• Pete Davidson said that he wanted to quit "Saturday Night Live" after his first year.
• Davidson felt like he didn't "belong" with his cast mates.
• He asked "SNL" boss Lorne Michaels to fire him and was told it would get better after three or four years.

Pete Davidson broke into Hollywood and pop culture through his work on "Saturday Night Live," but he wanted to quit the sketch comedy series early on.

"After my first year, I actually called for a meeting with Lorne," Davidson said in the new Peacock docuseries "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night," referring to the show's creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels. "I was like, 'Please fire me.'"

Davidson made his "SNL" debut as a featured player during season 40, which aired between 2014 and 2015. At 20, he was one of the youngest-ever hires and the show's first cast member born in the 1990s. The comedian said that because of his age difference with the cast, he felt out of place.

"I was like 'I don't belong here. Everybody here is so talented and they don't want to be my friend,'" Davidson recalled telling Michaels. "I was a child. I was like, 'Nobody wants to be my friend.' And he said, 'You don't figure it out until your third or fourth year.'"

The comedian added that Michaels explained to him, "It's just gonna suck for like, three or four years."

"And he was right," Davidson said.

Despite early reservations, Davidson stayed on "SNL" for eight seasons. During his time on the show, and since leaving in 2022, the comedian has kept busy with TV and film roles and comedy specials. He even returned to "SNL" as a host for the season 49 premiere in 2023.

Davidson is one of many "SNL" alums who appear in "SNL50," a four-part docuseries celebrating the show's 50th anniversary.

The docuseries includes never-before-seen audition footage, interviews with former "SNL" cast and crew members, a deep dive into one iconic sketch, and a breakdown of the messy but pivotal 11th season.

Reps for Michaels didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

All episodes of "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night" are streaming on Peacock.

• Americans ages 18 to 29 were more likely to report feeling lonely than older adults, per a survey.
• Older Americans were also more optimistic about their lives than the younger cohort.
• Gen Z's loneliness may stem from fewer social connections and later marriages.

As social life rebounds uneasily from pandemic-era shocks, Gen Z is still feeling lonely.

A new survey from the Pew Research Center of 6,204 American adults, conducted from September 3 through 15, looks at how optimistic and lonely different age groups feel. Broadly, 16% of all American adults say that they feel lonely or isolated from those around them all or most of the time.

But loneliness starkly varies by age. Nearly a quarter of Americans ages 18 to 29 said that they felt lonely, compared to just 6% of those 65 and older. At the same time, adults 65 and older were the most likely to say that they felt optimistic about their lives all or most of the time, while just under half of 18 to 29-year-olds said they felt the same.

"Older people are almost always the happiest age group," in research on happiness, Kim Parker, Pew's director of social trends research, told Business Insider. However, she was surprised by the more negative opinions of the younger cohort.

"It's interesting to see that two-thirds of adults 65 and older say they feel optimistic about their life all or most of the time when only 48% of 18- to 29-year-olds do when they have so much time ahead of them," Parker said. "But it may be that there's just so much more unknown at that stage of life that it's harder to feel optimistic."

Gen Z's loneliness woes could have something to do with weakening social connections. As BI previously reported, Gen Zers are coming up against a fringe friend crisis: They're lacking wider connections and social networks that were more easily accessible to prior generations. At the same time, community-building groups like unions and religious institutions are fading away, as are third spaces — places that aren't work or home, but instead centered on congregating and socializing.

Part of the loneliness and optimism chasm might also have to do with how much Gen Z is socializing: Younger Americans have been spending more time alone. In 2010, Americans ages 20 to 24 spent about four hours alone per day; that's a number that's since gone up, peaking at 6.7 average hours spent alone in 2021 — a likely result of time spent solo during the thick of the pandemic. Notably, time-use data isn't available for 2020 itself, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics ran into issues running its survey at the height of Covid's early spread.

Of course, not every boomer and older American is optimistic or avoiding loneliness. Older Americans who almost entirely rely on Social Security, for instance, have told BI that they feel isolated and can't afford social activities that might otherwise help keep loneliness at bay.

Another factor contributing to Gen Z's loneliness might be chalked up to larger societal and demographic trends. Eight percent of married Americans said that they felt lonely or isolated all of the time, compared to 24% of those who are unpartnered.

With 86% of 18- to 24-year-olds unpartnered as of 2023, Gen Z's relationship status might also be weighing them down, especially as dating only gets more costly and Americans get married increasingly later in life.

"We always see that married adults are happier than unpartnered adults are. It doesn't bode well for a population that's increasingly likely to not be married about how they might feel about optimism, about their life, and what we'd be looking at in the future in terms of a trend," Parker said. "But we won't know until we get there."

Are you dealing with loneliness, or found a solution? Contact these reporters at [email protected].

• After booking a trip to Ireland on a whim, I fell in love with the country and also met my husband.
• Years later, we're still together, and we've made a new life for ourselves in Cork.
• I still live in Atlanta part-time, but I love going home to my husband in Ireland.

Several years ago, I dreamed I was walking down the main street of a small town, where I met a nice bookseller and a local witch. In the dream, I kept getting the message to "go to Skibbereen."

When I woke up, my first thought was, "Where the heck is Skibbereen?" I looked it up, and to my delight, it's a real town in West Cork, Ireland.

This isn't the first time I've gleaned information from my dreams, but they rarely provide such literal instructions. Figuring I should listen to the message, I booked a trip for a few months down the line.

Little did I know that my Irish adventure would lead me to my future husband and a new home.

I trusted my gut and eventually got to Skibbereen

My travels first brought me to the city of Cork, where I made friends who helped secure me a ride out to the smaller town of Skibbereen.

As I rode through West Cork, I promised myself that I'd follow my intuition wherever it led without asking questions. I came here because of a dream, so why not follow the path as far as it would go?

Luckily, it led me right to Skibbereen's main street — like my dream, it does, in fact, have a wonderful bookseller and a pagan shop.

I felt welcome, and I kept noticing phoenix symbols throughout the town. It felt like a sign since I'm from Atlanta, and the fictional bird is on our city seal.

As I continued my trip, wandering and exploring more of County Cork, a gut feeling began to grow that this was exactly where I needed to be.

Then, I met the man who would be my future husband

At the time, I had the dating app Bumble on my phone. I happened to open it during my travels and match with a local Irish chef.

We met up for a date, and he was instantly warm, welcoming, and honest. Since we both work with food in some capacity (him as an executive chef, me as a writer, educator, and consultant), we had lots to talk about.

We continued talking online, and after I returned to the US, we officially started dating. With things going well, we arranged to meet back in Ireland three months later.

After a whirlwind romance, we got married last year.

I'm still in awe of my new life

In the years since my trip, I bought a house in Cork, and my husband and I are slowly settling in and making it feel like home.

I still live in Atlanta part time, but I feel like all the different parts of my life have fallen into place.

Whether I'm in Ireland or the US, I pinch myself every day that I get to live this magical life and share it with all the incredible people I've met along the way.

I don't live in Skibbereen (yet), but I still visit. In the future, I hope to move out that way and have a few acres of space to host culinary and writing residencies.

In the meantime, I'm settling into my two-continent lifestyle nicely.

There are still questions to navigate (like the best way to move my cats abroad), and it isn't always smooth sailing. However, so far, it's worth all the challenges, long travel days, and time-zone juggling.

• I'm a chef. I turned Costco's $5 rotisserie chicken into five easy meals for two people. 
• The chicken can be used to make tasty quesadillas, burrito bowls, and pasta dishes.
• I also like adding the chicken to baked potatoes and using the bones to make a flavorful broth. 

