• The Social Security Administration told workers they are prohibited from accessing online news and shopping websites.
• SSA said this move will help better protect sensitive information within the agency.
• An employee who received the email told BI it could hinder the agency's work.

As the Trump administration continues to restructure the Social Security Adminstration, employees at the agency on Thursday learned they're now prohibited from reading the news on their work computers.

On Thursday morning, SSA sent an agency-wide email informing employees of new restrictions on internet browsing. The email, reviewed by Business Insider, said that starting on March 6, employees are no longer allowed to access three categories of websites on "government-furnished equipment": online shopping, general news, and sports.

"Employees with a legitimate business should submit an exception" to their supervisor, the email said."These additional restrictions will help reduce risk and better protect the sensitive information entrusted to us in our many systems."

An SSA employee who was granted anonymity to speak freely about their job told BI that there was a staff meeting on Thursday about the latest guidance. During the meeting, employees voiced their concerns that the Microsoft web browser they use automatically reroutes certain homepages to news and sports links.

The employee said that a representative from SSA's headquarters said there should be no issues as long as workers do not "navigate" to a prohibited site.

"Not a comforting thing in this Bolshevik environment," the employee said.

The employee also said that SSA workers sometimes search online obituaries to "move things along quicker" to help verify information on beneficiaries. "In some cases surviving family are eligible for benefits but we never receive official notice of death," they said.

This latest guidance "could mean claims being stuck in limbo," the employee said.

Thursday's email follows a notice sent to employees last week offering them voluntary early retirement as part of a "restructuring that will include significant workforce reductions." Five SSA workers told BI that the cuts could increase customer service wait times and cause payment delays for older Americans and those with disabilities who rely on Social Security benefits.

"Service to the public will undoubtedly suffer. We barely have enough staff now to meet the public's needs," one employee said.

Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration has terminated thousands of federal workers and outlined plans to restructure federal agencies as part of the DOGE office's goal, led by Elon Musk, to slash government waste. The Office of Personnel Management issued a memo in late February asking all federal agencies to submit reorganization plans by March 13.

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

Have a tip about the federal workforce? Contact this reporter via Signal at asheffey.97 or via email at [email protected]. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Business Insider spoke to professional organizers about the things to get rid of before spring.
• The experts suggest getting rid of unused kitchen appliances and food-storage containers.
• The change in seasons is a great time to organize your closet and donate anything that's unworn.

With spring getting closer, now is a great time to tidy up around the house and get rid of items that are taking up valuable space.

To help make this process easier, Business Insider spoke to three professional organizers about the best things to toss or donate before the season changes. Here's what they said.

It's time to get rid of appliances you don't use.

Although it's fine to hold onto the blender you use to make a daily protein shake, Hope Kerner of All Things Neat by Hope told BI it's important to rethink the trendy kitchen appliances taking up unnecessary space.

"People tend to buy air fryers and giant blenders and panini presses, and if you don't use it, it's just taking up valuable real estate in your cabinets," she said.

It's also a good time to sort through old utensils.

Checking the quality of utensils in the kitchen is not only a good way to free up space but also a smart choice for your safety.

Consider tossing cracked or damaged ones, like wooden spoons or silicone spatulas, which can be difficult to clean and harbor bacteria.

If you have dull knives you don't use anymore, sharpen them or take them out of the kitchen.

"Knives become dull if they're not maintained, and then they become dangerous," Kerner said. "Good cookware and good knives are essential in the kitchen."

Plastic food-storage containers take up a lot of space in cabinets.

Kerner also recommended sorting through the plasticware taking up space in the cabinet.

Although people buy containers of all shapes and sizes, they're often forgotten items left in the back of the cabinet, taking away valuable storage space in the kitchen.

Sort through your clothing before the new season.

Nathalie Navarro of Todo en Orden RD said the change of seasons is the best time to evaluate the clothes in your closet.

Although this can be an emotional process, Navarro said it's important to remain rational while sorting through the racks. For example, it's probably smart to donate a forgotten sweater or jeans that fit a little too tight.

