• WalletHub recently published a report on the top US cities to find a job in 2025.
• Three cities in Arizona were among the top 10 best places to find a job, with Scottsdale at No.1.
• Except for Washington, DC, many cities on the list are smaller, perhaps surprising places.

The new year often brings hope for change. For those laid off or seeking a fresh start, it's also the perfect time to look for a job.

However, with a new political administration and fewer opportunities in white-collar industries, landing a job in 2025 could prove challenging, according to economists.

This is why choosing the right city could be crucial.

"It is important to look at more than just the number of jobs available or the unemployment rate," said Chip Lupo, an analyst at personal-finance website WalletHub, emphasizing that the quality of jobs — those offering good salaries, benefits, and overall satisfaction — is also important to consider when searching for new opportunities.

Some cities, like Norfolk, Virginia, have high rates of employment growth, while others, like Burlington, Vermont, offer the shortest average commute times, per WalletHub. Depending on your priorities, these factors could play a role in shaping your career choices.

To help with your search, WalletHub recently released a ranking of the best cities to find a job in 2025.

The study analyzed 182 cities, including the 150 most populated US cities and at least two most populated cities in each state, across 31 factors in two key areas: job market and socioeconomic factors.

WalletHub placed greater emphasis on the job market category because it "most heavily influence[s] a job seeker's decision in terms of relocation for employment," according to the report.

The data used for the ranking was sourced from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and others. BI also identified the cities' populations and median household incomes using July 2023 estimates from the US Census Bureau.

Here are the 10 best cities to find a job in the US, according to WalletHub.

10. Orlando

Population: 320,742

Median household income: $69,268

There's more to Orlando, ranked 10th on the report, than just Disney.

It's also, for example, a city with the fifth-highest availability of job opportunities and among the fastest-growing cities in America, according to WalletHub.

It secured 14th place in the job market category, which evaluated factors like job opportunities, employment growth, unemployment rate, and automation risk, among others.

9. Tempe, Arizona

Population: 189,834

Median household income: $77,643

Tempe is a sprawling college town on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona.

WalletHub's report ranked Tempe 17th in the job market category and 22nd in the socioeconomic one. According to the American Community Survey shared by the Arizona Commerce Authority, 25.2% of all employed individuals in Tempe work in education, healthcare, or social assistance, making these the city's largest employment sectors.

In addition to being a thriving economic space, the city is popular for building America's self-proclaimed "first car-free neighborhood."

8. Washington, DC

Population: 678,972

Median household income: $106,287

The capital city ranked eighth on WalletHub's index, scoring 11th in the job market and 36th in the socioeconomic category.

The US' capital and political center has the second-highest employment growth and the fifth-highest monthly average starting salary.

However, it ranked 181st among 182 cities for the longest average work and commute time.

7. Chandler, Arizona

Population: 280,167

Median household income: $103,691

Another city in the Grand Canyon State has been named one of the best places to find a job this year.

In the job market category, Chandler ranked 15th, reflecting strong employment opportunities and growth.

Additionally, its socioeconomic rank of 29th indicates a stable and supportive environment for job seekers in terms of housing affordability, transit access, and annual transportation costs, among other factors.

6. Charleston, South Carolina

Population: 155,369

Median household income: $90,038

Known for its historic charm, vibrant culture, and beautiful coastal views, Charleston, South Carolina, is the sixth-best city for finding a job in 2025, according to WalletHub.

The port city has a thriving job market, ranking sixth in the category, partly because of its booming trade and transport industry. It's also one of the three locations in the world — alongside Everett and Renton in Washington — where Boeing's wide-body jets get assembled.

Charleston also has the third-highest employment growth. Still, some people who have moved to the city in the past have found that its growing popularity has led to heavy traffic and a high cost of living.

5. Portland, Maine

Population: 69,104

Median household income: $76,174

Maine's biggest city is also the fifth-best place in the US to find a job this year.

The 2020 launch of the $100 million Roux Institute has spurred significant growth in Portland's tech sector, alongside a thriving bioscience and healthcare industry supported by over 400 life science companies.

Adding to its appeal, US News & World Report ranks Portland as the seventh-best city in the US for quality of life, making it a standout choice for job seekers seeking career opportunities and a good standard of living.

4. South Burlington, Vermont

Population: 21,043

Median household income: $97,229

WalletHub's 2024 safest city to live in the US is also the fourth-best city to find a job this year.

It fared well in the job market and socioeconomic categories, ranking fourth and fifth, respectively. It also has the second-most job opportunities among the 182 cities.

South Burlington has a diverse economy with several thriving industries, including healthcare and social assistance, retail, hospitality, and education.

3. Columbia, Maryland

Population: 104,681 (2020)

Median household income: $115,564

In 2022, WalletHub ranked Columbia, Maryland, the No. 1 city for finding a job in the US. This year, it remains in the top three, coming in at No. 3.

The city has maintained its spot partly because it has the highest median annual income. It also has the ninth-lowest share of jobs that are likely to be automated in the coming decades, offering long-term job security in a changing economy.

Beyond the job market offerings, Columbia stands out for its affordability. WalletHub notes that fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment is around 16% of the city's median household income, the sixth-lowest percentage in the country.

2. Pittsburgh

Population: 303,255

Median household income: $64,137

Pittsburgh ranks as the second-best city for jobs, thanks to a high number of job opportunities and the quality of companies.

It offers the most job opportunities per capita and the third-highest number of full-time jobs at top-rated companies.

The city's jobs are also highly rated, with residents reporting the ninth-highest job satisfaction in the country. It also has the fourth-highest percentage of workers with access to an employer-based retirement plan.

Beyond work, Pittsburgh is the fourth-best city for singles, has the 11th-best public transit system, and boasts affordability with the 18th-lowest median house price in the U.S.

1. Scottsdale, Arizona

Population: 244,394

Median household income: $107,372

Arizona's luxury hot spot, Scottsdale, is also the No. 1 best city to find a job in the US in 2025.

The city, which has recently become a second home to wealthy retirees, entrepreneurs, and CEOs, is at the top partly because it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

It's also great for college students looking for their first work experience, as it ranks first in the number of paid internship opportunities available.

The high number of job opportunities is complemented by a high quality of life. The city has one of the highest median household incomes in the country and, with the 12th-lowest violent crime rate in the US, it's also a safe city.

• I tried every flavor of Snapple I could find and ranked them from my least favorite to my top pick.
• I thought Snapple's apple flavor tasted artificial, and the fruit punch was too sweet.
• However, I really enjoyed most of the lemonade varieties and was surprised by my top choices.

I grew up only a few miles from Snapple's former headquarters in Long Island, New York.

In the mid-90s, when the company's flavored iced teas and juices were an ubiquitous presence in convenience-store fridges and school lunches, it was a point of local pride.

Classmates would even claim personal connections to Wendy Kaufman, the company administrator who went on to star as the quirky "Snapple lady" in a popular series of commercials.

However, I mostly gave up sugary beverages before graduating from high school and haven't had many Snapple drinks since. Out of curiosity, though, I wanted to see if the company's products were still as tasty as I remembered.

So, I went to two different supermarkets, grabbed every flavor of Snapple I could find, and ranked them from worst to best. Here's what I thought of the 13 flavors I tried.

I didn't think Snapple's apple flavor tasted like apple juice.

I have two young kids, so I've finished off plenty of tiny boxes of apple juice in the last few years.

I thought I knew what to expect from Snapple's apple flavor, but I found it tasted more like apple-flavored candy than apple juice. It lacked any sort of tang, and in my opinion, it wasn't refreshing.

Snapple's fruit punch was much too sweet for me.

Unsurprisingly, all the Snapple flavors I tried were sweet. However, a few of them were so syrupy that they almost felt thick. This was definitely the case with the fruit-punch flavor.

This one tasted very sugary, almost like someone had dumped the remnants of all the other juices into the same bottle.

The grapeade tasted a bit like grape jelly.

I had high hopes for the grapeade, which had a color that almost resembled red wine. However, it had no tartness to it at all and tasted a bit like grape jelly.

I wasn't a fan of Snapple's orangeade.

After trying all the flavors, I realized I typically liked the lighter-colored beverages better than the darker ones. However, Snapple's orangeade proved to be an exception to that rule.

This one had no bite to it at all — almost like a creamsicle without the cream.

Snapple's Mango Madness used to be my favorite flavor.

I remember Mango Madness being one of my favorite flavors during the 90s Snapple craze.

However, it was one of the flavors that was so sweet it had the viscosity of highly concentrated simple syrup — albeit with the pleasant and recognizable mango flavor I enjoyed in my youth.

The peach tea wasn't as good as I remembered it, either.

Snapple's peach tea was another staple of my youth. It tasted exactly as I remembered, but this time around, I didn't like it as much. The peach flavor wasn't very subtle and drowned out most of the tea flavor.