Grocery prices have been feeling high, but one deal I can still count on is the big and juicy $5 rotisserie chicken at Costco.

Although I'm a chef, I still appreciate a shortcut — and I know I can put together dozens of easy meals with cooked chicken.

Here's how I turned a Costco five-buck-cluck into easy meals to feed two throughout the week.

The chicken can dress up a creamy, cheesy pasta dish.

I'm still on the baked-feta-pasta trend from a few years ago.

I prefer using a block of Lifeway Farmer soft cheese instead of feta because it's got a milder flavor and softer texture. Plus, it gets even meltier and creamier in the oven.

After preheating my oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I cook my cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes in a small baking dish.

I leave them in the oven until the tomatoes burst and become sweet and saucy and the cheese is just turning golden on top. Then, I toss in cooked pasta and my diced or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Chilled chicken-salad sandwiches are an easy lunch.

The white meat from the Costco rotisserie chicken is easy to chop into cubes for a classic creamy chicken salad.

I toss the meat with mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt and add any salty or crunchy bits I have in the fridge, such as diced pickles or pepperoncini, celery, or bell peppers. I also like to add something sweet, like sliced grapes or chopped dried fruit.

Then, I serve the salad on toasted sandwich bread, crackers, or sturdy romaine-lettuce cups.

I toss the chicken in salsa, then add it to burrito bowls.

There's nothing like a build-you-own-bowl dinner for a low-lift meal that makes everyone happy.

First, I'll make a batch of rice or another grain. If I'm short on time, I'll heat a packet of Somos Mexican street-corn rice in the microwave.

Then, I toss diced rotisserie chicken in salsa to dress it up and lay out assorted toppings. Everyone can add their own beans, guacamole, cheese, veggies, and cilantro to their bowls for a Chipotle-style experience right at home.

I stuff baked potatoes with chicken, too.

A loaded baked potato is super easy and cheap to make.

I stick a potato (or sweet potato) in a 400-degree oven for 40 minutes to an hour until it's easy to pierce with a fork.

If you're in a pinch, you can skip the oven and put the potato in the microwave for a few minutes — just be sure to pierce it all over with a fork beforehand.

Then I slice the potato down the center, fluff up its insides, and season it with softened butter, salt, and pepper.

From there, I add my favorite toppings — usually diced rotisserie chicken, sour cream, hot sauce, and any herbs I have on hand.

Chicken quesadillas are another great meal.

A quesadilla is one of my favorite three-ingredient lunches: tortilla, cheese, and hot sauce. Sometimes, I use bread instead of tortillas and make a grilled cheese.

If I have a rotisserie chicken on hand, I'll dice it up and add it as a filling for extra protein.

I also used the chicken's bones and skin.

At the end of the week, don't toss the chicken bones and skin. Instead, use it to make a homemade broth.

Place the chicken carcass in a large pot with a halved onion, a few carrots, and celery stalks.

Cover everything with water and simmer for about four hours. Strain the bits out, and you have delicious broth to sip or turn into soup.

This story was originally published on July 23, 2024, and most recently updated on January 16, 2025.

• President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated on January 20.
• First ladies have worn tailored suits and glamorous designer dresses to inaugural festivities.
• Many first ladies' inaugural gowns are displayed at the National Museum of American History.

President Joe Biden will leave office on January 20, and President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated for a second term.

While the inauguration is really about swearing in the next president, first ladies throughout history have stolen the show with their tailored suits and glamorous designer dresses.

First ladies traditionally donate their Inauguration Day looks to the National Museum of American History's exhibit of inaugural gowns, which dates back to 1912.

In honor of the coming inauguration, here's a look back at the stylish ensembles that first ladies have worn on Inauguration Day.

Grace Coolidge, 1925

Grace Coolidge was all smiles in a gray dress and top hat to match President Calvin Coolidge's during his second inauguration.

Grace Coolidge was an immensely popular first lady whose friendliness balanced Calvin Coolidge's reserved nature, according to the White House.

Lou Henry Hoover, 1929

Lou Henry Hoover wore a velvet dress with a zig-zag pattern to Herbert Hoover's inauguration.

In May 1929, she became the first first lady to appear in Vogue, Katherine A.S. Sibley wrote in "A Companion to First Ladies."

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1933

The shade of Eleanor Roosevelt's inaugural gown became known as "Eleanor Blue" at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inauguration.

Eleanor Roosevelt's dress and matching wrap were made of velvet, The New York Times reported. Her gowns were designed and made entirely in the US.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1937

Eleanor Roosevelt chose a white Sally Milgrim design for her husband's second inauguration.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1941

She wore another ivory dress for Franklin D. Roosevelt's third inauguration in 1941.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945

Eleanor Roosevelt wore a pink lace gown to her husband's historic fourth inauguration.

In 1951, the 22nd Amendment was ratified, placing limits on the number of terms a president could serve.

Bess Truman, 1945

No inaugural ball was held when President Harry S. Truman was sworn in shortly after Roosevelt's death in 1945. Bess Truman wore a matching skirt suit set with a ruffled blouse when her husband took the oath of office.

Bess Truman, 1949

In 1949, Bess Truman wore a fur coat to her husband's second inauguration. Later, for the inaugural balls, she wore a gray satin dress with a silver feather pattern.

Mamie Eisenhower, 1953

Mamie Eisenhower wore a pale-pink de soie inaugural gown which was embroidered with over 2,000 rhinestones.

Mamie Eisenhower, 1957

Mamie Eisenhower's 1957 inaugural gown, designed by Nettie Rosenstein, was embroidered with pearls, crystals, and topaz.

Jacqueline Kennedy, 1961

Jacqueline Kennedy attended the inaugural balls wearing a sleeveless off-white silk chiffon gown with a matching cape that she helped design in collaboration with Ethel Frankau of Bergdorf Custom Salon.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1963

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, took the oath of office in a haphazard ceremony aboard Air Force One. Lady Bird Johnson wore a simple dress with a pearl necklace.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1965

When Lyndon B. Johnson was reelected in 1965, Lady Bird Johnson wore a bright-yellow gown ordered from Neiman Marcus.

Pat Nixon, 1969

Pat Nixon also wore a yellow inaugural ball gown. Hers was made of silk satin and featured Swarovski crystals.

Pat Nixon, 1973

Pat Nixon wore a turquoise gown designed by Adele Simpson for President Richard Nixon's second inauguration.

Betty Ford, 1974

There were no formal inaugural festivities after Richard Nixon resigned and President Gerald Ford became president in 1974. Betty Ford wore a blue skirt suit for his swearing-in ceremony.

Rosalynn Carter, 1977

Rosalynn Carter's blue chiffon inaugural gown, designed by Mary Matise for Jimmae, was the same dress that she wore to Jimmy Carter's inauguration as governor of Georgia.

Nancy Reagan, 1981

Nancy Reagan wore a one-shouldered lace gown over silk satin to the 1981 inaugural balls. The dress and gloves were designed by James Galanos. Her beaded shoes were from David Evins.

Nancy Reagan, 1985

Nancy Reagan wore another James Galanos gown for her husband's second inauguration. The white chiffon gown was embroidered with glass beads that reportedly took more than 300 hours to apply by hand.

Barbara Bush, 1989

Barbara Bush wore a royal-blue gown with a velvet bodice to the inaugural balls. The dress' designer, Arnold Scaasi, called her "the most glamorous grandmother in the United States," according to the Smithsonian.

