated some of its own forces — Russian troops have also frequently attempted to overwhelm Ukrainian positions with "meat wave" attacks.

Moving forward, Kirby said the US would remain "absolutely committed" to bolstering Ukrainian air defenses, citing Russia's Christmas attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

"No doubt this was all about weaponizing winter and weaponizing energy, making it harder for the Ukrainian people to get the heat that they need simply to subsist," Kirby said.

He added that the US would soon have another security assistance package for Ukraine, including air defense systems and gear "to help them in fighting in and around Kursk to beat back these North Korean waves, as well as continue their defensive operations against the Russians in the east."

It comes at a crucial moment for Kyiv as it gears up for the return of Donald Trump to the White House.

• China unveiled its newest amphibious assault ship in a launching ceremony in Shanghai on Friday.
• The Sichuan's standout feature is a catapult system capable of launching fixed-wing aircraft.
• The first-in-class flattop also has a massive flight deck as large as three football fields.

China unveiled the new amphibious assault ship it has been secretly building this past year at a launching ceremony at a shipyard in Shanghai.

The Sichuan, the first Yulan-class landing helicopter assault (LHA) ship, has a massive flight deck as large as three football fields. Once completed, it will be the largest vessel of its kind.

But the ship's large size isn't the only detail that sets it apart.

While other amphibious assault ships have only been able to carry helicopters and vertical/short takeoff and landing aircraft, the Sichuan is equipped with a carrier-style catapult system and arresting gear that allows it to launch heavier fixed-wing aircraft, the Chinese navy said. Even with the unveiling, mystery still shrouds what is essentially a light aircraft carrier and China's ambitions for it.

World's largest amphibious assault ship

Construction on the next-generation assault ship began in early 2024, according to the Pentagon's annual congressional report on China's military.

With a displacement of 40,000 tons, satellite images show the Sichuan measures more than 850 feet long and about 170 feet wide, making it considerably larger than its Chinese predecessor, the Type 075, but smaller than the Fujian, the People's Liberation Army's newest and largest aircraft carrier.

The Type 076 is also much larger than Japan's Izumo-class helicopter carriers. While the Sichuan is about as long as the US Navy's America-class LHAs with a similar displacement, it is more than 60 feet wider.

The Chinese warship's larger size and deck space allow it to accommodate both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, with additional storage capacity for more personnel and equipment.

Electromagnetic catapult system

Unlike traditional light aircraft carriers, the Sichuan is equipped with a catapult system and arresting gear for the launch and recovery of fixed-wing aircraft — an operative capability typically reserved for aircraft carriers.

"This is not something that we've seen before," Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow with the China Power Project at CSIS, told BI previously. "No other country has an LHA that has a catapult system on it."

The electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) is likely similar in design to the catapult aboard the US Navy's advanced Ford-class supercarriers.

The only warship in operational service that employs EMALS is the US Navy carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which has been undergoing shake-down trials at sea, also features three EMALS-style catapults, but the Sichuan's catapult trench, which is over 425 feet long, is significantly longer by comparison.

Earlier Chinese carriers had ski-jump-style ramps for launching aircraft without catapults, leaping past steam-power catapult technology to pursue the more advanced electromagnetic launch system.

Operating for a little over a decade, China's relatively young carrier force could still face a"steep learning curve" in employing modern catapult technology, retired Adm. Raymond Spicer, the CEO and publisher at the US Naval Institute, previously told BI. But the installation of the technology aboard the Type 076 could indicate China's confidence in the design.

Potential future 'drone carrier'

The Chinese navy has yet to confirm what kind of air wing will operate aboard the Sichuan, but it could have a future role as a massive drone carrier, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The vessel's catapult, wider flight deck, and unobstructed runway make it highly capable of large-scale drone operations as China expands its arsenal of UAVs, like the Hongdu GJ-11 stealth combat drone, Guizhou WZ-7 reconnaissance drone, and the CASC CH-4B Rainbow strike UCAV.

'A substantial step forward'

While the exact timeline for the Type 076 still remains unclear, the Pentagon estimated the ship could join China's naval fleet by the second half of the decade.

Operating more than nearly 400 naval platforms, China has the world's largest maritime fighting force but has long been considered a green-water navy, meaning it operates mostly near its shores. Amphibious assault ships and carriers change that equation.

"I think it is as important, if not more important, to emphasize how mind-bogglingly impressive China's ability to build ships is," Funaiole said.

While not much is known about the capabilities or primary mission of China's next-gen amphibious flattops, the CSIS said the Sichuan "represents a substantial step forward" toward the PLAN's blue-water ambitions, projecting power in waters thousands of miles away.

• Business Insider asked interior designers which bathroom trends are in and out for 2025.
• Designers said trends like LED lighting and mixed metals are on the rise.
• However, medicine cabinets and floating vanities have fallen out of favor.

As the year comes to an end, those in the interior-design space are reflecting on the trends people followed throughout 2024. Some home-design trends are here to stay, though others are definitely on their way out.

Business Insider asked three interior designers which bathroom trends will be in and out in 2025. Here's what they said.

LED lighting will be everywhere in 2025.

Interior designer Trudi Smith of Trudi Smith Designs sees LED lighting as one of the biggest bathroom trends right now.

She predicts the lights will be especially popular in mirrors, cabinet interiors, and toe-kick lighting (a soft light installed underneath a cabinet or other low-to-the-ground furniture).

2025 will see more specialized storage spaces in the bathroom.

Colette Rodon Hornof, designer and founder of Vesta of Hearth and Home, is seeing a trend toward what she calls hyper-organization.

"It's not just about having drawers in your bathroom, but that the drawers are hyper-organized to accommodate whatever you need to store," she said.

This could include drawers with built-in outlets and inserts for essentials like makeup, medicine, towels, or grooming devices.

Similarly, she also expects to see custom-made storage spaces for bathroom appliances.

Mixed metals are growing in popularity.

Cindy Kelly, owner of Cindy Kelly Kitchen Design, is seeing increased interest in mixed metals in the bathroom.

Because metal finishes often require constant cleaning due to fingerprints or water spots, she recommends polished chrome or nickel for the fixtures that get the most use, like showerheads or faucets.

Bathrooms that function as self-care spaces remain on trend.

According to Rodon Hornof, 2025 will see more people transforming their bathrooms into calming spaces.

As people gravitate toward general self-care, she sees the bathroom as the ideal space for incorporating features to help reduce stress.