The iced-tea-lemonade flavor was just OK.

I'm a big fan of iced-tea-lemonade drinks and typically enjoy the version from Arizona iced tea. However, I didn't remember ever trying Snapple's version before.

I didn't hate this flavor — but I didn't love it either. In my opinion, it was blandly sweet with some lemon flavor, and didn't have the earthiness of tea or the tartness of lemonade.

The raspberry tea was better than I had remembered.

The assertive raspberry flavor in Snapple's raspberry tea was better than I remembered. It tasted more like candy than actual raspberries, but was fruity, tasty, and different.

Snapple's lemon tea was a pleasant surprise.

Snapple's lemon tea always seemed a bit boring to me. However, I was surprised by how much I liked it. It had a nice sweet-tea flavor with just a hint of lemon, and none of the odd, dry-throat sensation that sometimes follows bottled iced teas.

I really enjoyed Snapple's take on pink lemonade.

I'm a sucker for pink lemonade, and Snapple's version got an added boost because it froze a bit in the back of my refrigerator, creating delightful pink-lemonade slush. However, I liked it even after it melted.

It was, of course, incredibly sweet, but I liked the lemon flavor and thought it would work well mixed with an unsweetened iced tea or seltzer.

Snapple's watermelon lemonade tasted like a Jolly Rancher.

Snapple's watermelon lemonade was a bit more muted in color than the pink lemonade, but it wasn't muted in flavor.

Watermelon was the prominent flavor here, and I thought it tasted just like a watermelon Jolly Rancher (which is my favorite).

I really enjoyed Snapple's Go Bananas flavor.

When I first saw this flavor in the supermarket, I expected it to be my least favorite. Although I like bananas, I tend to dislike anything banana-flavored.

However, the Go Bananas flavor also contains pear-juice concentrate, which I could definitely taste when I took a sip. The banana flavor wasn't overwhelming and gave the drink a tropical vibe.

I could imagine myself throwing this in the blender with some ice cubes and rum.

The kiwi-strawberry flavor was my favorite.

Snapple's kiwi-strawberry flavor was another one that was better than I'd remembered. It was sweet with strawberry flavor and had some nice tanginess to it. This felt like a good potential cocktail mixer or a base for a punch.

• I frequently shop at Costco and share a membership with my dad.
• My boyfriend and I like to split grocery items like the Skippy creamy peanut butter.
• When I need an easy breakfast, I reach for the Kodiak Power Cakes flapjack-and-waffle mix.

Many people say Costco is best for shoppers with big families. However, I think it's a great place for anyone to stretch a dollar and maximize a shopping trip — which is why I convinced my dad to get a Costco membership for us to share.

Years later, I still don't pay for the membership, and I visit the store with my boyfriend almost weekly. We don't live together, so we love finding new Costco items to stock up on, freeze, or share.

Here are some of my favorite things to get at Costco.

The Kirkland Signature artichoke hearts are delicious by themselves or in a dip.

I love warm, creamy artichoke dip, and these marinated hearts are perfect for the job. They're also amazing on their own, in a salad, or served with a sprinkle of salt for a low-calorie snack.

The Kirkland Signature artichoke hearts come in a set of two large jars, so they're perfect for splitting between households. 

The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken lives up to the hype.

The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is one of the store's most famous items, and for good reason. It's well-seasoned and can feed one person for a week or serve as a meal for a family of four.

I like to pinch off a chunk of leg meat with skin and dip it into the juice at the bottom of the bag for a quick snack. I also make a delicious chicken salad with the meat and use the bones for broth.

If I can't finish a whole bird, I cut it up and freeze it for later.

I use the Kodiak Power Cakes flapjack-and-waffle mix to make a tasty breakfast.

When I want a flavorful pancake without added calories from butter and syrup, I reach for the Kodiak Power Cakes flapjack-and-waffle mix.

This mix has a whopping 14 grams of protein per serving and is made with 100% whole grains, so it's nutritious and tastes good. I also love adding vanilla extract and oat milk for an extra punch of flavor.

The mix is packaged into three easy-to-store bags, so I distribute them among the family.

The Kirkland Signature salted grass-fed butter feels high-quality.

The Kirkland Signature salted grass-fed butter is made with just two ingredients: cream and salt.

I find it has a creamier consistency and tastes saltier than other versions I've had, so I use less butter than I normally would when I cook. I enjoy it on fresh, crusty bread or in brown-butter chocolate-chip cookies.  

If you're looking for a delicious cheese, check out the Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano is both delicious and versatile. I like to grate some on top of pasta or add it to a charcuterie board with fig or apricot jam and green or kalamata olives.

I absolutely love the Kirkland Signature organic 1% low-fat milk.

One of my greatest challenges is finding milk that lasts beyond a week once it's opened and tastes good — to me, some brands are a little too watery.

The best part about the Kirkland Signature organic milk is that its expiration date exceeds that of other dairy products I've tried. For example, the milk I bought at the beginning of November didn't expire until the start of January.

The Kirkland Signature super-premium vanilla ice cream is rich and creamy.

There's nothing like good-quality vanilla ice cream, and the Kirkland Signature brand is my favorite store-bought version.

This dessert is creamy, full of vanilla flavor, and doesn't have those weird crunchy ice crystals that some brands tend to have. I usually enjoy it with chocolate syrup, though I occasionally go rogue and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top. 

The Kirkland Signature ice cream comes in a two-pack, making it necessary but difficult to hand a carton off to a family member or friend.

I recently started buying Annie's organic mac and cheese variety pack.

I don't typically seek out organic products, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up the Annie's mac and cheese variety pack. However, this is hands down the creamiest, cheesiest boxed brand I've tried.

Each 12-pack comes with three flavors, including classic-, white-, and aged-cheddar variations. I make this mac and cheese with Kerrygold butter and Kirkland Signature milk to ensure maximum sauce creaminess. 

I like to add the Kirkland Signature smoked salmon to my morning bagels.

I used to get a bagel and schmear with salmon every Sunday morning, but with this Kirkland Signature smoked fish, I can throw a sandwich together whenever I want.

It takes just a few minutes to prepare — I squeeze lemon on the salmon and then stack capers, red onion, a boiled egg, and tomato on a bagel with cream cheese.

This salmon comes in a two-pack, so I can keep one portion in the fridge and freeze the other for later. 

The Skippy creamy peanut-butter twin pack is the unsung hero of my pantry.

These huge jars of Skippy peanut butter — weighing 3 pounds each — seem to last forever.

I pair it with a healthy scoop of grape jelly and spread it on plain white bread. I've also mastered a peanut-butter-and-jelly smoothie, and I love to swirl a spoonful of the spread with yogurt and fruit for breakfast.

One jar goes a long way, so I like to send the other container home with my boyfriend.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

• Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season seven finale of Starz's "Outlander."
• The season finale of the time-traveling romance drama delivered plenty of twists and turns.
• Here's a recap of where Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the characters ended up.

The season seven finale of the time-traveling romance drama "Outlander" aired on Friday.

Here's where all of the major characters ended up.

Claire was critically injured and made a shocking discovery about her past.

The second half of season seven delivered some truly shocking twists for our favorite time traveler.

Claire (Caitríona Balfe) was confronted with the news that Jamie (Sam Heughan) had died while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, leaving her widowed.

She then hastily married Lord John Grey (David Berry) as a means to stop the English army from arresting and executing her for spying on behalf of the rebels.

It was only after Claire and Lord John consummated their marriage that she learned that Jamie had survived his voyage to America.

As the Revolutionary War continued to wage on around them, Claire found herself at the center of the Battle of Monmouth, where she was critically injured by a stray bullet.

At the close of season seven, Claire had made a full recovery but found herself confronted with something she had previously believed impossible: her and Jamie's first child, a daughter named Faith, had not died in childbirth over 30 years before.

Jamie severed ties with the Continental Army.

Jamie finally returned to his native home in the second half of season seven after many years away.

The reunion with Jamie's sister Jenny (Kristin Atherton) and other members of the Fraser family was cut short when Claire was summoned to Philadelphia to help an ailing member of the Grey family.

Once back on American soil, Jamie found himself called upon by none other than George Washington, who promoted him to brigadier general in the Continental Army.

However, when Claire's life was put on the line, Jamie severed ties with the army, writing his resignation in blood on the back of a shirtless messenger.

Brianna was reunited with Roger and met some other family members.

Brianna's family was torn apart in the second half of "Outlander" season seven thanks to the meddling of her new adversary, Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton).

After being led to believe that Rob had taken her son Jemmy (Matthew Adair) through the stones at Craigh na Dun, Roger (Richard Rankin) followed, leaving Brianna and her youngest child, Mandy (Rosa Morris), to fend for themselves in the 20th century.