Hillary Clinton, 1993

Hillary Clinton wore a violet beaded lace sheath gown with a blue velvet silk overskirt to the 1993 inaugural balls. The dress was designed by Sarah Phillips and made by New York theatrical costume designer Barbara Matera Ltd.

Hillary Clinton, 1997

For Bill Clinton's second inauguration, Hillary Clinton wore an ivory gown with metallic embellishments by Oscar de la Renta.

Laura Bush, 2001

Laura Bush attended inaugural balls in a red gown by Texas designer Michael Faircloth. The dress was made of Chantilly lace embroidered with crystals over silk georgette.

Laura Bush, 2005

Laura Bush chose a silver Oscar de la Renta gown for the 2005 inaugural balls.

Michelle Obama, 2009

Michelle Obama wore a custom white inaugural gown by Jason Wu. The dress was made of white silk chiffon and sparkled with organza flower embellishments containing Swarovski crystal centers.

Michelle Obama, 2013

She wore Jason Wu again in 2013, this time choosing a red cross-halter strap gown.

Melania Trump, 2017

Melania Trump wore an off-the-shoulder white gown with a slit accompanied by a thin burgundy ribbon to the inaugural balls. The dress was designed by Hervé Pierre in collaboration with Melania Trump.

Jill Biden, 2021

There were no inaugural balls in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jill Biden did change into a white dress and matching cashmere coat by Gabriela Hearst for the small evening celebrations. The coat was embroidered with flowers representing every US state and territory.

• I took my family from a 95-degree Australian summer to experience Chicago's 5-degree winter weather.
• Everyone warned us December was a bad time to visit, but smaller crowds and festive activities proved them wrong.
• From ice skating to curling, winter-only activities made our offseason trip unforgettable.

Despite warnings from friends and fellow travelers, we decided to spend a December vacation in Chicago.

Nearly everyone tried to talk us out of it, saying it would be too cold and windy and we should choose a warmer destination. But we had a different goal: experiencing a real American Christmas. In Australia, where we live, December means sweltering heat and late sunsets that make holiday light displays practically invisible until 10 p.m.

Despite the cold weather, it was a memorable experience.

We got an extreme welcome to Chicago winter

Our first day coincided with the city's coldest temperature of the year — just 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Even Chicago natives shivered and complained about the brutal cold.

Despite the arctic blast, we had scheduled a five-hour walking tour through the Chicago Greeters program, a free service that matches visitors with local volunteers. Bundled in multiple layers, we met our guide, Bill, an energetic local in his 70s who quickly proved that Chicago's famous winter weather couldn't dampen the city's charm.

His local stories, mixed with iconic attractions, made for a great day, and he provided recommendations for the rest of our week.

Winter activities became an unexpected highlight

While our usual Christmas involves seafood and beach trips, growing up watching movies like "Home Alone" gave us a different vision of the holiday season. Chicago delivered that movie-perfect Christmas experience with a magical winter atmosphere we had always dreamed about.

We explored the Lights at Lincoln Park Zoo, wandered through the enchanting Christkindl market, and discovered several festive pop-up Christmas bars in Wrigleyville. As a special treat for our half-Jewish kids, they were thrilled to visit the Hanukkah bar, 8 Crazy Nights.

Although our skating skills left a lot to be desired, the breathtaking cityscape surrounding the Maggie Daley Ice Skating Ribbon more than made up for the spills.

The architecture tours impressed even in winter

One thing I was hesitant to do was an architecture river tour. While the city is famous for its buildings, I worried the cold would make it unbearable. But Bill convinced us to do it.

Though many operators had closed for the season, we found a 90-minute cruise. Surprisingly, despite the wintery conditions, this was a great tour, and even the kids loved it. The moody gray skies made for more dramatic photos.

After dark, the city came alive with a holiday spirit

Being close to Christmas, the city offered endless entertainment options. We went to a high-energy Chicago Bulls game where we were incredibly excited to support fellow Australian Josh Giddey, complete with handwritten signs to cheer him on.

We also saw the Blue Man Group perform, but the highlight for me was visiting Second City. Having completed some online satire writing courses with them during the COVID lockdown, it felt like a pilgrimage to see a show live. My kids were worried I would jump onstage, but despite my best efforts, this didn't happen.

Chicago's winter weather demands comfort food

The frigid temperatures gave us the perfect excuse to indulge in the city's heartiest dishes. We devoured deep-dish pizza at Giordano's (which quickly became our favorite), savored authentic Italian beef sandwiches, and relished Chicago-style hot dogs.

The kids loved tasting the endless selection of decadent hot chocolates while my wife and I warmed ourselves with mulled wine and Tom & Jerry's, a Midwestern holiday cocktail. These warming treats perfectly matched our winter adventure.

The offseason offered a more relaxed way to explore

During the peak summer months, Chicago becomes very busy, with popular attractions and restaurants sporting long lines and requiring a lot of planning. By visiting in December, we avoided all the typical tourist crowds and had a much more relaxed trip.

We were hoping for snow, but although it was cold, it never rained or snowed. By the end of our week, we had transformed into winter warriors. On the day we departed, it was 40 degrees and felt almost warm. In true Chicago spirit, one of the kids even wore shorts - he had become a true Chicagoan!

The magical combination of festive atmosphere, smaller crowds, and unique winter activities made it an ideal time to visit the Windy City - even for a family of Australians used to a hot December spent on the beach.

• My local Panera Bread offers six different soups, and I tried each one to find the best and worst.
• The homestyle chicken noodle was surprisingly flavorful and loaded with noodles, meat, and veggies.
• However, both the rustic baked potato and bistro French onion let me down.

With over 2,000 locations in the US and Canada, Panera Bread is my go-to spot for a warm bowl of soup when I'm on the go. So, I tried all of its year-round options to find the best ones.

I skipped the seasonal menu items and the chili (that's like comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion).

With the chain's broccoli cheddar, creamy tomato, homestyle chicken noodle, cream of chicken and wild rice, bistro French onion, and rustic baked potato in front of me — along with a few sides of bread and chips — I got to tasting.

Here's what I thought of each soup.

The broccoli cheddar was rich, tasty, and comforting.

I was unduly impressed with Panera's broccoli-cheddar soup.

It's an incredibly easy soup to screw up by adding too much salt, going overboard on the cheese, or messing up the consistency.

However, this version was rich but not overly thick, and it had a cheesy, creamy taste with just the right saltiness.

The vegetables were cooked to an ideal softness but weren't falling apart.

My only complaint is that I would've liked a little more broccoli, but I'd still definitely order this again — especially when I need to warm up on a cold, rainy day.

I couldn't get behind the texture of Panera's rustic baked potato.

I absolutely love a good baked-potato soup, and I tend to order it at restaurants when it's available. However, Panera's version didn't hold up for me.

The consistency felt far too thin and slightly over-blended, which meant an excess release of starch from the potato cells. This led to a gluey texture, as can happen with mashed potatoes that are whipped too much.

The soup also wasn't quite hot enough to melt the sprinkle of cheese on top, which didn't help.

All in all, I thought the baked-potato soup was a letdown.

The creamy tomato was thin but still tasty.

If you're a fan of tomato soup, I think you're safe to order Panera's creamy tomato — ideally with extra croutons or chunks of bread to thicken it up some.

I found the texture to be a bit too thin for a cream-based soup, but the flavor was excellent. It had the slightest bit of spice to round out the herby undertones.

Although I think I would've preferred it served in one of Panera's bread bowls for a heartier meal, it was still one of my favorites. I'd order it again.

Panera's cream of chicken and wild rice didn't have a ton of flavor.