These elements can include decorating with natural materials, like wood or stone, and installing freestanding tubs equipped with aromatherapy, chromotherapy (which uses colors and lights to promote relaxation), and bubble-jet features.

On the other hand, the farmhouse style is no longer on trend.

Though the farmhouse style had a good run, Kelly said the harsh black-and-white tiles and flooring that define this look are no longer on trend.

"The black and white isn't personal enough — it feels more like what a builder would put in to sell the house," she said.

Instead, the designer predicts bath spaces that offer warmth and a personalized feel will trend.

All-white bathrooms can feel sterile.

According to Smith, all-white bathrooms won't be as popular in 2025, as they can feel a bit cold and sterile. As more people gravitate toward warmer spaces, cool-white shades will likely become a thing of the past.

Floating vanities lack much-needed storage space.

Though floating vanities, which are mounted on the wall and don't extend to the floor, create a sense of added space, Kelly says they actually take away much-needed storage.

"Once you cut the vanity in half to float it, you lose storage," she said. "So while it's a beautiful look, it's just not practical."

For this reason, she says floating vanities will likely be less popular in the new year.

Fewer people are designing their bathroom spaces with future buyers in mind.

One of the most interesting trends in bathroom design is how people are becoming less focused on what others think of their decor.

Higher interest rates mean fewer people are moving, and as a result, Smith believes more homeowners are designing their spaces to be lived in, not to impress future buyers.

"People are not designing for their friends. They're not trying to keep up with the Joneses," the designer told BI. Instead, she said people want their bathroom to reflect their personal likes, wants, and needs.

Medicine cabinets have fallen out of favor.

As clean lines and sleek designs trend, clunky medicine cabinets are becoming less popular. However, Rodon Hornof sees this as a missed opportunity.

"People who design their bathrooms without medicine cabinets may regret it, as they're missing out on a great opportunity for storage that can actually be incorporated in a very beautiful and aesthetic way," the designer said.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to Azerbaijan for the fatal Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash.
• Putin did not take responsibility, however.
• Experts and the White House say there is evidence the plane may have been hit by Russian air defenses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to the president of Azerbaijan for the recent fatal Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, but he stopped short of claiming responsibility for the incident.

The Kremlin said on Saturday that Putin apologized during a phone call with Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev.

The Kremlin's press office said that Putin had "offered his apologies that the tragic incident had occurred in Russia's airspace and once again conveyed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the plane crash victims and wished those injured the quickest recovery," per Russia's Tass news agency.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight Flight 8243 crash-landed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Kazakh authorities said 38 people died, including the pilots, while 29 others survived.

The aircraft was traveling to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, before it diverted to Kazakhstan.

Putin said that Ukrainian drones and Russian air defenses were operating around Grozny as the plane attempted to land, Tass reported.

Azerbaijan's presidential office confirmed that Putin apologized but emphasized that the crash was caused by the plane being hit in Russian airspace.

"President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane encountered external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control," the office said in a statement.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that the US had "seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems."

When questioned by media whether the US had seen intelligence that pointed to the involvement of an air defense system, Kirby said the short answer was "yes" but said he would "leave it at that."

Experts and reports have also pointed to Russia likely being behind the crash. Alleged evidence includes the erratic route the plane took as well as photo and video evidence of the aircraft that shows holes in its fuselage and tail while it was still in the air.

Rashan Nabiyev, Azerbaijan's minister of digital development and transportation, told the country's media that "preliminary conclusions by experts point at external impact," the AP reported.

"The type of weapon used in the impact will be determined during the probe," he added.

The Kremlin had initially refused to comment on the allegations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday: "Currently an investigation is in progress. Any air incident should be investigated by specialized aviation authorities."

"It would be wrong to build any hypotheses before the panel of inquiry presents its conclusions," he added.

• My family recently visited Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, home of Potcake Place K9 Rescue.
• A potcake is a mixed-breed street dog in the Caribbean, and the rescue lets volunteers walk them.
• My family loved doing this and plan to volunteer again the next time we visit Providenciales.

Several years ago, my family visited Turks and Caicos as part of a cruise itinerary. While researching things to do there, I read about a dog rescue where volunteers could walk puppies.

Sadly, our cruise port was on Grand Turk and Potcake Place K9 Rescue on Providenciales — two different (and very far apart) islands in Turks and Caicos, which is made up of 40 main islands and cays.

Recently, though, as my family headed to an all-inclusive resort in Turks and Caicos, I was delighted to learn we'd be on the same island as Potcake Place.

So, we made plans to take a taxi from our resort into town and visit the shelter.

Potcakes are mixed-breed stray pups who live on many Caribbean islands

A potcake is a term for a dog native to the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. The name came about because locals once fed the stray animals the remains in their cooking pots.

Although there's no exact formula for a potcake's DNA, the breed is essentially a mixed-breed street dog.

They're social and food-oriented and can be seen roaming the streets throughout these countries as strays. Contrary to popular belief, they are not wild dogs, simply domestic breeds without homes.

Potcake Place runs on donations with a mission to reduce the number of homeless potcakes on the island, in part by adopting rescues out to approved, screened homes.

And, if you happen to be visiting Providenciales, you can volunteer to walk one of its dogs.

We were given helpful instructions for walking our pup

Beyond the $30 cab ride we took into town, the experience was completely free.

To walk a puppy, we got to Potcake Place a little before 10 a.m. and waited in line with many other visitors who were there to volunteer.

After filling out a form and waiting our turn, a volunteer brought Heidi out to meet us.

A sweet black-and-white pup who was just a few months old, Heidi was handed off to us with a leash and a tote full of poop bags, treats, water, and a collapsible bowl.

We were told we could walk her all over the town and given some simple rules: Heidi had to be back to the rescue by 12:30 p.m., and we should stick to dog-friendly parts of town.

A volunteer also suggested some good, dog-walker-friendly spots, including a local coffee shop and the Ritz Carlton in town.

This was an incredible way to soak up the sun and sightsee

After a rundown of the rules, we were off with Heidi in tow.

Not only was she a super-sweet pup, but also this activity was an amazing way to explore downtown Providenciales.

We got coffee at a local shop, shopped for souvenirs, walked on the beach, and rested on the beautiful lawns of the Providenciales Ritz Carlton, all with Heidi leashed up next to us.