Brianna eventually found that Rob had not taken Jemmy to another time period but was holding him hostage in the present day. Thanks to Mandy's psychic-like connection to Jemmy, they eventually found that he'd been taken to a tunnel under Loch Errochty.

After that, Brianna and the two youngsters went through the standing stones at Craigh na Dun themselves, determined to find Roger in the past.

They did so, and Brianna was able to have another sweet family reunion as well, meeting her grandfather, Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp).

Roger spent most of the season separated from his immediate family.

Roger spent all of the second half of "Outlander" season seven in 1739 after he wound up there while looking for his son.

He and Buck MacKenzie (Diarmaid Murtagh), who also made the trip back, encountered several key characters while there, including a younger version of Buck's parents, Geillis Duncan (Lotte Verbeek) and Dougal MacKenzie (Graham MacTavish).

Roger also came across his own father, Jerry MacKenzie (Nicholas Ralph), whom they discovered had also accidentally traveled to the past while fighting in World War Two. While Jerry wasn't aware of who Roger was, the two shared a sweet moment before Roger sent him back to his own timeline.

By the end of the season, Roger had reunited with his family after they found him at the family's ancestral home of Lallybroch.

Young Ian married for a second time and said goodbye to both his father and his beloved dog.

Young Ian (John Bell) began the second half of season seven in Scotland, where he reunited with his father (Steven Cree), who was dying of consumption.

Following that, Ian returned to America to be with Rachel Hunter (Izzy Meikle-Small), and the two married in a Quaker ceremony. 

In the season finale, Ian received both good and bad news; firstly, he learned that Rachel was pregnant. Not long after, though, he woke up to find that his beloved dog Rollo died of old age in the night.

Lord John survived a brush with death and made it back home.

When his marriage to Claire was annulled following Jamie's return from the dead, Lord John Grey found his life on the line.

After Jamie pretended to take John hostage in a nearby forest to get a group of British soldiers off his tail, the two men came to blows when Jamie learned how close John had gotten to Claire in his absence.

A group of rebel soldiers who happened upon the sparring duo took Lord John away as their own prisoner. 

John managed to escape and was later found by a Continental soldier who set him free.

William discovered the truth about his parentage.

Shaken by the realization that Jamie was his father, William attempted to take his mind off of the truth about his parentage by visiting a brothel.

While there, he met Jane Pocock (Silvia Presente), a sex worker with whom he forged a friendship. 

William paid to spend a night with Jane in order to save her from the lecherous Captain Harkness (Adam Jackson-Smith).

Later on in the season, Jane and her younger sister Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) sought out William at the British Army encampment outside of Philadelphia after they fled the brothel.

As Jane explained, Captain Harkness had paid a large sum to take Fanny's virginity. Jane had then done what she thought she had to do to save her sister and killed Captain Harkness.

After Jane was arrested for the crime, William enlisted his father's help to try to rescue her.

Jane met a tragic end.

Jane's time on the show is brief but important.

After initially meeting William at a brothel, Jane crossed paths with him again after she killed a high-ranking British soldier. William agreed to help her and her sister escape to New York.

Before William was able to get them out of Philadelphia safely, Jane was arrested and sentenced to death.

While being held prisoner, William and Jamie ambushed the soldiers guarding her. They burst in to save her, but it was too late. Accepting her fate, Jane had already taken her own life.

This left Fanny without a guardian. With no one else to turn to, William asked Claire and Jamie to take the youngster in, leading to the discovery that Jane and Fanny's mother may have been the couple's presumed-dead daughter, Faith.

In the last moments of the finale, Claire came across Fanny singing a song that she had sweetly sung to her daughter as a baby — a song that no one else, except a time traveler like Claire, would know since it hadn't been written by that point in history.

• Aquarians are born between January 20 and February 18.
• Kerry Washington, Isla Fisher, and Harry Styles are all Aquarius celebrities.
• Shakira, John Travolta, and Christian Bale also fall under the January/February zodiac sign.

Plenty of Aquarius celebrities will celebrate birthdays between January 20 and February 18.

Those with the zodiac sign are known for being humanitarians, non-conformists, and purveyors of social progress.

From Harry Styles to John Travolta, we've rounded up all of the Aquarius stars.

Rainn Wilson

The "Office" star was born on January 20.

Guy Fieri

The celebrity chef celebrates a birthday on January 22. 

Ed Helms

Wilson's "Office" costar has a birthday on January 24.

Neil Diamond

The "Sweet Caroline" crooner was born on January 24.

Alicia Keys

The Grammy-winning "No One" singer celebrates a birthday on January 25.

Ellen DeGeneres

The daytime TV host was born on January 26.

Patton Oswalt

The stand-up comedian and writer was born on January 27.

Elijah Wood

The "Lord of the Rings" star was born on January 28.

Tom Selleck

The "Magnum, P.I." actor was born on January 29.

Christian Bale

The Batman actor was born on January 30.

Kerry Washington

The "Scandal" frontwoman celebrates a birthday on January 31.

Portia de Rossi

The "Ally McBeal" actor was born on January 31.

Justin Timberlake

The "Can't Stop the Feeling" singer was born on January 31.

Harry Styles

The "Watermelon Sugar" crooner was born on February 1.

Ronda Rousey

The pro wrestler celebrates a birthday on February 1.

Shakira

The "Hips Don't Lie" singer was born on February 2.

Isla Fisher

The actor was born on February 3.

Hannibal Buress

The "Broad City" funnyman was born on February 4.

Laura Linney

The "Love Actually" actor celebrates a birthday on February 5.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese soccer player was born on February 5.

Ashton Kutcher

The actor celebrates a birthday on February 7.

Chris Rock

The actor and comedian was also born on February 7.

Seth Green

The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actor was born on February 8.

Tom Hiddleston

The Marvel villain celebrates a birthday on February 9.

Chloë Grace Moretz

The "Greta" actor was born on February 10.

Emma Roberts

The "American Horror Story" actor was born on February 10.

Uzo Aduba

The "Orange Is the New Black" actor was born on February 10.

Elizabeth Banks

The "Pitch Perfect" actor and producer was born on February 10.

Laura Dern

The "Big Little Lies" actor was born on February 10.

Stephanie Beatriz

The "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor was born on February 10.

Yara Shahidi

The "Grown-ish" actor celebrates a birthday on February 10.

Natalie Dormer

The "Game of Thrones" actor was born on February 11.

Jennifer Aniston

The famous "Friends" actor was born on February 11.

Kelly Rowland

The R&B singer and actor celebrates a birthday on February 11.

Brandy

This real-life Cinderella was born on February 11.

Alex Borstein

The "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" actor celebrates a birthday on February 15.

The Weeknd

The "Starboy" singer was born on February 16.

Elizabeth Olsen

The "WandaVision" actor was born on February 16.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The "500 Days of Summer" actor was born on February 17.

Michael Jordan

The basketball legend was born on February 17.

Ed Sheeran

The "Perfect" singer was born on February 17.

Molly Ringwald

The "Sixteen Candles" actor was born on February 18.

Dr. Dre

The rapper and entrepreneur was born on February 18.

John Travolta

The "Grease" actor celebrates a birthday on February 18.

Read More:

• 42 celebrities you didn't know were Sagittariuses
• 53 celebrities you didn't realize were Leos
• 8 of the best and 8 of the worst John Travolta films of all time, ranked
• Every single Harry Styles song, ranked

• The Infiniti QX80 is a full-size luxury SUV that competes with the Lexus LX and Cadillac Escalade.
• I recently drove a 2025 QX80 in the lower-mid-tier Luxe trim.
• I was impressed by the SUV's eye-catching looks, luxurious high-tech cabin, and quiet ride.

The third-generation Infiniti QX80 got some much-needed updates in 2024 to help it remain competitive against industry heavyweights like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Lexus LX.

I recently reviewed a four-wheel-drive QX80 SUV with an as-tested price of $99,195. I was impressed by the QX's eye-catching looks, luxurious, high-tech cabin, and smooth ride.

The base rear-wheel-drive QX80 starts at $82,450, while the top-spec 4WD variant starts at $110,595. My lower-mid-tier four-wheel-drive Luxe trim test car starts at $92,650.

Here are 18 features that show why the QX80 is a stylish Japanese alternative to the Escalade.

Luxurious cabin

The QX80's cabin is luxurious, roomy, and loaded with tech. The new interior is a big step forward compared to the outgoing model.

I was impressed by Infiniti's excellent mix of materials in the cabin and the quality of the fit and finish. The dual 14.3-inch screen atop the front dash looked great. Unfortunately, the 9-inch touch control screen is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it's a tidy way to organize a maze of controls, but it's far less intuitive to use than physical buttons would be.

Apart from that, interior ergonomics are solid, there's plenty of storage, and the 64-color configurable ambient lighting looks great.