I enjoyed the cream of chicken and wild rice in the same way I might enjoy a piece of butter toast. It was good — satisfying, even — but there wasn't really anything special about it.

The consistency was good, and there were plenty of veggies and chunks of meat. However, the overall flavor was sort of bland — an ambiguous salty creaminess.

A little more spice would really elevate this soup.

The bistro French onion was a flop for me.

French onion soup is another favorite of mine, but Panera's middling take on the classic disappointed me.

The broth tasted too sweet for my liking, and the onions were cut a bit too thick. I also think they could've been cooked down more.

Furthermore, Panera garnishes its soup with just a sprinkling of cheese and a side of croutons. A French onion soup without a layer of melty, cheese-slathered toast on top is like a football game with half the team missing.

This one is, unfortunately, a pass for me in the future.

Panera's homestyle chicken noodle was remarkably good.

The next time I have a cold, I'm ordering Panera's homestyle-chicken-noodle soup.

The broth was rich in flavor, with a satisfying but not overpowering saltiness and some umami notes. What really impressed me, though, was the volume of ingredients packed into the broth.

There were lots of noodles, chunks of meat, and pieces of sliced carrot and celery — but I almost wished there was less since the broth was so good.

Even sans any ailments, I'd order a cup of this again.

Overall, there are a few soups I'd definitely come back for.

The most humble of Panera's six soup offerings caught my attention the most. Every part of its chicken-noodle soup tasted good.

I'd also gladly order the broccoli cheddar and creamy tomato again. The cream of chicken and wild rice needs a little more oomph, but it's still a contender.

Even though (or perhaps because) they are usually some of my favorite varieties of soups, I wouldn't order the baked potato or French onion at Panera again. They just didn't live up to my expectations.

• Tal Chaimi was abducted on October 7, 2023. His body is being held in Gaza.
• Udi Goren, his cousin, is campaigning for his remains to be repatriated to Israel.
• But Goren fears the cease-fire deal may not last long enough to bring them back.

The cousin of an Israeli hostage who was abducted and killed and whose body is being held in Gaza said he is fearful that the cease-fire deal may not last long enough to ensure the return of his relative's remains.

"This is not the end of the road," Udi Goren, the cousin of Tal Chaimi, said in a call with reporters from outlets including BI.

Chaimi was among the 251 people kidnapped from Israel and taken to the Gaza Strip during the October 7, 2023, terror attack.

Chaimi, a civil engineer, was defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak when he was abducted. His wife was two months pregnant with their fourth child at the time.

Initially listed as missing, Israeli authorities confirmed months later that Chaimi had been killed and his body was being kept hostage.

Hamas and its allies still hold 98 hostages, an Israeli government spokesperson said Tuesday, though at least 34 of them are believed to be dead.

On Wednesday, the White House announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on a cease-fire intended to halt the fighting in Gaza — which has killed tens of thousands.

The agreement would facilitate the release of some of the remaining hostages, though it hit a roadblock on Thursday over its ratification, with Israel saying Hamas had created a last-minute crisis.

The deal, structured in phases, is expected to include the release of 33 hostages in the first stage, the majority of them women, children, older people, and those who are sick.

"My cousin Tal is not going to be among these 33," Goren said.

The second phase would see the release of the remaining living hostages, and the third phase would see the remains of dead hostages, including Chaimi, returned to their families.

However, reaching that final phase will be challenging.

"Everything can go wrong along the way," Goren said. "Not just that the deal might actually fall through, with the implementation of each step, but also moving from one step to another."

Goren said that the last couple of days have been incredibly stressful, and that his family has found themselves in a "whirlwind of emotions" — excited for families who may soon be reunited with their abducted relatives, but nervous about the prospect of Chaimi's return.

He said he has concerns about whether Hamas might, for example, say they can't locate his cousin's body.

"This is just the beginning of a new phase of our struggle," he added. "The fact that this is going to take so long, it's going to be excruciating."

• The TSA said it intercepted 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints last year.
• It was a small decrease from last year — but incidents have doubled since 2015.
• The most firearms, 440, were detected at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration intercepted 6,678 firearms at airport checkpoints last year, it announced Wednesday.

That's an average of more than 18 firearms a day.

The agency screened more than 904 million people, meaning there was an average rate of 7.4 firearms per every million people.

It added that 94% of the firearms were loaded.

The figures for 2024 represent a slight decrease from last year's record 6,737 — but only by 0.9%.

Nonetheless, it is still the only year in the past decade — except for 2020, when travel was crippled by the pandemic — that has seen a drop in the number of firearms detected at airports.

The figure has more than doubled since 2015.

One of the TSA's interceptions last year included an airline crew member carrying a loaded 9mm handgun at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The TSA also released statistics for which airports see the most firearms.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta Air Lines' primary hub, saw the most at 440. It was closely followed by the 390 at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, which is American Airlines' biggest hub.

Four of the top 10 airports were in Texas, while two were in Florida.

The TSA said that when a firearm is found at an airport security checkpoint, law enforcement will be contacted and remove the passenger from the area.

In addition to any action taken by local law enforcement, passengers who bring a firearm to a security checkpoint face a fine of up to $15,000.

"One firearm at a checkpoint is too many," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. "Firearms present a safety risk for our employees and everyone else at the checkpoint. It's also costly and slows down operations."

"If individuals who carry a firearm intend to travel, we remind them that the firearm must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case, declared to the airline at the check-in counter, and transported in checked baggage," he added.

• VCs say that AI agents will be a huge investment area in 2025.
• A startup bringing AI agents to security cameras just raised $13.8 million from Battery Ventures.
• Check out the pitch deck Coram AI used to raise its Series A funding round.

Silicon Valley is all-in on "AI agents" — which can understand commands and complete tasks on behalf of humans — and one startup in the space just inked a deal to bring this technology to security cameras.

Coram AI just raised a $13.8 million Series A funding round led by Battery Ventures, Business Insider has learned exclusively. 8VC and Mosaic Ventures also participated in the round.

Founded in 2022, San Francisco-based Coram is an AI security software that uses autonomous agents to monitor locations likes schools, hospitals, and warehouses for threats. The tech offers real-time analysis from security cameras via "virtual security guards," and users can query security footage using plain language, rather than monitoring hours of video.

For example, a security employee at a hospital or school could ask Coram about an unauthorized person in the building by describing their clothing. Coram, in turn, could identify the person and track their location.

One of Coram's biggest competitive advantages is that it uses a building's existing security cameras and system rather than requiring a company to install all-new hardware, explained CEO Ashesh Jain, who co-founded Coram alongside Peter Ondruska.

"Businesses that run the US economy use security cameras that are either extremely archaic or not connected," Jain told BI. "Coram brings modern software to existing security cameras with generative AI, and soon, every camera will be as intelligent as a human being. Every business can have hundreds of virtual employees."

For Marcus Ryu, the Battery partner leading the Coram deal, the co-founders' backgrounds in machine learning and computer vision make the startup especially well-poised to win in security. Both Jain and Ondruska have Ph.D.s in robotics and met while working in Lyft's self-driving car division.

"Video AI holds the promise to put a highly vigilant digital observer behind each of the many millions of cameras watching over our workplaces, schools, and public spaces," Ryu told BI. "With the right approach, this can enhance both our safety and our privacy by focusing detection only on dangerous or unlawful behavior."

AI agents are overtaking multiple industries, from enterprise to sales to the legal industry. A growing number of startups are cropping up in the cybersecurity space and have raised funding last year — including 7AI, which raised a $36 million seed round in June; Astrix Security, which raised a $45 million Series B in December; and Torq, which raised both a $42 million Series B round and a $70 million Series C round in the last 12 months.