"The questions people need to ask themselves are: If I keep it, will it take up space in my closet? If I get rid of it, do I have the financial means to buy it again? And lastly, do I already have a good replacement for it?" she told BI.

Meghan Cocchiaro of Organized by Meg also emphasized the importance of sorting through your closet to welcome a new season. "Clothing is a great category to go through when seasons change," she said.

As the weather warms up, it's a good idea to organize the garage.

As the seasons change, Cocchiaro told BI it's a good time to tackle organizing the garage.

Getting rid of bulkier items like cardboard boxes and outdoor equipment, as well as duplicates of certain items, can help free up space.

For example, it's unlikely you'll need six rakes, but putting all your gardening equipment in one spot can help you take stock of what you have.

• Software engineering jobs have declined as AI tools have increasingly automated coding tasks.
• Newer entrants in the field are struggling to find jobs and some companies are pausing hiring.
• Some engineers have still found success, and tech executives recommend strong foundational skills.

Working as a software engineer isn't what it used to be — but those working in the industry have some tips for getting ahead in the increasingly crowded job market.

The software engineering industry is going through a major shift driven by the adoption of AI, which has led to fewer job postings, layoffs, and evolving responsibilities for those still working in the field.

In early to mid-2022, there were three times as many software engineering roles listed on Indeed. This chart shows just how much the opportunity landscape has changed.

As AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot or Replit have become more prominent, a large part of the job has become automated. In Salesforce's most recent earnings call, its CEO Marc Benioff said the company is seeing a "30% productivity increase in engineering" and won't "hire any new engineers this year" in the wake of those gains.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in an earnings call in 2024 that over a quarter of the company's code is generated by AI before being checked by employees.

A manager at Microsoft similarly shared that AI reduced 70% of the time he used to spend on coding, although he noted that his daily workload hasn't been reduced. That's because software engineers do more than just code. For newer entrants to the field, though, the opportunities are narrowing, and some have struggled to get the foundational skills needed to move up.

Some recent software engineering grads have said they sent hundreds of job applications with minimal responses. That's led some to pursue a "panic Master's" degree to put off the hunt.

There are ways to be successful in the field

It's not all doom and gloom, though.

Automating coding tasks has increased the demand for developers to leverage their creativity and experience. Here's some of the advice from industry veterans and tech CEOs on how to improve your odds of getting a job in the field — and success stories from those who have done it.

• Consider majoring in AI at one of the growing number of universities offering specialized degree programs in this field. Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dakota State University are just a few of the schools offering Bachelor of Science degrees in artificial intelligence.
• Google's head of research says the basics are more important than ever and advocates for learning to code, especially as there will be opportunities to build upon those foundational skills.
• Instagram's cofounder Mike Krieger said more of the work will revolve around double-checking AI-generated code instead of writing it. Krieger, who is now Anthropic's chief product officer, said the work will evolve to be more about coming up with the right ideas and learning how to delegate correctly to models.
• Google's CEO said the company is looking for "superstar software engineers." He also said those who want an engineering job at the search giant need to be willing to learn and adapt.
• An Nvidia principal architect said young programmers should prioritize writing and math. He also said having an internship every year in college is key to getting an entry-level job.
• One Gen Z software engineer said a comp-sci degree with a focus on AI is one of the best and most valuable degrees at the moment. He added that it's not for everyone though — if you have a short attention span, don't like math, or struggle with commitment issues, it might not be the right fit.
• A software engineer who landed a $300,000 job at Google said he would lead with experience instead of skills if he were to apply again. However, he said he'd keep an "interests" section because it helps break the ice in interviews.
• A software engineer who landed interviews at Meta, Amazon, and Dropbox, and got hired at Microsoft suggests focusing your résumé on technical strengths and being concise. He also suggests making it visually stand out, and clearly communicating responsibilities and results.
• One Google software engineer recommends conveying impact on a résumé in numbers and results. He also said highlighting publications and projects can help if you don't have a lot of professional experience yet.
• A software engineer hired by Oracle said data center experience was mentioned in the hiring process and he was also asked to detail the technical work he previously did. He said an interview he did for a FAANG company was more focused on him being the right personality and fit.
• Three software engineers who landed jobs at Google shared varying résumés, but they all interned at a Big Tech company during college. They also all had at least a 3.6 GPA and studied computer science.
• Four Google software engineers were hired after interning at the tech giant. They suggested starting as early as possible, and applying to internships aimed at underclassmen.