Eye-catching looks

The design of the new QX80 is bold enough to hold your attention but doesn't veer into the garish. It features the latest interpretation of Infiniti's Artistry in Motion design language, highlighted by a large double-arch front grille inspired by bamboo forests.

Twin-turbo power

Under the hood is a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 450 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. It replaces the previous generation's naturally aspirated V8. The VR series V6 is velvety smooth and feels eager to deliver its power.

My QX80 Luxe test car boasts EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined.

Air suspension

My test car came with an electronic air suspension system. The suspension can be lowered by 1.2 inches to improve aerodynamics while driving and 2.8 inches for easier ingress and egress. In off-road mode, it can be raised 2.1 inches over its normal ride height to help clear obstacles.

Digital driver's cockpit

In front of the driver is a 14.3 digital instrument display and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel. The high-quality configurable gauge display is augmented by an optional head-up display.

New infotainment system

The QX80's 14.3-inch touchscreen is equipped with Nissan/Infiniti's latest InTouch infotainment system, which is elegantly designed and easy to navigate. The system features built-in Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

Comfortable driver's seat

The Infiniti's tan leather-upholstered seats were soft, supportive, and offered great adjustability. However, the heated and ventilated driver's seat in my test car did not have the optional massage function, although the passenger seat did.

Luxurious second row

QX80s also come standard with the second-row captain's chairs. The QX80's second-row seats are heated, power-operated, and come with a solid 39-inch legroom.

Second-row passengers also have access to their own climate controls and a handful of USB sockets. The top tier Autograph trim comes with massaging seats.

Spacious third row

Third-row passengers have a generous 32.9-inch legroom, roughly the same amount of space you get in coach on a plane. The 60/40 split third-row bench comfortably accommodates two adults, but things get tight if you try to squeeze three people back there.

Panoramic Moonroof

All QX80s come with a panoramic glass moonroof.

Expansive cargo room.

Open the liftgate, and you'll find a stout 22.3 cubic feet of cargo space. With the third row folded, cargo space expands to 59 cubic feet. Fold down the second row, and you'll get a cavernous 101 cubic feet of room.

There's a small underfloor storage area behind the third row.

Remote start

All QX80s come with remote engine start, which is activated by pressing the "curved arrow" on its key fob.

Klipsch premium audio

My QX80 Luxe test car came with a sweet-sounding, 14-speaker, 600-watt Klipsch audio system. Higher-tier Sensory and Autograph models get an even more powerful, 1,200-watt, 24-speaker Klipsch premium audio system. Autograph models even get stylish metal-trimmed speakers built into their front headrests.

Invisible hood view

The QX80's camera system includes a new invisible hood view that allows the driver to see what is immediately in front of and underneath the front of the vehicle. This feature is great for squeezing into tight parking spots or even when off-roading.

Around view monitor

The QX80 comes standard with a 3D Around View Monitor system, which is handy for maneuvering in tight spaces. It also has a new three-dimensional spin feature that lets you see the vehicle's surroundings from eight pre-selected angles.

Towing

The QX80 is rated to tow up to an impressive 8,500 lbs with an integrated class IV tow-hitch and seven-pin wiring harness.

The SUV also comes with a special drive mode geared for towing, while its rearview camera and blind spot warning are designed to assist with hitching up a trailer and ensure safe driving while trailering.

Easy cargo loading

Infiniti's flagship SUV comes standard with its smart handsfree liftgate that activates by kicking your leg under the rear bump. Once the liftgate is open, you can lower the height of the vehicle by 2.8 inches to make loading cargo easier.

Safety tech

The QX80 comes standard with adaptive cruise control and lane-centering technology. You can upgrade to ProPilot Assist 2.1, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering in certain highway driving conditions.

• A global job crisis is brewing, Singapore's president warned in a World Economic Forum panel.
• About 1.2 billion new workers will be competing for 400 million jobs over the next decade, he said.
• Tharman Shanmugaratnam called for an overhaul of education and labor force training to help workers.

Singapore's president says a global job crisis is looming, and tackling it will require governments around the world to reimagine how they educate, train, and care for their workers.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam sounded the alarm during a Wednesday panel titled "Closing the Jobs Gap" at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. He delivered a wide-ranging monologue in the session moderated by Business Insider's editor in chief, Jamie Heller.

Shanmugaratnam — an economist with degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics — said that roughly 1.2 billion people from developing and emerging nations are set to enter the global workforce over the next decade, but only 400 million new jobs are projected to be created in that period.

If another 800 million people wind up underemployed or fully unemployed, it won't just be an economic, social, and political nightmare — it will represent a "crisis of social compact" and a "crisis of hope, of self-belief and dignity, and a crisis of solidarity," he said.

Narrowing the jobs gap will require "shaping human potential through life," from the crucial first three years of a child's life to what they learn in school and at work, Shanmugaratnam said.

He flagged the mismatch between the overly academic and insufficiently technical education provided by many universities, and the skills that employers demand, which has left many graduates jobless and could leave a "whole generation feeling the system has failed them."

He also underscored the need to equip workers with the breadth of abilities and soft skills necessary to excel in their careers.

AI and informal work

Shanmugaratnam has held top-level government positions focused on human resources, education, finance, and economic and social policies during his career.

At Davos, he discussed the rise of artificial intelligence and the prospect that the technology could lead to mass displacement of workers.

He called for governments and employers to continually invest in workers to increase the chances that AI complements their skills instead of rendering them obsolete. He also urged authorities to take care of workers replaced by the tech.

Shanmugaratnam also flagged that the vast majority of workers in the developing world are in the informal sector, so they lack job security, have no opportunity to develop their skills, and are underemployed.

He called for other countries to follow Singapore's example and give gig workers benefits such as workplace injury compensation and social security, and ensure employers build up their workforce's skills over time.

• Alessandro Palombo has lived in Dubai and he's launched two businesses in Singapore.
• He said people in Dubai often display their wealth, while Singapore has billionaires in flip-flops.
• The lifestyle in Dubai can be transient, meanwhile, Singapore can feel small, he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Alessandro Palombo, 36, an entrepreneur based in Lisbon, about doing business in Dubai and Singapore. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I lived in Dubai for around four years, and I have two businesses in Singapore.

I started my career in the legal field but pivoted into startups. I currently live in Lisbon and focus on running a fund advisor for a Golden Visa fund helping non-Europeans gain residency and citizenship in Portugal.

I first moved to Dubai in 2019. I used the city as my headquarters and often traveled from there for work and my startups. I had team members in Asia, so there was good connectivity from Dubai to them. I also frequently visited Singapore for business trips.

I launched two businesses, including a fund advisor, in Singapore in 2024. I travel frequently to manage both companies and plan to spend at least a quarter of my time there moving forward.

Having experienced life in both Dubai and Singapore, here is a comparison of what I think of both locations. Overall, I think they are both great places for doing business. Dubai is better suited for doing business with Europe or the US, and Singapore is a great place if you're doing business in Asia.

Displays of luxury are more understated in Singapore than in Dubai

People in Dubai often display their wealth, while in Singapore, there were billionaires in flip-flops — it's more understated.

In Dubai, you can get lost among hundreds of luxury shops at the Dubai Mall. It shows you the best of every luxury brand in one place.

While luxury is embedded into a holiday experience in Dubai, it isn't at the center of your experience when you live there. When visiting for a week, you're typically taken to high-end attractions and restaurants, but living in Dubai reveals its more grounded side. You can dine in more authentic Lebanese restaurants for 25 euros, around the same in dollars a head.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, I've personally met more wealthy and powerful people than I did in Dubai. This could be due to coincidences around my network, but I have a feeling it attracts more people who have already made it as opposed to people who are trying to make it. I've met several wealthy people who were dressed in ordinary clothes but had significant assets, including luxury cars.

In Dubai, business meetings often happen in lavish offices, but in Singapore, I've seen more personal touches, like a CEO's private room with an extraordinary cigar collection and premium liquor — items that reflect wealth but aren't immediately visible.

Consider where your clients are based when deciding which city is best for your business

I think both locations are great for digital nomads and entrepreneurs.

In Dubai, the killer value proposition is 0% personal income tax. It's one of the very rare places in the world where your earnings, capital gains, and dividends are not taxed. It's a major advantage for people who have wealth to preserve and for digital nomads. However, there is a 5% VAT.

If you're doing business with Europe or the US, Dubai would be a better fit because of the time zone.

Meanwhile, Singapore offers an unmatched ease of doing business in Asia without the language barriers present in countries like China, where Mandarin is essential. However, if you have clients in Europe, the time difference can make things difficult.

In Singapore, personal income tax is reasonable, and there are thoughtful tax exemptions for startups. Plus, there is no capital gains tax or foreign-source income tax. Singapore is such an efficient city. Compared to Dubai, it's faster to open a bank account. The tax guidelines are clear, and they enable you to do business easily.