Heading into 2025, Jain said that Coram will be focusing on various product launches — its first is AI gun-detection software with instant alerts — as well as shoring up its hardware offerings.

"We're addressing diverse needs for different types of companies and teams," Jain said. "Hopefully, people don't need this tech. But if you do need it, it's useful when there's a safety incident — it's buying you time."

Here's an exclusive look at the six-slide pitch deck Coram AI used to raise its Series A funding round.

• I'm the eldest daughter, so every year I plan our family vacation.
• These trips have left us with some success but also trauma because of everyone's different interests.
• A cruise through the Mediterranean appealed to everyone.

Family vacations are one of those things I plan yearly that bring excitement and nausea.

As the eldest daughter of my family with aging parents who, after a lifetime of hustling, now finally have the excess of free time and assets required to go on vacation, I get to play travel agent. The good news is that I have no strict budget other than the desire, long instilled by my Asian parents, to procure a good deal that won't dent my eventual inheritance. The bad news? I have children whose ability to hold it together and not have a total meltdown hinges on secret forces that even I, as both a mother and psychologist, have yet to figure out.

The trick, of course, is to go on a vacation that only leaves behind lifelong memories (plus Instagrammable proof, in case my children are prone to forget and go back to complaining about their lives) but not estrangement or therapy.

To further complicate this 3D puzzle, my mother is an Anglophile who only wants to go to Europe and stroll around cobblestone streets. My younger son is a small child who appears allergic to walking and only likes Asian food, while my older son is a teenager who thinks all of the above would interfere with his rizz (or aura, or whatever Zoomers are calling gravitas these days). My father, meanwhile, has no preferences except that we don't spend more money than necessary.

We all enjoyed a cruise

Historically, this involved traveling — with varying levels of success/trauma — on trains, planes, and cars, but our best multi-generational family trip to date happened during a weeklong Mediterranean cruise last summer.

The Celebrity Edge ship we sailed on started in Barcelona and ended in Rome. Over the course of seven days, it single-handedly sold every single member of my family from age 6 to 68 that cruising was the ideal way to travel when there are both small children and old people involved.

Barcelona enchanted us as a departure port for nearly a week before we stepped onto our ship. Whatever residual jet lag or weariness the elderly or young members of the family had by the time we deposited ourselves at the cruise port evaporated the minute we embarked. Much to everyone's shock and delight, the speed and lack of lines during onboarding made airports and train terminals feel like the DMV in comparison.

Once we got to our rooms, we were ready to sell our souls to become one of those lifelong cruisers who have their own monogrammed badges and dedicated lounges, albeit for different reasons: the adults marveled at the ocean-view windows (complete with a seating area in the larger of our two staterooms) while the kids fought over the collectible necklace (with special colored pendants to be scavenged each day on board) waiting for them on the bed.

We all loved the food

A quick perusal of our dining options turned into Sophie's Choice, albeit in the best way possible because instead of a single main dining venue, we got to pick from four specialty restaurants whose names my parents couldn't exactly pronounce but whose vibes screamed European with a hint of Vegas: Tuscany, Cyprus, Normandie, cosmopolitan.

We spent the rest of the week trying every single one. By our last day at sea, we couldn't exactly tell them apart, but no matter — between the lobster night and endless iterations of surf-meets-turf, no grownup left the dining room unhappy, and what my children could not consume in burgers or chicken tenders, they made up for with post-dinner trips to the Oceanview Cafe's buffet. Even my parents — whose aging appetites seem to have shrunk year by year — couldn't resist a second helping of dessert at the ice cream counter or in the form of a fruit plate.

There were activities for everyone

When we weren't eating, our multigenerational group was busy doing what we each liked to do best: my 6-year-old spent his evenings and most of his sea days playing at Camp at Sea, while my 13-year-old quickly found his own multinational crew at Teen Camp. I took my mother to a watercolor art workshop and my father to the nighttime entertainment at the theater aspirationally deemed The Club.

When we docked, we meandered off the gangway at our own pace to explore the markets and museums of Valencia before spending long days near the water in Ibiza and Corsica. Portofino and Cinque Terre necessitated shore excursions, but disembarking in Rome allowed us to explore another timeless city the old-fashioned way, on foot.

When we boarded our plane to return home, we all swore to do another cruise again as soon as possible. Considering that this was last year, and we've gone on two more cruises since then, I think the evidence speaks for itself: cruising just might be our favorite multi-generational way to travel.

• The CEO of an aerial firefighting company said drones are a major problem for its pilots.
• Bridger Aerospace has sent two "Super Scooper" planes to help tackle the LA wildfires.
• Last week, a drone collided with a Super Scooper over LA, grounding the plane for days.

The CEO of a company that flies "Super Scooper" firefighting planes said one of his biggest worries is drones crashing into his planes during emergencies like the Los Angeles wildfires.

As the fires raged last week, a consumer drone collided with Quebec-1, one of only two Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper aircraft fighting the Palisades fire.

The planes didn't belong to Bridger Aerospace, but the company's interim CEO Sam Davis said it's something he's long feared.

"My greatest fear — and I lose sleep at night — is something like that drone strike that happened on the Quebec Scooper, because you can't do anything about that," Davis told Business Insider in an interview.

There were no injuries in the incident, but it took out a chunk of the firefighting capacity during one of the most costly natural disasters in US history.

The FBI announced a search for the owner of the drone, which punched a fist-sized hole in the plane's wing, grounding it for days.

The rogue drone was unsettling news for Davis' company, which has sent two of its own Super Scoopers — along with their pilots and maintenance crews — to join the firefighting efforts.

"We all breathed a sigh of relief that our Quebec compatriots up there were safe because bad things could have happened," he said.

Davis said their pilots train for this sort of scenario, but had the drone struck an engine, the result could have been catastrophic.

He also said that unauthorized drones are being spotted during wildfire emergencies every year, which results in aircraft being grounded until they get the all-clear.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the one in the Palisades was trying to get some great footage of a scooper, and they got more than they bargained for," he added.

The Super Scoopers are a spectacular sight, with a similar flying style to combat aircraft.

The planes are meant to skim the water at speed, Davis said, "fill up tanks in 10 to 12 seconds — 1400 gallons of water — and continuously scoop and drop water on one tank of fuel."

It takes a special kind of mindset to pilot a Super Scooper, he said, adding: "Every pilot I know that does this is just a little bit crazy in a good way, because they like the thrill — but they're extremely highly trained professionals."

Interference doesn't just come from rogue drones.

"It's the same on water operations," Davis said. "We've had jet skis wanting to get on Instagram, videoing our scoopers, racing alongside of them."

After the collision last week, the Federal Aviation Administration warned that interfering with firefighting on public lands is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison.

It said there's also a civil penalty of up to $75,000 for interfering with firefighters during temporary flight restrictions.

But Davis urged people to also think about the human cost of their actions.

"They could cost somebody their lives," he said. "They can cost millions of dollars in damage."

People seeking out cool footage in these situations, he added, is the "last thing we need."

• I drove cross-country for a year and saw wildly beautiful places in each region of the US.
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore wowed me in the Midwest, and I loved the Everglades in Florida.
• Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore was a beautiful place to enjoy nature.

When I spent a year driving across the country and living out of a pickup truck, I saw firsthand how each region of the United States has its own distinct flair, history, and geography.