She seemed as thrilled to be out and about with us as we were to have her, even if she did get tired of walking a few times and needed to be carried (a possibility the volunteers at Potcake Place warned us about).

Spending a morning exploring Providenciales with my husband, two teenagers, and a puppy was everything I hoped it would be.

What's more, Potcake Place staff can help families adopt the dog they walk and get them home to the US.

I'd have brought Heidi back to Florida with us in a heartbeat, but my particular airline wouldn't allow it. If I visit the island again, I'll be sure to go back — and fly with a dog-friendly airline.

• PwC hosts "prompting parties" to help employees experiment with generative AI tools.
• The firm's chief learning officer said employees needed a safe, low-stakes format to experiment with it.
• PwC announced last year it was investing $1 billion over three years to expand its AI capabilities.

Generative AI is reshaping the workplace, but many employees are still unsure how to use it.

PwC, a Big Four professional services firm, is addressing that gap with "prompting parties."

In 2023, PwC announced it was investing $1 billion over three years to expand its AI capabilities. Later that year the company launched My AI, an upskilling initiative for employees to get trained on how to use AI responsibly.

But Leah Houde, the chief learning officer at PwC, told Business Insider that after the initial AI trainings, there was still a skill gap when it came to employees actually putting the technology to use, even though employees wanted to know more about how to use it.

In 2024, AI was among the top five terms searched in PwC's internal learning and development platform, compared to being in the top 15 in 2023 and not even in the top 100 in 2022, PwC represenatives told BI.

"The cognitive load that it takes to just try something new in the course of doing what you're normally doing is hard," Houde said, adding that many employees just didn't know where to start with AI prompts, which are the written instructions given to an AI tool in order to elicit a useful response.

People needed a safe, low-stakes place to play with the tools. That's where the AI prompting parties came in.

The group sessions, which can be run independently amongst teams or by a company AI leader, are aimed at making employees comfortable using AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatPwC — the company's internal version of ChatGPT.

The sessions focus on real use cases, so employees can collaboratively experiment with using AI to help them solve a problem or accomplish a task that's specific to their team.

Houde said the sessions are like a "playground where I'm not working on a client deliverable or writing an email to my boss or something that might give me anxiety that I don't want to mess up with AI."

She said experimenting in a group setting also allows employees to learn from each others' prompts, giving them new ideas about what AI can do. It's also made them more likely to try out AI on their own time too, Houde said.

Since launching in March, PwC said it has hosted nearly 500 prompting parties and over 880 more have been requested, so they are scaling up to meet the demand.

Houde said becoming familiar with AI was especially important for employees at PwC as a professional services firm, since the company's clients often turn to its employees to get their own questions about AI answered.

Workforce experts previously told BI's Tim Paradis that getting employees up to speed with AI is necessary, and that it will require the help and investment of employers.

A survey published by Slack in November found the rate of AI adoption among desk workers had plateaued, despite companies continuing to invest heavily in AI for their business.

But Houde said it's not just AI or other technical skills that employees at PwC want more training on. Terms like "inclusion" and "inclusive mindset" are among the top searched on the company's training platform every year.

"The thing that it says to me is that the human interaction is always going to matter," she said.

Going forward, Houde said she's most excited about how AI can be used to create personalized learning and development plans for people based on their current skills and where they want to go in their careers.

Instead of generically recommending the same trainings to everyone, AI can flag trainings that are most relevant to each individual.

"AI is now enabling us to understand the skills our people have and make connections between the skills that they have and the skills that they're going to need to progress," Houde said.

Have a news tip or a story to share? Do you work in consulting or have you worked with a consulting career coach? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• There were dozens of new Netflix original movies this year.
• Dramas like "His Three Daughters" and "Rebel Ridge" were well-loved by critics.
• Reviewers had a harder time enjoying entries like "Mother of the Bride" and "Uglies."

Over the years, Netflix has become a frontrunner in creating original movies, from award-worthy films like "Marriage Story" (2019) and "Maestro" (2023) to fan favorites like "The Gray Man" (2022).

Each year brings critically acclaimed works and cinematic duds to the streamer, and this year was no different.

Here are the 10 best and 10 worst Netflix original movies of 2024, based on critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

The success of "His Three Daughters" rests on the shoulders of its three stars.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

Synopsis: As their father nears the end of hospice care, estranged sisters Rachel (Natasha Lyonne), Katie (Carrie Coon), and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) come together — which only leads to conflict as they clash over their different lifestyles.

Elevated by remarkable acting performances, the family drama received widespread critical acclaim.

"'His Three Daughters' is a performance piece, giving room to three talented actors to show you exactly what they can do — and they are enthralling," Wenlei Ma wrote for The Nightly.

"Rebel Ridge" kept critics on the edge of their seats.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

Synopsis: Former marine Terry (Aaron Pierre) is on his way to help his cousin Mike (CJ LeBlanc) get out of jail when cops pull him over and unjustly seize the bail money.

Critics were enthralled by "Rebel Ridge," which they called a propulsive, cathartic action thriller.

"'Rebel Ridge' could have been a brainless genre-flick with not much on its mind except stunts and ratings," Graeme Tuckett wrote for Stuff. "But Saulnier wrote an intelligent and darkly funny script, and then put together a terrific cast to bring it to life."

"The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" was applauded for its whimsical direction.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Synopsis: Based on four short stories by Roald Dahl, the fantasy film stitches together a litany of tales, one of which recounts the story of benevolent gambler Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Critics adored Wes Anderson's storybook approach to this whimsical anthology and Cumberbatch's compelling central performance.

"There was something so marvelous in seeing this actor in four roles, each of which he nailed, in these excellent films that did not get the recognition they deserved," A.S. Hamrah wrote for N+1.

Critics said "Orion and the Dark" left them with a lot to ponder.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Synopsis: On the night of a blackout, anxious 11-year-old Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) is confronted by his worst nightmare — the Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser) — who takes him on a magical trip to confront his deepest fears.

In critics' eyes, the inventive animated feature proved to be a more existential venture than most family films.

"This one took me by surprise, and I can easily see adults and kids taking lessons away from this delicate, beautifully rendered work," Steven Prokopy wrote for Third Coast Review.

"Joy" was deemed a fitting tribute to a vital discovery.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Synopsis: Based on a true story, the film centers on Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie) and Robert Edwards (James Norton) as they work under the tutelage of surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy) to develop the world's first "test tube" baby.