• I'm a junior at the University of California Berkeley, and I live in an off-campus house.
• I share the seven bedrooms and three bathrooms with 11 other female students.
• We're all very social, host events, and hang out in our private backyard.

I'm a junior at the University of California Berkeley, studying political science. I live off-campus in a large house with 11 other female students.

Our single-family home was built in the early 1900s — and you can tell. The windows are single-pained, the door knobs are difficult to turn, and the wooden floors are scratched and tarnished.

I met a girl subletting a room on Facebook Marketplace, and I moved in with her in this strange house. A random house has become my home, and a random group of girls has become my best friends.

I liked how my mom described the place when I first moved in: "It's cozy; it's got character."

Take a look inside to see if you agree.

The house has seven bedrooms — two singles and five doubles.

My 11 housemates and I make do with the limited space we have.

The center of our home is an old, broken piano.

Before I moved in, the housemates allegedly found the piano on the side of the road. They rolled it uphill for multiple blocks.

My housemates play the piano frequently and use it for singing and dancing during parties — even though it's missing some keys.

The busiest place in the house is always the kitchen.

The kitchen is almost always bustling — thanks to the fact that all 12 girls share the space.

It's a sociable spot, with music often playing and conversation flowing.

Every night, the kitchen is cleaned on a rotating cleaning schedule. Dishes are scrubbed and dried, counters are wiped, and floors are swept and mopped. It's a strict system, with a $5 penalty incurred if you miss your night. You'd be surprised how strong of a motivator $5 is in a student house.

We've decorated the walls with student artwork.

The walls of our house are vibrantly decorated. This is thanks to my housemate Kelcey. Her work is posted throughout the space. Some members of the house are featured in her work, too.

The painting in our stairwell, for example, depicts an evening spent with friends in our living room.

The living room couch is where we hang out at night and host events.

Our red couch — which was a Facebook Marketplace find — sags from us piling on top to watch movies and from guests who visit for dinner parties, talent shows, and mini concerts.

We spend most evenings here, watching "Sex and the City" for what must be the ninth time, playing games like Fishbowl, and eating our dinner.

The house has only three bathrooms for 12 girls.

The downstairs bathroom is only used by three girls. It, unfortunately, clogs often.

I share my bathroom with three other girls. It's modern and clean, but I hate our shower. The water pressure is weak, and it takes forever to get hot water.

Five girls share the third bathroom. It seems to be constantly in use.

The backyard is one of my favorite places and is another spot we host events.

The backyard is the calm away from the chaos of our house.

Some days, I spend the morning reading in a chair under the sun. On the weekends, I spend the night talking and cooking out there as we host a barbecue for our friends. The strings of lights are turned on, music is played, and conversation hums.

My bedroom is a former sunroom.

My bedroom is a double. Since it's technically a sunroom, sunlight streams in, and I don't need an alarm clock because I wake up with the sun.

Our room is quiet and peaceful, and from my bed, I can see our backyard. However, there is no direct access to the room, so I have to go through my housemate's room to get to mine.

This can be an inconvenience, but small issues like this are part of student life.

My housemates have helped turn this place into a home.

The house, once strange, has become a comforting, routine place to return to after class.

The house may be now comforting to me, but it's the girls who have made it my home. At one point they were all strangers, but they welcomed me into their lives, and I have never been so grateful.

• Five senators asked the DOJ to probe the advertising tactics of Elon Musk's X.
• They said they were alarmed by reports that X used Musk's political power to sway advertisers.
• Leaders from one advertiser interpreted its dealings with X as an implicit threat, the WSJ previously reported.

A group of Democratic senators have called for a Justice Department probe into whether X has used Elon Musk's political status to pressure companies into advertising on the platform.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, and Chris Van Hollen wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi to "express alarm about reports that Elon Musk's social media company 'X' (formerly Twitter) is leveraging his influential position in the Trump Administration to extract revenue from advertisers."