As I explored 49 states, I found myself drawn to unique landscapes and wildlife that I couldn't find anywhere else in the world. I was shocked to find many places that felt remote, wild, and special without having to leave the country.

Here's a standout spot from each region of the US that I visited.

New England: Green Mountain National Forest

Vermont's massive Green Mountain National Forest is beautiful throughout many seasons, and I especially loved seeing it in the fall.

It gets really dark at night — although it can be scary, it means I was able to really see the stars when I visited.

Since it's a national forest, it has plenty of backcountry camping spots where one can be alone with the immense trees that reach toward the stars.

Mid-Atlantic: Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Island National Seashore is minutes from Maryland's famous resort town Ocean City, but it feels lifetimes away from civilization.

The coastal national park is especially famous for its wild horses — I spent a weekend hiking 26 miles round-trip on this beach and saw tons of them.

Even visitors who don't hike as I did may be able to spot horses from beaches that are somewhat easy to access along the main road through the park.

Camping on the island is an immersive experience that can be done in the backcountry, at walk-in or drive-in sites, or with an RV.

Midwest: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Michigan's Upper Peninsula looks unreal in and of itself, with its beautiful landscape complete with multicolored rocks and cliffs.

A highlight of it, though, is the otherworldly Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Its water is blue and lively, and waterfalls pepper the park like jewels. The cliffs rising out of Lake Superior are stunning.

In the fall, wandering through the park's vibrant foliage will make you feel like you're walking in a painting.

South: Everglades National Park

South Florida's Everglades National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Lower 48.

Although some believe it's just a swamp filled with gators, it's actually an immense 1.5-million-acre park filled with wonder I haven't found anywhere else.

Bioluminescent algae come alive at night, mangroves make channels for canoe trips that feel like magic, and dirt roads lead to waterways with abundant fishing opportunities and picturesque sunsets.

It's filled with tropical wilderness and is home to endangered, rare species, from Florida panthers to manatees, too.

Mountain West: Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park rightfully gets a lot of hype for its geological features, like its active geysers and hot springs. I also think it's the best place to see wildlife in the Lower 48.

During the three months I spent living in Yellowstone, I saw grizzlies, wolves, eagles, moose, elk, pronghorns, black bears, badgers, and falcons on a regular basis. Honestly, three months still isn't enough time to see the park — I'm not sure a lifetime would be.

That said, the park is still worth seeing for any amount of time and in any capacity.

Pacific West: Santa Cruz in Channel Islands National Park

California's Channel Islands National Park isn't called "the Galapagos of North America" for nothing. The unique park consists of five islands, and my favorite is Santa Cruz.

First of all, the ferry ride from Ventura Harbor to Santa Cruz is spectacular. On my trip, I saw a megapod of dolphins, humpback whales, and sea lions. Even just the view of the islands coming out of the ocean blew me away.

Santa Cruz is mostly uninhabited and is home to many unique species, like the beautiful island scrub-jay. Also, keep an eye out for the native island fox, a tiny cutie that may take your lunch if you leave it out.

• The "Bridget Jones" actor Renée Zellweger took a six-year career break from 2010.
• She said she was "sick" of her own voice.
• The Oscar-winner used the time to do various activities, from studying international law to adopting dogs.

Renée Zellweger took a break from her acting career because she was "sick" of her own voice, she said. She spent that time doing a variety of things, from studying to adopting rescue dogs.

The actor will return to her most famous role in the sequel "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy," which is out on Valentine's Day. The film follows the titular writer-turned-TV producer as she navigates life as a single parent to two children after the death of her husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).

Hugh Grant, who plays Daniel Cleaver, Jones' previous love interest, will also reprise his role. To mark the occasion, Grant interviewed Zellweger for Vogue.

When he asked why she took a six-year break from acting in 2010, she replied: "Because I needed to. I was sick of the sound of my own voice. When I was working, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renée? Oh, is this your mad voice?' It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences."

In the last decade, more people have started using career breaks to develop their personal lives away from work — some have used the time to travel, others focused on their families.

Gen Z, in particular, has been rewriting the rulebook on career gaps, and many have used the time to upskill in the hope of benefitting their careers in the future.

A LinkedIn survey in 2022 found that 69% of people who took a career break said it "helped them to gain perspective and figure out what they want in life."

For Zellweger, that included studying international law and starting a production company, Big Picture Co.

She also adopted a pair of dogs.

Zellweger said: "I wrote music and studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs. I got healthy."

Her career break ended in 2016 when she returned to the big screen for "Bridget Jones's Baby," which sees Jones fall pregnant.

At the time, Zellweger told Vanity Fair that she returned to the role because it had been 15 years since the original movie, and the team "could take a different and interesting angle on it."

• Spain's planned 100% tax on non-EU homebuyers is unlikely to solve its housing crisis.
• Spain's prime minister said too many foreigners were buying properties as investments, not homes.
• But hiking taxes could discourage buyers and hurt Spain's economy, economists told BI.

Spain's plan to impose a 100% tax on homebuyers from non-EU countries like the US and UK may fail to achieve its intended results, and could easily backfire on the country's economy, experts told Business Insider.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the measure on Monday, as part of his government's efforts to tackle the country's growing housing problem.

If approved by lawmakers, the 100% tax would effectively double the cost of properties for non-EU homebuyers.

Sánchez said that too many foreign buyers saw Spanish property as an investment, and were buying homes for financial gains rather than to live in.

But experts said the impact may not be what the government hoped.

Jesús Alonso, a real-estate agent with Engel & Völkers, said the tax was unlikely to resolve Spain's housing crisis.

Instead, he said it could trigger a decline in demand for luxury properties, which could reduce new projects, especially in regions reliant on foreign buyers.

He also said the move could hurt regions reliant on foreign spending, as well as the retail and hospitality sectors, especially in coastal regions.

"A drop in demand could discourage new developments and stagnate this market," he added.

According to Spain's Association of Registrars, foreigners bought 24,700 properties in Spain in the third quarter of 2024, accounting for 15% of all real estate purchases.

This included EU and non-EU buyers.

The number was higher in the first half of 2024, when foreigners bought and sold 69,412 properties, or 20.4% of total sales and purchases, according to data from Spain's General Council of Notaries.

Antonio Fatas, a professor of economics at INSEAD, a French business school, said foreign purchases are not large enough to determine market prices.

He described the 100% tax as an "easy" fix to a "complex" problem, one that ignores the underlying cause of Spain's housing crisis, which is about supply and demand.

According to research by Caixa Bank, the supply of new housing in Spain is being weighed down by factors including a lack of land earmarked for development and a shortage of skilled labor.

"In the absence of a significant increase in the housing supply in the coming years, the gap between supply and demand will steadily widen," it said.

Caixa Bank said in September that it expected Spanish house prices to rise by 5% in 2024, and 2.8% in 2025.

José Carlos Díez Gangas, an associate partner at the venture capital firm LUAfund, said the government's strategy is to try to curb demand growth.

However, echoing Fatas' point, he said: "There is a shortage of supply, and the greatest effect will be on prices, which will surely continue to rise until more houses come on the market."

At the same time, Spain has seen many ghost towns spring up, due in part to the 2008 financial crisis, a lack of public services, and migration from rural areas to cities.

Some estimates point to upward of 3,000 abandoned villages, even as other areas struggle to find enough housing.

Still, experts say the latest government idea could backfire on the economy as a whole.

"Does it make sense to make it difficult for a foreigner to buy a home in Spain?" said Fatas, adding: "Clearly, this represents a flow of capital into Spain that can have positive effects on the economy."