The historical drama was met with high acclaim, with many critics agreeing that the history of IVF is especially poignant right now.

"'Joy' shines a deserving spotlight — albeit an embellished one — on some everyday heroes with bold ideas and lab equipment, whose work remains as vital as ever," Todd Jorgenson wrote for Cinemalogue.

"The Piano Lesson" was hailed for its exceptional performances.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Synopsis: Set in Pittsburgh during the Great Depression, "The Piano Lesson" follows the Charles family as they grapple with what they should do with the heirloom of an enslaved ancestor.

Based on the play by August Wilson, the film captivated critics with its tightly wound story and stellar cast.

"'The Piano Lesson' is the best horror film of the year, but even beyond its genre, it is the best-acted film, thanks to Danielle Deadwyler and John David Washington," Kate Sánchez wrote for But Why Tho? A Geek Community.

Critics said "Carry-On" was a return to holiday action classics like "Die Hard" (1988).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, TSA officer Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) races against time to save his girlfriend (Sofia Carson) — and the greater Los Angeles International Airport — after a lethal mercenary (Jason Bateman) gets a bomb past security.

The action-thriller packed a big punch and won critics over with its talented cast and high-stakes plot.

"'Carry-On' does its best to deliver as a 'Die Hard' knockoff," Alan French wrote for Sunshine State Cineplex. "For the most part, it succeeds, thanks to Collett-Serra's fun direction and a committed cast.

The delightfully silly "Hot Frosty" genuinely took critics by surprise.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Synopsis: When widowed café owner Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert) magically brings Jack the snowman (Dustin Milligan) to life with a scarf, things start to heat up between the unlikely couple.

Despite its ridiculous premise, critics said that the charming comedy and likable leads made "Hot Frosty" better than they expected.

"'Hot Frosty' packs in a lot of the entries from your Christmas Movie Bingo Card, including cookie baking, decking the halls and a dressing-room montage, as we wait to see whether Kathy's heart will thaw before Jack's body melts," Alison Gillmore wrote for Winnipeg Free Press.

"Good Grief" was a bittersweet melodrama with a soft-hearted center.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Synopsis: After the unexpected loss of his husband Oliver (Luke Evans), Marc (Daniel Levy) is whisked away to Paris by his best friends Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel).

"Good Grief" didn't receive a perfect score across the board, but it did earn its fair share of flowers from critics for its sensitive meditations on grief.

"There's something warm and hopeful about 'Good Grief' that wraps around your heart in an odd, comforting way," Archi Sengupta wrote for Leisure Byte.

Christina Milian's effortless charm made "Meet Me Next Christmas" better than expected.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

Synopsis: After a meet-cute at the airport, Layla (Milian) and James (Kofi Siriboe) agree to attend next year's Pentatonix Christmas concert together if they're both still single.

When the time comes, though, Layla enlists the help of Teddy (Davale Ellis) to find tickets, and they find a romantic spark.

As the lead in two other Netflix rom-coms — "Falling Inn Love" and "Resort to Love" — Milian was seen by critics as the bright spot of an otherwise serviceable romcom.

"Despite an awkward setup, when this quirky Christmas romance settles into the main act of its two lead characters' getting to know each other, it wins in tone and sweetness," Jennifer Green wrote for Common Sense Media.

On the other hand, critics didn't cozy up to "Our Little Secret."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 38%

Synopsis: Resentful exes Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding) unexpectedly reconnect when they learn their new partners are siblings. To impress her new boyfriend's mother (Kristin Chenoweth) over the holidays, Avery convinces Logan to keep their past relationship a secret.

Critics applauded Lohan's continued rom-com revival but felt like the story didn't leave a lot for the actors to work with.

"A typically formulaic seasonal sugar rush that's only blandly mediocre, rather than so-bad-it's-good," John Nugent wrote for Empire magazine. "But Lindsay Lohan's romcom-dominance cannot be denied."

"A Family Affair" was written off as a lifeless flop.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%

Synopsis: Zara (Joey King) is tired of being Chris Cole's (Zac Efron) personal assistant. After she quits, the famous actor sets out to hire her back, only to fall head over heels for her mom (Nicole Kidman).

Critics did not hold back when it came to their distaste for what they called an underwritten rom-com.

"Directed by Richard LaGravenese, every moment in 'A Family Affair' sits there as lifelessly as Gerard Butler's character in LaGravenese's most successful movie, 'P.S. I Love You,'" Jacob Oller wrote for the A.V. Club.

Critics said "Time Cut" failed to pick a clear genre.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

Synopsis: In the throwback thriller, Lucy Field (Madison Bailey) accidentally travels back to 2003 and discovers she may be able to prevent the murder of her older sister, Summer (Anthonia Gentry).

In the wake of better horror comedies like "Totally Killer" (2023), critics blasted "Time Cut" for failing to be scary or funny.

"The movie is a missed opportunity that fails to deliver chills, laughs, or any memorable moments," Tatat Bunnag wrote for the Bangkok Post.

"Incoming" lacked the laughs of many coming-of-age comedies.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Synopsis: Freshmen Benji (Mason Thames), Eddie (Ramon Reed), and Connor (Raphael Alejandro) quickly find themselves in over their heads as they try to navigate their first weeks of high school.

Despite having a clever line or two buried in its script, critics said the humorous moments were too few and far between for what was advertised as a raucous comedy.

"'Incoming' isn't the next 'Superbad' — it's just super bad," Matt Donato wrote for Collider.

Action-thriller "Trigger Warning" was a bit of a snooze fest.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Synopsis: After her father's death, skilled CIA officer Parker (Jessica Alba) returns home to settle affairs, only to find a violent gang running rampant in her small town of Creation, New Mexico.

Despite bearing the appearance of a robust action-thriller, "Trigger Warning" fell flat with critics.

"A more apt label for the latest Netflix original might be 'Warning: May cause drowsiness," Dustin Rowles wrote for Pajiba.

Critics felt like "Atlas" could've been written by an AI chatbot.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

Synopsis: Set in a war-torn future, the sci-fi film follows data analyst Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez) as she's forced to use AI-assisted technology to track down a terrorist despite her distrust for machines.

Although the film involved Lopez fighting against tyrannical robots, critics agreed that it seemed as though the writers had, ironically, leaned on artificial intelligence to craft the screenplay itself.

"The thing that's most artificial about this AI thriller is the script," Tom Meek wrote for Cambridge Day.