That said, there are challenges around entrepreneurship in both locations. In Dubai, pathways for securing a visa can involve establishing a company or obtaining a freelance license. While feasible, it's more complex than it appears, and it's often useful to have assistance from trusted local partners. In Singapore, incorporation is straightforward, but obtaining the required Employment Pass involves additional steps.

There are some potential downsides to life in both cities.

In Dubai, I think the lifestyle can be quite transient. There's a large expat population, and since many people see their time there as temporary, it can limit deep connections.

I'd avoid the hottest summer months in Dubai. If you open your door in July, it's like a huge hairdryer blowing hot air on you. Meanwhile, in Singapore, it's hot and humid all year round. In both places, expect to be spending a lot of time in buildings with air conditioning.

Both cities can be expensive, but I think Singapore is more expensive, particularly the cost of cars and real estate.

Singapore is also a very small city. In Lisbon, where I live now, I can drive to many beautiful places in my car like beaches and hiking spaces, but in Singapore, you don't have to drive for long before you've left Singapore and are entering Malaysia. In the medium to long term, you may feel the smallness of the space. I haven't lived in Singapore, but when I visit, I often end up in the same four or five streets.

Overall, Singapore and Dubai are great examples of international hubs, and I really like both cities.

Do you want to share a review of cities you've lived in for work and business purposes? Email [email protected]

• CATL's cochair said EVs in China have gotten a new label: EIV.
• The term stands for "electric intelligent vehicles," Pan Jian said Tuesday at a Davos panel.
• China's EV industry has seen an influx of affordable vehicles packed with AI technology.

There's a new buzzword in China's electric-vehicle industry.

Pan Jian, a cochair of the battery manufacturer and key Tesla supplier CATL, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday that China's automakers were shunning the traditional term EVs for "EIVs," or electric intelligent vehicles.

"We actually no longer call it EV. We call it EIV. 'I' stands for intelligent," Pan said at a session moderated by Jamie Heller, Business Insider's editor in chief. Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm and South Africa's science minister, Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande, also spoke on the panel.

Pan said the reason China's EV market is booming is that there's a "perfect marriage between E and I."

"E enables I, so that offers a whole suite of new features to consumers, which cannot be offered with traditional combustion-engine cars," he said.

A spokesperson for CATL said that the term "EIV" was not yet widespread in China but growing in popularity.

In recent years, China's booming EV market has seen an influx of affordable models packed with high-tech extras.

In March, the smartphone maker Xiaomi rolled out its $30,000 SU7 sedan, which comes with advanced autonomous-driving features and voice recognition that allows drivers to control household appliances from their car, while the EV startup Xpeng described its $26,000 P7+ electric car, which was released in November, as the world's first "AI-defined" vehicle.

Not to be outdone, other automakers have invested heavily in intelligent technology, with the Tesla rival BYD announcing last January it would spend $14 billion on artificial-intelligence and self-driving technology for its vehicles.

Zoe Zhang, an analyst at the energy consultancy Rho Motion, told BI the term "EIV" had become broadly common in China, with automakers battling to stay relevant in the country's brutally competitive EV market by offering more advanced cockpit systems and software.

"I think more and more, the car manufacturers are going to be really competing over the user experience," Zhang said.

She said that Chinese automakers were investing heavily in making their EVs more intelligent and building their own hardware, such as chips.

"It's easier to incorporate those intelligent functions on EVs than traditional combustion-engine vehicles because of the chips," Zhang said, adding that this was one of the reasons Chinese consumer-electronics companies like Xiaomi and Huawei pivoted into EVs.

At Davos, Pan also hailed China's talent pool of software engineers, nurtured by homegrown companies like Xiaomi, Alibaba, and Tencent, saying it has given China's EV industry an edge.

His comments come as EV sales in China are set to rise 20% this year to more than 12 million, with them outpacing conventional-car sales for the first time.

• Dexter Zhuang hit Coast FIRE, meaning he doesn't have to contribute any more money to his nest egg.
• He still has to earn income to cover his daily living expenses and expects to work into his 60s.
• Coast FIRE, which he hit with a simple strategy, has provided peace of mind and career flexibility.

Dexter Zhuang has achieved what's known as "Coast FIRE," an offshoot of the Financial Independence, Retire Early movement.

It's defined as having enough in your retirement accounts that you don't have to contribute any more money — the current amount will grow and compound enough over time, allowing you to "coast" into retirement.

Zhuang calculated his Coast FIRE number using an online calculator that allows you to input assumptions such as your current age, expected retirement age, annual spending in retirement, and invested assets. BI verified that he hit his six-figure number, which he prefers not to share, by looking at investment account screenshots and statements.

He still has to earn enough to cover his day-to-day expenses, but he doesn't mind working — and expects to do so well into his 60s.

"I don't see myself as someone who wants to retire early and stop working. The retirement age that I put into the Coast FIRE calculator is 67," said Zhuang, whose career has included a high-paying Silicon Valley job and working at growth-stage startups. He said his average cash compensation, including base salary and bonuses, was $133,000 between 2013 and 2022.

In 2023, he walked away from his 9-to-5 career to grow his newsletter, Money Abroad, and do freelance consulting for startup CEOs.

For Zhuang, the appeal of Coast FIRE was the peace of mind and career flexibility that it provided. Knowing he didn't have to worry about retirement allowed him to "pursue a different type of work, career path, and to experiment with something different," he said.

The 33-year-old has lived in San Francisco and Singapore throughout his career and currently resides in Mexico City with his wife. He shared the investment strategy that's allowing him to coast into retirement.

Investing early and diversifying over time

Zhuang started putting his money to work in his early 20s after landing his first full-time job as a product manager. He kept things simple, he said: "When I started investing after college, I was mainly buying boring index funds through my 401(k) retirement account and my taxable brokerage account."

Over time, he diversified his portfolio and, as of January 2025, has his money spread across various asset classes.

His portfolio is, roughly, "15% cash, 65% public equities, 15% real estate and REITs, and 5% more high-risk assets," he said. "My current strategy isn't anything fancy. It's long-term orientation, so investing based on a 10 plus year time horizon. I consider myself moderately aggressive on the risk spectrum."

Cash

Zhuang keeps about 15% of his money in four-week Treasury bills or a high-yield savings account. This is emergency fund money and also, "a fund that my wife and I have saved for starting a family in the future," he said.

Stocks

Public equities make up the majority, 65%, of Zhuang's portfolio.

"My distribution is around 75% US stocks and 25% non-US stocks," he said. "On the US stock side, my portfolio's gotten a bit messier over the years, so it includes a number of different US stock indexes, like VTSAX, which is the total stock market index. I also have some VOO, which is the S&P 500, and VXF, which is the mid- and small-cap. So, what I try to do is diversify a mix of the large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap within US. Within non-US, I have funds like VTIAX, which is the international stock index, and the VXUS, which is similar; it's all the non-US international markets."

He prefers index fund investing over stock picking for a few reasons.

One, he'll probably get better returns than he would if he attempted to pick individual stocks, he said: "I don't think I'm going to succeed where professional, active investors have failed in terms of stock picking."

Two, he prefers the passive, hands-off approach that index fund investing allows.

Even if he could beat the market picking stocks, "I wouldn't want to spend the time really diving into individual stocks," he said. "I see money as a tool so that I don't have to spend a whole lot of time in the spreadsheet. I value the balance of building wealth for the future versus enjoying my current lifestyle."

Real estate

Zhuang doesn't want to own and operate properties but recognizes the benefit of having real estate make up a portion of his portfolio.

He owns REITs — real estate investment trusts — which are companies that own real estate. Like stock, investors can purchase shares in REITs.

"My preference is to not have to own the actual, physical property, so I don't have to manage it," Zhuang said. "That's why I prefer to go with the REITs approach, for diversification purposes."

High-risk investments

A small percentage of his portfolio is invested in startups and crypto. Zhuang calls this his "fun money bucket," and keeps it at about 5% of his portfolio.

"In 2021, during the crypto boom, I did allocate a bit more toward crypto," he said. "But since then I've reduced my holdings to this small portion of my portfolio because I realized this is an incredibly volatile asset and, ultimately, I was just speculating."

• I loved living in Portland, Oregon, in college and my early 20s — I thought I'd stay there forever.
• But a temporary move to Baker City, a small town in rural Oregon, shifted my mindset.
• I moved there once I'd had enough of Portland's noise, big-city vibes, and cost of living.

I grew up in a small town in Oregon and couldn't wait to pack my bags and head to Portland for college.

The city seemed to have everything I could need: bustling streets, museums, art, culture, and an abundance of good food.

And for years, Portland was the perfect lively place for a young adult like me. I enjoyed living there while attending Portland State University, a campus in the heart of downtown surrounded by both trees and skyscrapers.