He said that stopping these flows would "negatively affect the construction, tourism sector, and anyone who could benefit from such a transaction."

• Jeff Bezos just scored a huge win: Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit.
• Now it's the turn of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which is set to launch Starship for the seventh time later Thursday.
• The two billionaires are locked in a race to dominate the global space industry.

Ahead of the most important moment in Blue Origin's history, Jeff Bezos couldn't help feeling nervous.

"I'm worried about everything," the billionaire Amazon founder told Ars Technica's Eric Berger on Sunday, as Blue Origin's technicians prepped the company's 32-story-tall New Glenn rocket for its first launch into orbit.

"We've done a lot of work, we've done a lot of testing, but there are some things that can only be tested in flight," Bezos said.

In the end, he needn't have worried. After a series of delays due to a vehicle subsystem issue, New Glenn finally roared into orbit in the early hours of Thursday, smashing through a barrier many space companies never cross on their first attempts.

The launch was a huge milestone for Blue Origin, which Bezos founded in 2000.

It is a big step toward Blue Origin's ambitions of using reusable rockets to regularly carry satellites and NASA astronauts into space, and proved that the rocket company can go toe-to-toe with its rivals in the new space race.

One of those rivals was watching closely.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk — who has clashed with Bezos personally away from their respective business rivalries — congratulated Blue Origin's founder on the successful launch.

The spotlight will now turn to SpaceX, which is set to launch its own mega-rocket Starship for the seventh time just hours after Bezos' company completed the feat for the first.

SpaceX steps up to the plate

SpaceX dominates the commercial space launch industry, launching more rockets into orbit than the rest of the world combined last year and making headlines around the world when it successfully caught Starship's 232-foot-tall rocket booster in October.

The company's latest launch, which is set for 4 p.m. CST on Thursday but could be delayed, will see it attempt the booster catch again and also demonstrate Starship's ability to deploy payloads into orbit by releasing several "dummy" Starlink satellites.

Both SpaceX and Blue Origin have ambitious launch schedules for 2025, meaning this will likely not be the first time Musk and Bezos will face off in dueling rocket launches.

SpaceX has signaled it will aim to launch Starship up to 25 times in 2025, while Blue Origin is planning to capitalize on New Glenn's success by launching the giant rocket as many as 10 times this year.

Both companies have contracts worth billions with NASA's Artemis program, with Starship and Blue Origin's "Blue Moon" lunar lander set to carry astronauts to the moon over the next decade.

Blue Origin is also set to carry satellites into orbit for Amazon's Project Kuiper, the e-commerce giant's rival to SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. Amazon previously bought launch slots for Kuiper from SpaceX.

Space industry braces for Trump

While Blue Origin has finally joined the orbital big leagues, SpaceX could still have a crucial advantage: Musk's newfound political influence.

The billionaire Tesla CEO has been elevated to "first buddy" status in the incoming administration thanks to his support of Trump's presidential campaign, and is set to play a crucial role heading up the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

Trump has already announced that Jared Isaacman will be NASA's next administrator. Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut, has flown multiple commercial missions for SpaceX and has voiced support for Musk's ambitions of colonizing Mars.

SpaceX has also got a boost from Sean Duffy, Trump's nominee for Transportation Secretary, who told lawmakers in his confirmation hearing on Wednesday he would review penalties imposed on the company by the Federal Aviation Authority, which has been a frequent target of Musk's ire.

By contrast, Bezos has been attempting to patch up his complex and, at times, antagonistic relationship with Trump.

The billionaire flew into Mar-a-Lago for dinner with Trump and Musk last month and told The New York Times' Dealbook conference he was "optimistic" about Trump's second term.

Ahead of New Glenn's launch, he told Reuters that one thing he wasn't nervous about was the bromance between the new president and his greatest rival.

"Elon has been very clear that he's doing this for the public interest and not for his personal gain," Bezos said. "And I take him at face value."

• Emirates president Tim Clark told Business Insider how he thinks Boeing can get out of its "mess."
• He said the company should treat workers better: "You look after the people, they look after you."
• Boeing delivered 348 planes in 2024, the lowest number since the pandemic.

The boss of one of Boeing's biggest customers has a blunt message for its new CEO: treat your workers better.

Tim Clark, the president of Emirates airline, told Business Insider in an interview: "You look after the people, they look after you. I think they've been offsided by the previous management for too long."

"Have you got yourself into a mess like this because you prided yourself on treating them badly and not giving them a deal when you were making fat profits and taking bonuses at board level? Really? That's not the way to run a business. You need to get people with you.

"So if you look after the guys and share the loot, you probably won't have such a forceful union," Clark added.

A seven-week strike exacerbated Boeing's troubles last year. Tensions flared and the acting labor secretary went to Seattle to help broker negotiations.

Union members approved the company's fourth offer, which will increase pay by 38% over four years. It also included a $12,000 ratification bonus.

Dubai-based Emirates is one of Boeing's biggest customers. It has the world's largest fleet of Boeing 777s and has ordered more than 200 of the modernized 777X variant, which has faced several certification delays.

The embattled planemaker delivered 348 planes in 2024, its lowest number since the pandemic, as it grappled with the fallout from January's Alaska Airlines blowout.

Boeing is working to overhaul its production processes and get back on track. It's now led by Kelly Ortberg, who took over as CEO in August.

Clark thinks it will take years for the company to fully recover: "The hiatus, for me, is likely to last until the end of this decade."

"Produce good quality, safe aircraft, and the profits will come," he told BI. "If you prioritize one before the other, in an incorrect manner as happened over the last 10 years, then you will reap the whirlwind."

He added: "Don't worry about what City analysts or the Wall Street analysts are telling you what you can and can't do. Just get on with the job, produce very good airplanes. I promise you, we'll buy them in large numbers — we as an industry."

Clark said he wanted to see the planemaker recover from its woes and turn things around.

"We need Boeing — we need them to get back to the type of company that produced the excellent aircraft they always used to do," he said.

Shares in Boeing fell 31% in 2024, making it the biggest faller of the 30 stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

• The US law market is largely off-bounds to Big Four firms due to ethical rules on legal independence.
• KPMG is close to changing that by securing a unique license in Arizona to practice law.
• Traditional law firms shouldn't feel threatened by the move, a legal expert told Business Insider.

KPMG is one step closer to becoming the first Big Four firm to set up a legal division in the US.

On Tuesday, an Arizona judicial committee unanimously recommended that the state Supreme Court approve KPMG US's application for a unique state license that would allow it to practice law.

If approved, the firm will establish KPMG Law US as an alternative business structure (ABS). The Arizona Supreme Court told BI it would weigh the decision on January 28.

Arizona began its ABS program in 2021, scrapping a rule that prevents non-legal ownership of law firms.

The rule was set by the American Bar Association and only allows licensed lawyers to own or invest in law firms in an effort to prevent conflicting interests.

It has held back the Big Four professional services firms — KPMG, Deloitte, EY, and PwC — from establishing legal divisions in the US as they have done in other key markets.

Practicing law in the US "is something that no Big Four network firm can currently do," Christian Athanasoulas, a partner in KPMG's Tax Division and US head of Tax services, told BI.

The firm does provide business advice to legal clients in the US, he explained, but does "not interpret and apply legal standards to legal questions."

Athanasoulas said advances in technology and the growing demand for alternative legal services made it the right time to establish KPMG Law US, and they were "excited by the opportunity" that Arizona's regulatory reform presented.

"Pending approval, this innovation would differentiate KPMG Law US both in the legal and the consulting markets," he said.