"Tyler Perry's Mea Culpa" was difficult for critics to sit through.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

Synopsis: Veteran defense attorney Mea Harper (Kelly Rowland) takes on a career-defining case when she chooses to defend an artist (Trevante Rhodes) charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

An overwhelming amount of critics were remiss in finding any redeemable qualities in Tyler Perry's mystery thriller.

"While it might start out as an erotic thriller, it slows down to a damp relationship drama before meandering its way to a climax hinged on head-scratching twists that make little to zero sense," Benjamin Lee wrote for The Guardian.

"Uglies" was a major letdown as a book adaptation.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 16%

Synopsis: Based on Scott Westerfield's book, "Uglies" is set in a distant future where everyone gets cosmetic surgery at 16. However, when Tally (King) is introduced to the world outside her city, she discovers that there's more to life than beauty.

Overall, critics agreed that the Netflix adaptation suffered from low production standards and a noticeable lack of heart.

"'Uglies' is yet another Netflix project that tries to be more than it can be with a talented cast squandered on cheesy dialogue and underbaked plot elements," Alex Maidy wrote for JoBlo's Movie Network.

Critics felt "Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver" paled in imitation of its influences.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 16%

Synopsis: The space opera centers on former soldier Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her mission to defend the moon of Veldt against an onslaught of attacks from the imperial Motherworld.

Critics said that the sequel — and its first installment — sought to imitate the success of franchises like "Star Wars" while failing to capture what made them truly likable.

"On paper, 'Rebel Moon' should have been the perfect movie for me," Sean Chandler said for Sean Chandler Talks About. "In execution, it was shockingly dull, unoriginal, and sloppy."

There wasn't much praise for "Mother of the Bride."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Synopsis: Lana (Brooke Shields) is stunned when her daughter (Miranda Cosgrove) announces she's getting married in Thailand, especially when she learns the groom is the son of her college ex (Benjamin Bratt).

Most critics agreed that "Mother of the Bride" wasn't even bad enough to be entertaining; it simply amounted to a boring flop.

"It's an hour-and-a-half that feels like a decade, so you're left desperately searching for something to end the misery," Robert Levin wrote for Newsday.

All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change. Netflix's originals generally consist of both content created by the streaming service and content exclusive to the platform.

• Apple plans to expand in generative AI and reportedly launch more hardware products in 2025.
• Apple Intelligence software is still expected to drive a super cycle in iPhone sales.
• It faces competition in mixed reality and potential tariffs affecting Chinese sales and production.

Timing is everything for Apple going into 2025.

Apple's stage is set for the new year, with big plans for expansion in generative AI, reports of a home device lineup launching soon, and talks of a more affordable iPhone in the pipeline.

The "biggest story" for 2025 will be the impact of the new Apple Intelligence software on iPhone sales, Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said. Apple was criticized for being late to the game when it came to introducing its own generative AI, but the hype around Apple Intelligence has some expecting a "super cycle."

And iPhone sales will have "more aggressive expectations" in 2025 after analysts adjusted their hype around iPhone 16 demand in the final months of 2024, William Kerwin, tech analyst at Morningstar, said.

"We expect Apple will ship more than 240 million iPhones in 2025, breaking its annual record," Wedbush Securities analysts wrote in their 2025 tech wish list.

To do that, though, Munster says Apple will have to figure out how to get Apple Intelligence onto all eligible iPhones. In Greater China, it will have to partner with a local tech company and adhere to the rules to bring AI to Chinese iPhones.

It's a move that Apple is discussing with Tencent and ByteDance, according to Reuters. Apple Intelligence will roll out to iPhone users in the European Union in April, Apple said on its website.

Meanwhile, its competition isn't slowing down. There's pressure to produce "more affordable mixed reality devices while maintaining its slim smartphone market share lead over Samsung," Jacob Bourne, tech analyst at Business Insider sister company EMARKETER, said.

Outside the iPhone, the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro launched to great fanfare but faced low demand in 2024. Meanwhile, Meta saw its (cheaper) AI-powered smart Ray-Ban glasses gain popularity.

Munster predicts that Apple will ditch the Vision Pro in favor of a form factor more like smart glasses.

Then there's the pressure in China — a key region for sales and production for Apple. Donald Trump will be sworn in as president in January, and he's been threatening a 60% tariff on Chinese goods.

The company reportedly relies on China for production of 95% of its iPhones, AirPods, Macs, and iPads. If Trump makes good on his tariff promise, Apple could face retaliatory levies affecting its sales in the country.

Apple's legal battles will continue into 2025. The federal judge presiding over its antitrust lawsuit from the US Department of Justice said he hopes to decide whether or not the case will go to trial by January, Bloomberg reported.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by Business Insider.

The tech giant has had an eventful 2024, including its new iPhone launches and the introduction of AI. There are further reports of tech devices that could come out in 2025, including smart home products and a cheaper iPhone. Bloomberg reported that a new version of the iPhone SE could be released in 2025, bringing Apple Intelligence to a more affordable smartphone than the iPhone 16.

Bloomberg reported in November that there's a wall-mounted smart home tablet in Apple's production lineup that could use Apple Intelligence, operate home appliances, and access Apple apps. It could be announced as early as March, according to the report.

Expectations are high for Apple in 2025. It made smart moves by partnering with OpenAI and bringing its own AI on iPhones, but analysts say the true payoff of its bets in 2024 is still to come.

"Apple needs to carefully time — and price — new products and features to align with consumer demand rather than just technological capability," EMARKETER's Bourne said.

• The US said it has "early indications" that suggest Russian air defenses downed a passenger plane.
• An Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed while trying to land after diverting to Kazakhstan, killing 38.
• Experts pointed to damage to the plane before it landed, suggesting it had been hit by a missile.

A White House official said the US has seen "early indications" that the fatal crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane was caused by a Russian air defense system.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that the US has "seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems."

Kirby did not provide further details, but he said Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan were investigating the incident and that the US had offered to assist if needed.

When pressed for more information on whether the US had seen intelligence that pointed to the involvement of an air defense system, Kirby said the short answer was "yes" but that he would "leave it at that."

The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane was en route to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, on Wednesday.

Flight 8243 then changed course over Russia and was trying to reach Kazakhstan's Aktau airport when it crash-landed.

Kazakh authorities said 38 people died, including the pilots, and 29 others survived.