I spent most mornings jogging along the Willamette River and across the city's many bridges. On weekends, I could tour the local farmers market, visit a botanical garden, eat at tons of different food trucks, or even head to popular spots like Powell's City of Books or chains such as Voodoo Doughnut.

I swore I'd never leave my beloved city, but I later realized doing so was the best option for me.

At first, I thought I just needed a temporary break from Portland

The summer after I graduated from college, I needed some time to regroup without feeling rushed to decide my next step.

The go-getter in me was feeling burned out, I missed my family, and I knew I couldn't slow down and just breathe while living in Portland.

The city felt so busy, and the high cost of living was tough to manage as a single person living on my own. I'd have to work full time — and maybe even take on another job — just to make ends meet.

So, I packed my bags and headed five hours east to Baker City, a small town in rural Oregon where members of my family lived.

Affordable, quaint, and quiet, Baker City was just the break I needed. Soon enough, though, I missed the buzz of Portland and the convenience of having a wide variety of shops and restaurants at my fingertips.

After a few months, I returned to Portland to start graduate school.

But my mental health took a turn when I returned to Portland

Though I was surrounded by people in the city, I felt incredibly lonely. My anxiety and depression were worsening by the day, and I was battling panic attacks, paranoia, and suicidal ideations.

Therapy wasn't helping, and neither were the antidepressants. Most days, I struggled to get dressed and leave my apartment.

I craved community, less noise, and more peace. Soon, I realized I only experienced those things when I was visiting family in Baker City.

Unlike before, the small town's slow pace seemed appealing to me. Plus, the lower cost of living could help alleviate some of my stress.

I knew I had to make a change to improve my well-being, so I left Portland for good and moved to Baker City.

My small town allows me to live the life of simplicity I desire

I now live in Baker City with my partner and pet husky and work as a full-time yoga teacher and writer.

As I've gotten older, I realized I no longer want to be around crowds — and having too many choices for restaurants, shops, and events feels more overwhelming than desirable.

There are more small businesses than there are chains here, but I love it. Most of the local business owners know me by name and often ask how I'm doing.

Restaurant options are limited, but I still eat well. We have several ranches and farms from which we can locally source food. Plus, I've started gardening and enjoy growing my own food.

Though Baker City's population of about 10,000 is a far cry from the more than half a million people in Portland, my smaller community feels much tighter.

I can't remember the last time I felt lonely. Of all the years I lived in Portland, I never had as easy of a time making friends as I have here.

We have a large art and music community, many outdoor activities, and annual events. Baker City also gets lots of sunshine and less rain than Portland, which has also been beneficial to my mental health.

Portland will forever have a piece of my heart, but not like Baker City does. I love the simple yet beautiful life I've cultivated here over the past three years and wouldn't trade it for the world.

• My family moved from the US to Barcelona six years ago.
• I went from being a helicopter parent to letting my child explore the world independently.
• I went from asking where my kid was to does my kid know where I am?

When I lived in the United States, I was a helicopter mom. At the park, I followed my preschooler like a linebacker, ready to catch him if he fell. If I lost sight of him, I'd panic.

That changed six years ago when my family moved to Barcelona. During our first spring here, we attended a Catalan calçotada, a community gathering where you barbecue green onions.

My son's friends were climbing a tree. Naturally, my then-5-year-old joined in. Once he reached the top, the local parents started clapping. But they weren't clapping for my kid. They were clapping for me. For once, I hadn't intervened. I let my kid be a kid.

This hands-off parenting has endured. Today, my 11-year-old son picks up groceries, plays in the park, and commutes 30 minutes from school — all without adult supervision. But this shift didn't happen overnight. Spain's social climate and infrastructure provided us the opportunities to grow.

Independence is fostered from an early age

Restaurants here often have playgrounds or open squares nearby, with outdoor seating so parents can socialize while their kids play. When an American friend asked who watches the kids, I joked, "They run feral."

In Spain, I don't ask: "Where's my kid?" Instead, I ask: "Does my kid know where I am?" The restaurant table is the hub. If my son gets hurt, another child will run and find me. Otherwise, the kids sort issues out by themselves while we sip wine.

Schools here encourage independence early with annual multi-day rural trips for students starting at ages 5 or 6. When my son first went, I was nervous — who would remind him to pee or comfort him at night? I over-prepared, packing labeled outfits, only to find he wore the same clothes for three days. Did he reek? Yes. Did he survive? Also yes.

To be sure, this independence hasn't turned my son into an angel. He still complains when we ask him to set the table and would happily choose his iPad over park time, but independent actions give him a sense of agency.

Me being overprotective wasn't helping my kid

Since age 10, he has taken the city train home from school by himself. My American sisters (also moms) are shocked. "How brave," they told me. But here, it's normal thanks to supportive infrastructure like the FGC transportation system, which dedicates specific public train carriages to school children during rush hour. After a few months of practice in this train cocoon, he now takes the train alone whenever and wherever he needs it.

"One of the reasons it's easier in Spain is because the social norm is, obviously, to put your kid on the train," Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence, told Business Insider.

The contrast with the US is striking. Half of the parents of kids ages 9 to 11 won't even let their children go to another aisle in a supermarket alone, according to a poll by the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, and only 33% allow them to walk or bike to a friend's house alone.

This overprotectiveness leads to learned helplessness. Previously, my son would zone out during our train journeys together. Since he started commuting on his own, he's become more vigilant. Now, when we travel together, he's the one making sure we don't miss our stop.

In the US, there has been an alarming increase in anxiety and depression in children. To combat this, psychologists urge parents to give kids the freedom to roam, explore, and make choices without parental oversight.

"The only thing I've seen that changes parents here in America is not statistics," Skenazy said. "It's simply seeing their kid has done something without them."

Skenazy suggests coordinating with schools to adopt the Let Grow Project, a homework assignment that asks kids to do one thing by themselves (from frying an egg to biking solo to school). The children document this on a leaf-shaped paper, which is displayed publicly.

My son's journey toward independence began with a tree. Collect enough leaves, and soon, your children could have a tree of their own.

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

Trump wasted no time establishing the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).

Announced after his win in November, DOGE promised to "provide advice and guidance from outside of government" to help roll back bad regulations and slash government spending. It would also be helmed by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. The pair had big plans.

But the DOGE that was signed into life via executive order on Monday is markedly different, BI's Jack Newsham, Alice Tecotzky, and Brent Griffiths write. It's now officially part of the White House, rather than operating as an outside advisory committee.

The executive order also didn't create a new department, but rather renamed another — DOGE will replace the Obama-era US Digital Service (USDS), a unit that primarily works on improving government websites and tech. The USDS's unit had grown to more than 200 people, while Musk's new team is reported to consist of 20 staff.

Oh, and Ramaswamy is no longer a co-leader. Instead of running the group with Musk, he's expected to run for governor of Ohio, according to various media reports.

So, why all the changes?

Experts said bringing DOGE inside the federal government could avoid legal headaches (minutes after Trump became president, DOGE was hit with three lawsuits). But it also raises new issues. DOGE is now subject to new transparency and ethical rules, particularly around public information laws.

Being part of the government also means Musk can't use his private fortune to fund DOGE's operations — though one expert told BI that there would likely be easy ways for Musk to get around those limits.

DOGE's mission, per the executive order, is now to "implement the President's DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity."

Meanwhile, Trump's Office of Personnel Management is making moves reminiscent of DOGE's initial goals: asking federal agencies to put together lists of workers they could easily fire.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York.

• President Donald Trump granted Ross Ulbricht a full and unconditional pardon on Tuesday.
• Ulbricht was the founder of Silk Road, the online drug marketplace.
• He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015.

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of online drug marketplace Silk Road, received a full and unconditional pardon on Tuesday from President Donald Trump, who announced the move in a Truth Social post.

Ulbricht has been held at the US Penitentiary in Tucson since the FBI arrested him in 2013.

The FBI described Silk Road as a "digital bazaar" for illegal goods and services that buyers and sellers accessed through Tor — a network designed to conceal its users' identity and location.

The FBI said it generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales, as well as more than $13 million in commissions.

In 2015, a judge sentenced Ulbricht, now 40, to life in prison for drug trafficking, computer hacking, and money laundering without the possibility of parole, ruling that Silk Road was "destructive to our social fabric."

Libertarian cause célèbre

Ulbricht has become a cause célèbre for the libertarian movement.

The Libertarian Party, which has long supported criminal justice reform and drug legalization, has continuously pushed for his release, viewing his life sentence as an example of government overreach.

In a speech at the Libertarian National Convention in May 2024, Trump pledged to commute Ulbricht's sentence on the first day of his administration if he was reelected president.

Trump said in his post on Tuesday that he granted Ulbricht's pardon in honor of Ulbricht's mother "and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly."