The firm aims to focus primarily on large-scale, process-driven work, such as volume contracting, remediation exercises, and M&A-driven harmonization of contracts.

KPMG will position itself as complementing the services of traditional law firms rather than competing with them. It won't work on complex commercial transactions, trademark disputes, and other areas that are "core capabilities of traditional law firms," Athanasoulas told BI.

What they do have over competitors is the ability to harness KPMG's holistic, global suite of services.

"We see opportunities in the market to provide these required tasks, at scale, with better controls and more standardized outcomes than some existing market participants currently provide," Athanasoulas said.

Their work would not be limited to Arizona but could extend nationally, depending on individual state rules.

KPMG is already a major player in the global legal landscape, providing legal services in more than 80 jurisdictions. In the last financial year, the tax & legal division was KPMG's fastest-growing function, expanding by almost 10%.

The Big Four and the US legal landscape

The pending approval of KPMG Law US's ABS status raises questions about whether the other leading firms will follow suit and whether that will change the nature of the US legal market.

The Arizona Supreme Court said it introduced the ABS program to "transform the public's access to legal services," according to a 2020 press release.

"If the rules stand in the way of making those services available, the rules should change," the Court said.

Over 100 firms have since been approved to practice law under the program. Advocates for the Arizona ABS program say it deepens competition, lowers prices, and facilitates easier access to justice.

Utah is running a similar pilot program, and there are exceptions in Washington, D.C., that allow non-lawyers to hold minority stakes in a law firm. But other states have not yet followed suit.

"The most frequently stated concerns are that non-lawyer ownership or investment will create conflicts or low-quality work because of profit motivations," Brad Blickstein, CEO of Blickstein Group, a legal industry consultancy, told BI.

KPMG said any new firm would be governed by the same high ethical standards that apply to other law firms, and there would be no crossover between legal services clients and audit clients.

Legal experts have been predicting that the Big Four will move into the US law market for several years, Blickstein said. While they may take some work over time, traditional law firms shouldn't feel threatened, he added.

"KPMG is somewhat limited in what it can do as an Arizona law firm, and even in markets like the UK where they have free rein, the Big Four has not put too many law firms out of business.

"I continue to believe that the Big Four will eventually have a meaningful - but not existential - impact on US law firms and legal departments," Blickstein said. "This is a step in that direction, but only a step."

• My wife and I are considering asking my mother-in-law to move in with us.
• There are plenty of benefits to multigenerational households.
• We have room in our home for her, it's good for our budget, and we love spending time with her.

My mother-in-law was recently widowed. Although she is independent, in good health, and has her own home, my wife and I are considering having her move in with us. This way of living, with multiple generations of a family under one roof, is known as "intergenerational households." And it can offer some valuable benefits.

I'm in favor of intergenerational households for many reasons — and why my family might try this at home.

Many countries do it

Intergenerational households are common in many other countries. Research from the UN shows that as of 2019, in 67 out of 100 countries that had data available, older people tend to live with their extended families instead of alone. When I lived in Japan, I remember seeing how common it was for young adults to keep living at home with their parents well into their 30s or beyond.

Living with multiple generations under one roof is a great way for families to stay connected and for young people to save on rent while starting their careers. This way of living is not so rare in America, either. Pew Research shows that as of 2021, about 18% of the US population resided in multigenerational households.

It's not always easy to share a home with a grandparent or your parents; sometimes, people want to get out from under their parents' roof or have more privacy. But sometimes, sharing living space with older family members is the best way to make ends meet and keep your family connected and strong.

It's good for the family budget

A few years ago, my wife, kids, and I moved to a new house that is bigger than our former home. Sometimes, this house feels a little "too big." We have an extra bedroom, multiple bathrooms, and more than enough space for one more person. And my mother-in-law is no freeloader; if she moves in with us, she has offered to help contribute to our monthly household expenses.

I'm not going to charge steep rent to my wife's mother, but it would be great to have another adult in the house to help pay the mortgage and utilities. Splitting the bills seems to be a good strategy for many intergenerational households; Pew Research from 2022 has found that families who live this way are less likely to fall into poverty. When you have more people to share the costs of maintaining a household, the whole family can feel a little more financially comfortable.

We love my wife's mom, and she's easy to have around

Even though she's enjoying retirement, is in good health, and doesn't "need" to move in with us, my wife, kids, and I like the idea of having my mother-in-law live with us. Our kids are teenagers and don't have many years left of living at home before leaving for college and starting careers. It would be fun for our kids to spend more time with their grandmother during this special time.

What else are families for besides helping each other through life and spending time together? No one knows how much time we have, so we might as well spend it with the people we love most. My family is still discussing the possibility of having my wife's mother move in. But if we can find a way to make it work, we might do it. Becoming an intergenerational household could help our family make happy everyday memories and feel a little closer and better connected.

• My eldest had a severe food reaction that sent us to the ER when she was 5 months old.
• I wanted to avoid repeating that traumatic experience so I took control of all aspects of our lives.
• I thought if I could keep my child safe then I was a good mother. My helicopter parenting backfired.

I've been a parent for almost 12 years. If there's one thing I've learned, parenting is the ultimate reminder that you cannot control much in life. I learned this lesson the hard way.

After a traumatic birth and emergency C-section, my first child was born with a severe food allergy to dairy. Of course, I didn't know this right away.

It became clear one night after a frantic trip to the Emergency Room with a 5-month-old baby. I spent months after that ER visit trying to control every aspect of our lives to protect us from experiencing another reaction.

Surprisingly, my attempts worked. We did not have another reaction for many years. Ergo, I reasoned that if I could control all aspects of our lives as well, then we would be safe.

I had an ingrained belief that if I could keep my child safe, then I was a good mother. I really wanted to be a good mother.

Controlling our lives wasn't a winning strategy

I never wanted my child to feel like she wasn't normal or wasn't enough. So, I inadvertently became a helicopter parent.

I swayed her friend choices to people who would respect our limitations. I swayed our outings to places where I felt comfortable and knew we would be protected, not necessarily the places where we would have new experiences or grow.

I was so afraid of what my life would be like if something really bad happened that I kept us from living a full life. This translated to my other child, who became completely dependent on me.

At some point, I knew they would need to be able to exist independently; I just wasn't sure how to let go. I didn't know how to hold the uncertainty of their independence, so I avoided allowing it.

I eventually ended up divorced, out of touch with myself as a person and as a parent, and with two very small children depending on me to keep them safe and show them the way.

Emotionally exhausted, post-divorce, I just couldn't do it anymore. So, I did what parents often do. I committed to figuring it out.

I can't control much, but I can still be a good mother

I did a lot of deep reflection during the COVID-19 pandemic and learned to tune back into myself.

I sought therapy to challenge why I was so afraid and learned ways to overcome those fears.

I practiced being alone, going to new places, and trying new things like hiking and paddleboarding. Then, I shared those experiences with my kids.

After I learned to love and be myself again, I started to see my children for who they were instead of what I thought they should be.

I believe them when they tell me what they think, want, and dislike. I don't try to dissuade them anymore.

I've spent most of the last five years facing and working to overcome my fears. It's been worth it to watch my kids blossom. They have friends, social lives, and favorite places to eat, and we've also traveled a bit.

Watching my eldest on the beach in Hawaii with a smile as big as the ocean is a moment I'll always cherish.

Of course, over the years, my eldest has had more food allergy reactions. Each one is terrifying at the moment, but we've learned to grow from these experiences, like understanding to recognize which foods are safe and how to branch outside her comfort zone.

I cannot control much about life, at all, but I can figure out how to live and parent in a supportive way.