The airline's president praised the pilots' "heroism" and said the crew's dedication to their duties and prioritization of human life had "immortalized their names in history."

Russian air defenses have been active around Grozny as Ukrainian drones have targeted the area as part of Ukraine's fightback against Russia's invasion.

Multiple experts and reports have pointed to Russia likely being behind the crash, citing the plane's erratic route as well as photo and video evidence of the aircraft that show holes in its fuselage and tail while it was still in the air.

Oliver Alexander, an OSINT analyst, said in a message to BI that "at this point, I don't think there is enough available evidence to conclusively say what exactly happened (type of missile etc)."

But he said "all the evidence I have seen points to the aircraft being hit by shrapnel from an air defense missile which severely damaged the elevator and rudder controls."

Sources with knowledge of Azerbaijan's investigation told The Wall Street Journal that Russia had redirected the aircraft from its airspace and jammed its GPS system.

Azerbaijani sources with knowledge of the country's inquiry also told The New York Times that Azerbaijani officials believed a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system had damaged the aircraft.

Rashan Nabiyev, Azerbaijan's minister of digital development and transportation, told the country's media that "preliminary conclusions by experts point at external impact," the AP reported.

"The type of weapon used in the impact will be determined during the probe," he added.

Azerbaijan Airlines said on Friday that a preliminary inquiry had blamed both "physical and technical external interference" but did not give any details.

Multiple airlines said after the crash that they would suspend flights to Russia and avoid Russian airspace. Most Western airlines have already been doing so since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Kremlin has refused to comment on reports that Russian weaponry caused the crash.

Speaking at a news briefing on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Currently an investigation is in progress. Any air incident should be investigated by specialized aviation authorities."

"It would be wrong to build any hypotheses before the panel of inquiry presents its conclusions. Of course, we cannot do that. No one should do it," he added.

Russia's civil aviation authority pointed to a bird strike as a possible cause of the crash.

After a missile system shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet in 2014, international investigators concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had likely given the system to separatists who used it.

All 298 people who were on board flight MH17 were killed.

• Nicole Kidman has played a wide range of roles on the big screen.
• She won an Oscar playing Virginia Woolf, was the villain in "Paddington," and even played Aquaman's mom.
• She next stars in the erotic thriller "Babygirl."

Nicole Kidman has done everything in her career from winning an Oscar portraying legendary author Virginia Woolf to playing Aquaman's mother.

In her latest movie, "Babygirl," she plays a powerful CEO in a kinky, illicit love affair with one of her young interns.

It's yet another example of her impressive range, which has captivated audiences for decades.

But not all of her choices have been winners. Though "Practical Magic" has found a cult following in the years since its release, it was largely panned by critics at the time. And "The Goldfinch," an adaptation of the beloved book of the same name, didn't measure up to the source material.

With the help of Rotten Tomatoes, we've broken down the 10 best and 10 worst movies of Kidman's career, according to critics.

Note: This list does not include movies that were released straight-to-cable or documentaries Kidman narrated.

Here are the worst movies of Nicole Kidman's career.

10. (tie) "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023)

In the panned sequel to the 2018 DC Comics movie "Aquaman," Kidman returns as Atlanna, Aquaman's mother and the former queen of Atlantis. One critic said the movie "spectacularly misfires."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

10. (tie) "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus" (2006)

Critics didn't get this movie, in which Kidman plays the famed photographer Diane Arbus, saying it wasn't nearly as daring as its subject.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

8. (tie) "Practical Magic" (1998)

Though audiences weren't into Kidman and Sandra Bullock playing sisters descended from witches, the movie has since found a following and a sequel is in development.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

8. (tie) "The Stepford Wives" (2004)

This adaptation of the famed 1972 novel didn't sit well with critics. In this version, Kidman plays a TV executive who moves to the quaint Connecticut town of Stepford and quickly realizes nothing is what it seems.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

6. "The Goldfinch" (2019)

This adaptation of the beloved book of the same name was criticized for being boring and flattening its characters into broader ideas.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

5. "Bewitched" (2005)

In this meta remake of the classic TV series, Will Ferrell plays an actor cast in the remake of "Bewitched," only to find out that his wife (Kidman) is, in fact, a witch. Unfortunately, critics complained the movie wasn't genuinely funny.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

4. "The Invasion" (2007)

If you haven't figured out yet, remakes and Nicole Kidman don't mesh. Here she stars opposite Daniel Craig in a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." It didn't turn out well.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

3. "Just Go With It" (2011)

Kidman shows off her comedic chops in this Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston rom-com, but the movie was panned as cliché and predictable.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

2. "Queen of the Desert" (2015)

Werner Herzog cast Kidman in this forgettable biopic on British archaeologist Gertrude Bell.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

1. "Trespass" (2011)

Kidman teamed with Nicolas Cage for this dull crime thriller in which they play a married couple who are taken hostage by extortionists.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Here are Nicole Kidman's best movies, according to critics.

10. (tie) "Boy Erased" (2018)

Kidman plays a Baptist parent who forces her gay son (Lucas Hedges) to take part in a conversion therapy program.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

10. (tie) "The Hours" (2002)

Kidman won a best actress Oscar for her portrayal of famed author Virginia Woolf.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

6. (tie) "The Others" (2001)

This supernatural thriller stars Kidman as a mother with two photosensitive children who believe ghosts are in their house (or are they really the ghosts?).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

6. (tie) "Lion" (2016)

Kidman plays the adoptive mother of an Indian boy who was separated by his family back in India and reconnects with them 25 years later.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

6. (tie) "Dead Calm" (1989)

This Australian thriller stars Kidman and Sam Neill as a couple sailing through the Great Barrier Reef when they come across a man (Billy Zane) fleeing a sinking ship. Things get complicated from there.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

5. "Rabbit Hole" (2010)

Kidman stars alongside Aaron Eckhart in this drama as a couple grieving after the death of their child.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

4. "To Die For" (1995)

Kidman scored a Golden Globe win for her portrayal of a small-town weather reporter who wants her husband Larry (Matt Dillon) killed and enlists a high school boy Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix) who has the hots for her to do the deed.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

3. "The Northman" (2022)

In this Viking tale from Robert Eggers, Kidman plays the Queen mother to a prince, played by Alexander Skarsgård.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

2. "Flirting" (1990)

In one of the final Australian-produced films Kidman made before jumping to Hollywood, she plays one of the lead roles in this coming-of-age drama set in a New South Wales boarding school.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

1. "Paddington" (2014)

In the first movie based on the beloved children's book character, Kidman plays evil taxidermist Millicent Clyde, who is on the hunt for Paddington.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Happy end of 2024! It's our last Saturday edition of Business Insider Today, so we're doing something special. Instead of a regular dispatch from me, here's a look at some of our favorite lifestyle reads from the year. Until next year.