According to a 2015 Wired report, Ulbricht developed an interest in libertarian economic theory while at university and embraced the political philosophy of Ludwig von Mises, a staunch opponent of interventionism and advocate for the moral purpose of free-market capitalism.

In a letter he wrote to the trial judge in 2015, he said he created Silk Road not to seek financial gain but because he "believed at the time that people should have the right to buy and sell whatever they wanted so long as they weren't hurting anyone else."

"Silk Road was supposed to be about giving people the freedom to make their own choices, to pursue their own happiness," he added.

Ulbricht also said, "While I still don't think people should be denied this right, I never sought to create a site that would provide another avenue for people to feed their addictions."

However, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the "vast" majority of goods sold on Silk Road were illegal drugs.

Preet Bharara, the then-US Attorney for Manhattan, said at the time that: "Make no mistake: Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people's addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people."

Ulbricht was convicted of seven offenses after a four-week jury trial and sentenced to life in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit $183,961,921.

Trump's pardoning power

In his Truth Social post, Trump called Ulbricht's sentences "ridiculous."

In a statement on Tuesday, Angela McArdle, the Libertarian National Committee Chair, thanked Trump for following through on his promise.

"I'm proud to say that saving his life has been one of our top priorities, and that has finally paid off," she said.

"This is an incredible moment in Libertarian history," McArdle added.

On Monday, Trump also issued sweeping pardons for roughly 1,500 people related to the January 6 Capitol riot, fulfilling a campaign promise to wipe clean the records of most people connected with the riot.

• The cost of a permit to climb Mount Everest will soon jump by 36%.
• A permit for the spring season will cost $15,000, up from $11,000.
• A veteran mountaineer says new prices will have little impact on people's desire to climb Everest.

Conquering Mount Everest is no easy feat for the body, mind — and the bank account.

Nepal plans to increase the price of Everest climbing permits by about 36% in the first rise for almost a decade.

Narayan Prasad Regmi, the director-general of Nepal's tourism department, told Reuters the fees "had not been reviewed for a long time. We have updated them now."

From September 1, foreigners must pay $15,000 for a climbing permit for the spring season, up from $11,00.

Permits for the less popular autumn and winter seasons will rise from $5,500 to $7,500 and $2,750 to $3,750 respectively.

The increases may be aimed at boosting Nepal's revenues, but if the intention is also to reduce the number of climbers on Everest, veteran mountaineers like Jake Meyer say it will have little impact.

Business Insider previously reported on the growing discontent in Nepal about the volume of climbers on Everest and all the trash they leave behind.

In 2024, officials began requiring climbers to carry poop bags while scaling the mountain.

"Chances are that the price increases are extremely unlikely to reduce numbers on the mountain," Meyer, who has climbed Everest twice, told Business Insider via email. "There remains an ever-increasing interest by 'climbers' from across the globe to attempt to summit the highest mountain in the world."

Meyer, who compares the costs of climbing Everest to "buying a new car," also said the price hikes may seem significant but only represent "an equivalent average increase of 3.5% a year over the last 10 years."

As the full cost of Everest expeditions can range from $40,000 to $150,000, he said new permit prices might only raise the total price of the cheapest expeditions by 10%.

Meyer added: "What is still very clear is that the 'cheaper' your ticket to climb, the higher the likelihood of death." That's a reference to the number of deaths over the past two years involving climbers or guides on relatively cheaper expeditions.

"The sad reality is that it's often the most inexperienced climbers who sign up for lowest-cost services, which are the ones which essentially require the most self-sufficiency."

• Sweden uses nighttime satellite photos to gauge Russia's economic health, its economic minister said.
• Elisabeth Svantesson said the inflation figures from Russia's central bank were an understatement.
• Images of Moscow before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine are noticeably brighter, she said.

The declining health of Russia's economy is as clear as day — or night, a finance minister said Wednesday.

Elisabeth Svantesson, the finance minister of Sweden, said she and her officials were skeptical of how Russia's official figures were describing its economy.

One measure they use instead, she said on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is comparing photos of Moscow by night.

The lighting there, she said, was darker in 2023 than in 2021, indicating a capital and a nation in trouble.

Business Insider found some public photos showing the Moscow skyline in the years Svantesson mentioned. Here is one from March 2021:

And another from November 2023:

It's hard to make a precise comparison — the time of day and cloud cover are different.

But in the 2023 image, the pools of light showing Moscow's suburbs appear smaller and less frequent than in the preinvasion image.

"It's very clear that the Russian economy is definitely not as strong as Putin wants us to believe," Svantesson said.

She said that Moscow's inflation was "much higher than the public figure says." Russia's most recent figure puts it at 9.5%, which Svantesson said was out of kilter with its main interest rate of 21%.

She also said levels of capital leaving Russia suggested a struggling economy, as did the space photos of Moscow.

"There is over Moscow, for example, a much darker picture," she said.

"They're not using as much electricity," said the panel moderator, Ravi Agrawal, the editor in chief of Foreign Policy.

"No, no, no. It's much darker," Svantesson said.

Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in the wake of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, mostly designed to cut off the oil and gas exports crucial to its economy.

The Kremlin says it has withstood the worst potential effects of the sanctions. Svantesson said that vision of a strong economy was a tactic to convince Ukraine and its allies that sanctions don't work.

She concluded that "we don't know" the true state of Russia's economy, "but what we know is that his narrative and his truth is not true."

• I had dinner at Gordon Ramsay Steak, located inside the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
• The wagyu filet was cooked perfectly, and the mac and cheese was full of flavor.
• I'd definitely recommend dining at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant for great food and an upscale vibe.

As someone who has been living in Las Vegas for almost 20 years, I'm always asked about the best places to eat.

Recently though, I decided to take a chance on a restaurant I'd never been to — Gordon Ramsay Steak at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

The steakhouse chain, which now has six locations in cities like Baltimore, Vancouver, and Kansas City, first opened in Las Vegas in 2012. Here's what our experience at the celebrity-chef-owned restaurant was like.

I visited the restaurant on a Thursday evening.

After making a reservation on the restaurant's website, I visited Gordon Ramsay Steak for dinner on a Thursday.

Once I arrived, I was seated almost immediately. As I walked through the red, neon tunnel into the restaurant, the hostess explained that the entrance was meant to be an artistic representation of the Channel Tunnel connecting England to France.

The restaurant's interior was trendy and elegant.

The steakhouse is laid out in a two-story tiered design. My table was on the second floor and had an amazing view of the rest of the restaurant, including the iconic Union Jack flag painted on the ceiling and a neon-red chandelier.

I later learned the red lighting fixture was designed to represent Chef Ramsay's hands as he cooks.

I started with the warm breads and spreads.

Although all the starters sounded incredible, I decided to try the warm breads and spreads ($17). The dish came with a baguette, a triangle of crunchy lavash bread, and a fluffy roll that was half honey whole wheat and half French onion.

It also came with chimichurri oil, English butter, and another butter made with beef fat and red wine. Both butters were topped with Hawaiian lava salts.

I loved the variety of breads and tried them all with each spread. The baguette, however, was my favorite.

For my entrée, I ordered the wagyu filet, which was cooked perfectly.

Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but there was no way I was going to a steakhouse and ordering anything but a steak. So, I opted for the wagyu filet.

The presentation was beautiful, with a swirl of red-wine reduction and a pyramid of mustard seeds on the plate.

The filet was seared perfectly on the outside and was cooked to a buttery-soft rare temperature on the inside. In my opinion, the 8-ounce filet was well worth the hefty $105 price tag.

The mac and cheese made a delicious side.

Along with my steak, I ordered the mac and cheese, which the waitress said was the most popular side.

The description on the menu sounded delicious, and it also felt like the most robust choice, since all the sides were $19 each.

The amount of flavor in the dish blew me away. Mac and cheese is usually on the heavier side, but it was surprisingly light despite having bacon, smoked jalapeño cream, onion jam, smoked Gouda, and white cheddar packed in with the noodles.

The bacon added texture to the dish, and the jalapeño cream and onion jam added bursts of flavor. The breadcrumbs on top gave it just the right amount of crunch, making the dish immensely satisfying.

I would highly recommend dining at Gordon Ramsay Steak.

From start to finish, my experience at Gordon Ramsay Steak was top-notch. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu and the restaurant.

I would definitely go again, if for no other reason than to make sure I save room for the delicious-looking sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

In my opinion, Gordon Ramsay Steak is the perfect choice if you're looking for an upscale restaurant with a trendy edge.

• Before having kids I was an editor at "Parenting" magazine and shared parenting advice.
• I thought I was ready to be a mom and used the techniques experts shared in our magazine.
• My kids did not respond to them, and that's OK because all kids are different.

Before I had kids, I was an editor at "Parenting" magazine, where I gave expert-backed advice on sleep training, potty training, and using training wheels on bikes. So, when I had my first child in 2014, I thought I was well-trained.