On the agenda:

• Rob McElhenney is already on to the next thing.
• American homes are shrinking, and hallways are getting left on the cutting-room floor.
• Young men are getting testosterone boosts to feel stronger, sharper, and anxiety-free.
• Boquete, Panama, was once home to rainforests and coffee farms. Now, thousands of expats call it home.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.

Rob McElhenney is betting on himself

Rob McElhenney is an actor, writer, showrunner, and entrepreneur. In today's entertainment landscape, multi-hyphenate celebrities are everywhere, but not every workhorse can create the longest-running live-action American sitcom, as McElhenney did with "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

To McElhenney, every story is a business and every business is a story. As his "Welcome to Wrexham" costar and co-owner Ryan Reynolds told BI this year, "If you need to overcome a problem or manifest a miracle, tell Rob it's impossible."

The many hats he wears.

Disappearing hallways

The costs of buying and building a new home have skyrocketed in the past decade. In 2024, houses in the US were both smaller and more expensive than those built 13 years ago, census data show.

As they downsize projects, homebuilders are trying to maximize essential living spaces. That means the usual connective tissue between rooms — the hallway — has gotta go.

Why your next home might not have one.

All T'd up

Once taboo, it's now become a point of pride for men to proactively track their testosterone levels and confront dips. Prescriptions for testosterone-replacement therapy have dramatically increased across the US over the last two decades, rising 20% from 2016 to 2019.

The trend tells a story of a new kind of gender-affirming care — but for cisgender men. Testosterone is prescribed to treat a set of vague symptoms for men hoping to feel "better," though it's not exactly clear what it does or who needs it.

Inject to perfect.

A retiree's paradise

It's not uncommon to see Americans — especially those around retirement age — in Boquete, Panama. The town's year-round cool temperatures and affordable cost of living have given it the reputation of being one of the best places to retire.

However, Boquete was once known for its coffee plantations and annual flower festival. Situated about 4,000 feet above sea level, the quiet town was a getaway for Panamanians living in nearby towns, where temperatures can reach the 90s.

Then came the expats.

What we're watching this weekend

• "Squid Game": Netflix's Korean-language series is back with season two this week, three years after it debuted on the streamer and became a pop culture phenomenon.
• "Your Friend, Nate Bargatze": Grammy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze returned to Netflix for his third stand-up comedy special.
• "Doctor Who: Joy to the World": The latest installment of the annual "Doctor Who" Christmas special is available on Disney+, starring Ncuti Gatwa and "Bridgerton" actor Nicola Coughlan.

See the full list

What to shop

• Below-freezing outerwear: Canada Goose's puffer coats are expensive for a reason, and it's because they can stand the test of extreme cold. We used the brand's Cold Room to try them out — here's why they're worth the hype.
• Laptop backpacks: Backpacks are best for posture and overall back health because they distribute weight more evenly than totes or messenger bags. These are the best laptop backpacks for workday warriors.
• Best hair dryers: Spoiler alert: our top pick is the Dyson Supersonic. But you don't have to pay hundreds to score a worthwhile model — we've rounded up the best hair dryers across a wide range of price points.

More of this week's top reads:

• Where the richest people in the world spend the December holidays.
• A writer has been to 15 European countries. She said to skip the crowds in Italy and Spain — go to this less-visited gem instead.
• First time flying first class? Here are etiquette tips to avoid being the most annoying person in a premium cabin.
• Everything we know about Christopher Nolan's 'Odyssey' film.
• BI's Mikhaila Friel and her family of eight spent $25,000 on an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. She said they ended up disappointed.
• A gut-health scientist and trained chef shares four easy, tasty ways she eats more fiber.
• Meet the people living in famous homes from movies and TV shows, from 'Home Alone' to 'Breaking Bad.'
• The six red wines a sommelier is buying right now.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York.

• A winning ticket for the $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot was sold in California.
• The ticket was sold at Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood, CA, the California State Lottery said.
• The jackpot was the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history.

One lucky Mega Millions player won an estimated $1.22 billion on Friday night, one of the largest jackpots in US history.

The winning ticket was sold at Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood, northern California, the California State lottery said.

The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, and 55, and the gold Mega Ball number was 6. The winner's identity is unclear as of yet.

The winner will have the option of taking a roughly $549.7 million cash lump sum or the full jackpot paid out over 30 years.

It was the fifth-largest prize in Mega Millions history and the seventh Mega Millions jackpot to cross the $1 billion threshold.

"Congratulations to our $1.22 billion jackpot winner from California," Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a press release. "What an amazing present this holiday season! At an incredibly special time of year, this is both an incredibly special moment for our winner, and for all the great organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales around the country."

The jackpot was claimed after a 31-drawing run that began on September 10, when the last jackpot was won.

The largest-ever US lottery jackpot was won in November 2022, when a man in California won the $2.04 billion Powerball. He was later named as Edwin castro.

Last year, another ticket sold in California won a $1.765 billion Powerball prize. The California Lottery said that a man called Theodorus Struyck had come forward as the representative of a group that would split the winnings.

The Mega Millions jackpot has now reset to $20 million ahead of the New Year's Eve draw.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are about one in 302,575,350, according to the official website.

• TikTok made e-commerce a priority, even when it angered some users. It paid off.
• It's made big bets on influencer affiliates, live selling, and other in-app features.
• Its popularity with young shoppers signals where e-commerce is heading next.

When TikTok first introduced shopping videos in the US, many users were skeptical.

People don't want to buy stuff on TikTok, they want to watch funny videos, some said. And who wants to hand over their credit card details to an app that Congress says is a national security risk?

TikTok's response to the haters: Add more e-commerce features. As competitors pulled back on shopping, TikTok leaned in. And it's paid off.

TikTok Shop had driven around $1 billion in monthly sales in the US since July, The Information reported in October. It grossed $100 million in single-day sales on Black Friday alone, triple its 2023 haul.

"We've now been on TikTok Shop since the very beginning, and we've seen successes gradually and consistently increase month over month," Max Benator, CEO of the TikTok Shop partner agency Orca, told Business Insider. "The numbers are serious."

Read: How TikTok Shop popularized social shopping in the US

TikTok first began dipping its toes into US e-commerce as early as 2020 when it added a tool for creators to add shopping buttons to videos that linked to Shopify and merchandise storefronts. It later released a full e-commerce product, Shop, to a select group of US beta testers in November 2022 after experimenting in other markets like the UK.

From there, it quickly built up a large team of US-based TikTok Shop staffers to handle everything from marketplace quality to merchant onboarding. It enlisted hundreds of third-party vendors to teach brands and creators how to sell products on social media. It launched its own logistics and fulfillment operation, as well as an e-commerce app store. More recently, it's beginning to connect creators with manufacturers to make their own products.

Unlike some competitors that focus on specific areas of the e-commerce business like live shopping or affiliate marketing, TikTok offers all pieces of social commerce in one place. It's trying to be Amazon, Shopify, and, well, TikTok at the same time. And it's working.

By some measures like repeat purchases, TikTok Shop is already beating out competitors like Walmart, and creeping up on Amazon. It's shown particular strength among young shoppers, which could pose a risk for Amazon and other big retailers down the road.

TikTok Shop has worked through some of its early hiccups, such as technical issues with its marketplace quality enforcement. But it still has some real obstacles it needs to overcome. The platform's greatest strength — its ability to make products go viral through influencer content — also creates unpredictability for sellers who face sudden spikes or drops in TikTok Shop sales.

"Just because a product goes viral doesn't mean the whole brand goes viral," Julian Reis, CEO of the e-commerce firm and TikTok Shop partner SuperOrdinary, told BI in July. "What we see is that that product will go viral and it could potentially sell millions of dollars and the rest of the brand is left behind."

Read: TikTok is hell-bent on growing Shop, but its viral spurts could be hiding a key weakness

TikTok Shop could also have the rug pulled out from under it if the app ends up getting banned in January, as mandated by a law passed by Congress.

And the platform remains a tiny piece of the overall US e-commerce business. While it pulled in $100 million in sales on Black Friday, that was a small fraction of the $10.8 billion total US online sales that day, per Adobe Analytics.

Amazon is probably not quivering in its boots when it sees TikTok's current sales. But it's also not ignoring TikTok's rapid rise and potential future growth, which signal where consumer habits are heading next. Amazon has responded by adding its own TikTok-like feed, and investing in influencers and live shopping, for example.

Business Insider has been tracking TikTok's e-commerce efforts.

Here's a breakdown of our recent coverage:

Influencers and TikTok Shop:

• TikTok is connecting creators with manufacturers to make their own products
• TikTok has a dedicated team focused on Shop "stars"

Merchants and TikTok Shop:

• At TikTok's first big e-commerce summit, it doubled down on live shopping and learnings from China
• TikTok Shop sellers are overwhelmed by violation points

Live shopping:

• How startup Outlandish is bringing TikTok Shop into the real world

Fulfillment, logistics, and e-commerce tech:

• Nico Le Bourgeois, head of US operations for TikTok Shop, explains its US growth strategy
• TikTok's hiring plans reveal how it wants to use AI to bolster its shopping experience

Holiday shopping:

• TikTok Shop hit $100 million in sales on its second Black Friday

• My husband and I put everything in a shared Google Calendar.
• We are equally responsible for managing it.
• It's been a major factor in easing my mental load.

I was having dinner with some relative strangers, discussing managing our overscheduled lives, when I casually said, "I'm still married because of Google Calendar." The woman next to me erupted in peals of laughter. I was not joking.

My husband and I have been married for over 18 years. For many of them, the fight behind every fight was over the division of labor or mental load. Then, over time, those fights happened less frequently. Yes, this was in part due to therapy and increased self-awareness. We also capitalized on technology to help offload giant swathes of cognitive labor.

'Mental load' is the biggest thing you cannot see

A literature review from 2023 of 31 peer-reviewed articles acknowledged that "there is still no uniformly accepted definition of mental labor in the context of unpaid work," and proposed the following definition: "Mental labor related to unpaid work in the household and childcare is cognitive work that consists of managerial activities aimed at achieving communal goals (e.g., goals related not only to the individual, but also to the family, partner, children), which are directed toward a future outcome and goes undetected and unseen as a component of unpaid work."

When the term mental load entered the zeitgeist, I immediately recognized it. I also struggled to define the concept for my husband, so I appreciated content like this reel from relationship educator Jimmy Knowles, or musician and comedian Farideh's satirical song "Make a List."

A joint calendar cannot mitigate the enduring aspect of mental load, but it helps create some visibility and structure around medical appointments, extracurriculars, and holiday plans with the in-laws.

We happened upon this solution by accident

I would love to say sharing a calendar was a stroke of intentional genius, but the truth is it was a knee-jerk reaction born of desperation and frustration. I was acting as the de facto project manager for our household, and I was over it.

Our joint calendar emerged in January 2016. Over the course of the past nine years, it eventually became something my husband relied on as much as me.

"It just made sense, and it worked. I'd say it evolved, but I'd say it evolved fairly quickly," my husband told me when I asked how we managed to take this from a me-task to an us-task.

Now Google Calendar is sacrosanct. If it goes in there, it is happening, and we are each responsible for managing our own awareness of it.

We take equal responsibility for tasks, now

Often unpaid labor, both physical and cognitive, gets lumped together, and I think offloading some of the physical labor helped create better habits around mental labor. My husband does the dishes, same goes for kids' school paperwork. As he took on more, and I let go more, it became easier for us to continue along this new path.

Since my husband and I both take ownership of our shared calendar, I am no longer solely responsible for foreseeing and managing scheduling conflicts, school calendars, or scheduling childcare. Our calendar has become a shared brain space, mitigating the need for me to delegate what needs to be done. Adulthood feels a little less unrelenting because a handful of common tasks no longer live rent-free in my mind.

I realized how successful it was, ironically, when I forgot to add something to it

"It wasn't in the calendar!" my husband balked one night when I mentioned an imminent meeting I was headed out to attend. It was then that I realized how successful this little app had been for us. Not only were we both responsible, but I was so liberated from the mental load that I found the freedom to drop the ball.

Now, if we could just find a way to also manage communication from the dozens of newsletters, emails, and group chats from our kids' schools and activities.