A couple of years later, I became the editor in chief of "Working Mother" magazine — and a mom of two. Now that my boys are ages 6 and 10, I can safely say that the advice I printed on those pages has done little to help me successfully parent my sons.

Parenting is not so simple

For instance, we gave an oft-repeated tip in "Parenting." "If your child is having trouble picking what they want, or you need them to do something they're refusing to do, give your kid two choices you can live with. They'll happily pick one because they'll feel like they're in control without being overwhelmed." So I felt like a genius when I whipped out this old trick on my then-preschooler who wouldn't choose a meal at a restaurant.

"OK, you get to decide," I told my 3-year-old, ensuring he felt like he was in the driver's seat. "Do you want chicken nuggets or mac and cheese?" I envisioned being met with a wide smile and sheer elation to have a mother so well-versed in child psychology, followed by a definitive choice and contented peace.

The reality was far different. And louder.

"None of these!" my son shouted. Wails and flails followed. We had to cool off with a walk outside.

I tried this trick many more times on both kids. After all, I promised others it'd work. "Do you want to bring a pretend ice cube or an Indiana state magnet for I day for show and tell?" "Do you want to wear your green or black jacket?" "Do you want to hop into day care or tiptoe in?"

"None of these!" "None of these!" "None of these! (I had to stifle the urge to squeeze in a grammar lesson: "You mean neither of these.")

My kids did the opposite of what I thought they'd do

As the kids got older, I imparted wisdom ripped from the magazines, like telling them, "We don't talk about other people's bodies." Surely, my oldest would wind up being one of the good guys, given how often we discussed this.

On the last day of summer camp, a director called to say my 10-year-old was part of a group of boys who told a girl she'd break the trampoline because she was so big. Cue my shock and horror. My former fat self couldn't look at my son that night — probably not the most successful parenting strategy either.

We've given our kids chores, as I'd always written parents should do. The idea is to foster responsibility and instill confidence. Instead, there are weekly screaming matches about bringing out the trash. The tantrums over child labor subside more quickly when I up my firstborn's allowance. We've gone from a dollar for garbage schlepping to $5. I'm sure an expert I've quoted in articles would tell me I'm teaching my kids to throw a fit when they don't get their way. I'm also sure they've never seen the depths of destruction my 5'1 tween is capable of when he doesn't want to do something without pay.

Kids can suck sometimes

Now that I'm a decade into parenting, and not just a parenting editor, I know at least some of this is to be expected — and at least some of this isn't my fault. Every kid sucks a little. And some kids (like mine) can suck a lot.

But my kids aren't me, nor are they always a reflection of my parenting. They sometimes can't control their stupid impulses. Not everything I teach them sinks in. Besides, not every tip in parenting magazines applies to every kid anyway. Plus, parenting advice is more likely to work in a vacuum, not a desperate moment when a parent needs to do whatever it takes to calm their child.

So, I'm focusing on little wins. We recently had excellent parent-teacher conferences. My kids are usually kind to their classmates and try to be helpful. If our children are progressing toward being useful more than they're hurtful, then we parents are all doing something right. Even if we don't feel like the paragons of success magazine editors like me led us to believe we could become.

• Todd Fox founded Close Protection Corps and provides protective services, assessments, and training.
• The Marine veteran started the business in the 1990s doing ad hoc bodyguard trips to Mexico.
• Fox shares what it takes to protect C-suite execs and reflects on the UnitedHealthcare shooting.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Todd Fox, the 50-year-old CEO of Close Protection Corps about his work as a bodyguard for high-profile clients. He has no affiliation or direct involvement with UnitedHealthcare's security operation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In the late '90s, I came out of active duty in the Marine Corps to start my own private security business, Close Protection Corps, specializing in working with celebrities, dignitaries, and C-suite executives.

I did the bulk of my "on-ground" close protection of C-suite individuals from 1999 up until the COVID-19 pandemic while also managing my company. Now, I primarily spend my time consulting and training.

I've followed the news about the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting. Since the event, representatives from corporations have contacted us to assess their security programs. It's been a wake-up call for companies.

I started my own company after doing stints as a bodyguard

I joined the Marine Corps in 1992. I was based in California and trained in combat, riflery, and fitness, as well as general orders relative to security, like learning to protect a convoy or individual and plan for advanced military operations.

While a Marine, I was also a professional MMA fighter in LA. I would meet actors, producers, and directors in the gym or while working on sets as an advisor.

These people in the industry knew about my fighting skills, military background and that I could speak Spanish. They would sometimes ask me to work as their bodyguard and accompany them to Mexico on their vacations or work trips.

In 1999, Guy Ritchie was training at my gym in LA. He was dating Madonna at the time and asked if I'd join her security team so he could keep training with me while she was on tour. It was around this time that I started my company, Close Protection Corps. We provide protective services, assessments, and training.

Protecting a C-suite executive looks different from protecting a celebrity

When I start working with a close protection client, I initially collected information about the principal, or client: what is important to them, what sways them to make decisions, and what might make them vulnerable.

I then built a plan or structure of protection. It would cover their home, office, and vehicles, especially considering spaces that are exposed — such as the walk from the car to the office. I'd think about where their weaknesses were and try to "harden the target" by limiting exposure to risks.

On the job, I would be constantly aware of what is not normal compared to what is normal.

If I noticed something out of the ordinary — an anomaly — I'd evaluate whether it was benign or critical. If it was critical, then I'd make a choice. Maybe we'd change or modify our initial plan or behavior, cancel operations, or evacuate.

I'd wake up before the principal and meet them at the start of their day with a driver. In most cases, there'd be a second man, the advance guy, who'd go before us to check the environment we were heading into. I'd spend the rest of my day going wherever the principal went.

When the principal went to bed, I'd plan for the next day. I typically only got between four and six hours of sleep and worked 16 to 18 hours each day. It was very busy, and you see a lot of burnout.

C-suite individuals are extremely wealthy and will ultimately do what they want to do. They may not stick to the plan I set, so I'd put measures in place if things didn't go as planned.

When I was protecting a C-suite individual, my life became their life. I saw what they saw and heard what they heard. It's why NDAs and discretion are so important with bodyguards — we have access to things we shouldn't have access to, but there's no way around it.

C-suite individuals tend to be on the go, on private jets, in hotels and restaurants, and at speaking engagements. There's a lot of movement, and we move with them.

Protecting a celebrity requires even more fluidity. They don't have the same structured world that a business leader does and change plans on a whim. It can be challenging to create order. As a broad stroke, it's easier to find the baseline and anomalies for C-suite executives than it is for celebrities.

The UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting should be a wake-up call

When Brian Thompson arrived at that building, which was an expected plan, there appeared to be no one to advance the site he'd be arriving at, to receive him, or to look out for people who were acting weird or doing odd things that would have been concerning indicators.

Since the shooting, we've had large corporations' executive assistants and operations managers contact us to assess their existing in-house security programs.

I think the shooting was a wake-up call for companies. They need to protect their chief assets — their people — and if there's any known or documented threat or risk, it's overwhelmingly worth it to have security in place. The knowledge someone like a CEO has is worth the cost of a security protection team.

Editor's note: In response to a request for comment from Business Insider, a UnitedHealth Group spokesperson shared the following:

"We appreciate the media's interest in the real security threat that sensationalist media coverage can pose, but publishing an interview with a security expert lacking actual knowledge of the facts is simply another example of just that."

• A Swiss International Air Lines pilot started feeling unwell midjourney.
• The flight from Zurich to Miami then turned around over the Atlantic.
• A return flight from Florida to Switzerland was also canceled because the aircraft was diverted.

Swiss International Air Lines passengers endured a four-hour flight to nowhere after a pilot fell ill.

Two hours after Flight LX66 left Zurich for Miami on Monday, it U-turned over the Atlantic Ocean about 300 miles off the French coast, according to Flightradar24 data.

"One of the pilots did not feel fully fit after starting the flight," an airline spokesperson told Business Insider. "As a precautionary measure, the cockpit crew decided not to continue the flight and instead returned to Zurich Airport."

There were 123 passengers on board the flight, which landed back in Zurich at 2:24 p.m. local time — some four hours after departure.

The Swiss spokesperson added that the fire department was standing by, standard procedure given that the Airbus A330 was landing at a higher-than-normal weight.

The aircraft had enough fuel for a 10-hour flight but lacked a fuel-dump system.

A diverted flight is not only frustrating for the passengers on board but also can have knock-on effects on other journeys. People scheduled to fly on the same A330 from Miami to Zurich later on Monday had their flight canceled.

"We have rebooked the affected passengers onto alternative connections and would like to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused," the airline spokesperson said.

They added that Swiss would cover expenses for passengers' hotel accommodations, taxi rides, meals, and phone calls until the next possible departure, rebook them free of charge, or cancel the trip with a full refund.