"If evidence emerges that Musk is, in fact, using his official role to coerce advertisers or is participating in particular matters in which he has a financial interest, we ask that DOJ investigate the potential violation of federal ethics laws, as the Department should for any other federal employee who appears to be breaking the law," the letter says.

Business Insider viewed a copy of the letter, which The Wall Street Journal earlier reported.

The senators specifically reference an article published last month by the Journal that said X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, and a lieutenant had pushed IPG to spend more money on X, citing people with knowledge of the talks. The Journal reported that IPG execs had interpreted the message as a reminder that the Trump administration could impede its proposed $13 billion merger with the ad giant Omnicom.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment. IPG declined to comment. The company previously said clients had the ultimate decision-making authority on where they spend their budgets.

The senators also wrote a separate letter to Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and Omeed Assefi, acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ's antitrust division, urging them to "resist any pressure based on private business interests to manipulate your agenda."

The senators asked the DOJ and FTC to inform them if Musk or his associates attempted to interfere with their antitrust work.

"Every business seeking a merger or acquisition deserves to have their matter reviewed without undue influence from the President or his allies," the letter says.

Ad agencies and consultants have told BI that they're begrudgingly advising clients to spend on X to help avoid political and legal risks.

It's an about-face from the waves of advertisers who fled X over concerns about brand safety, performance, and the return of some banned accounts after Musk took over the platform in 2022.

X has since gone on to sue several big-name advertisers — including Mars, Shell, and Colgate — accusing them of illegally conspiring to boycott the platform through their membership in a now-defunct industry initiative called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. GARM shut down days after X filed the lawsuit. Its parent organization, a trade body called the World Federation of Advertisers, has said it plans to defend itself against the lawsuit and said it hadn't violated any antitrust laws. The litigation is ongoing.

Read the letters Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, and Chris Van Hollen sent to the DOJ and FTC in full below:

• Adidas sells out of Yeezy stock, closing the book on one of its most successful partnerships.
• The partnership ended in 2022 after Ye's antisemitic comments.
• Adidas saw a 12% sales increase in 2024, despite a 2% drop in North America.

The lengthy saga of Adidas and Yeezy is coming to a close.

The sports giant reported its 2024 earnings on Wednesday, where Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden told investors that there are no more Yeezy products in its inventory. Adidas announced plans to sell the remaining 268 million euros, or $289 million, of Yeezy inventory in February 2024.

The company reached its goal in the fourth quarter of 2024, generating around 650 million euros in revenue from Yeezy sales, it reported. The Yeezy brand began in 2015 as a collaboration with Kanye West, known as Ye, but the partnership turned sour and ended in 2022 after a series of antisemitic rants by Ye.

Although Adidas saw a 12% increase in currency-adjusted sales for 2024, its North America region was hit with a 2% decrease in revenue "entirely due to significantly lower sales of Yeezy products," the company reported.

Last year, Ye blasted the German brand in a string of Instagram posts accusing it of selling "fake" Yeezys and not paying him for its sales.

Adidas condemned Ye's "unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous" comments in 2022. A legal battle ensued, and Adidas said in October that it reached an out-of-court settlement with the rapper.

In the aftermath of severing a lucrative relationship, Adidas expected a short-term negative impact on its sales. Gulden took over as CEO in 2023, and Adidas regained its momentum, reporting a 10% increase in currency-neutral revenues across the group in Q3 2024.

"Although we are not yet where we want to be long-term, it was a very successful year that confirmed the strength of the adidas brand," Gulden said in a Wednesday press release.

Meanwhile, Ye remains at the center of controversy. Earlier this year, described himself as a Nazi in a series of posts to X. In February, he appeared in an ad during Super Bowl LIX directing viewers to a website selling only a shirt with a Swastika.

• I stayed in 2 different treehouses during my Washington trip, and the stays reminded me of camping.
• Most treehouse accommodations can be difficult to get in and out of with luggage.
• Treehouses often have less-than-ideal bathroom situations, and stays come with nature-related risks.

When I decided to road trip through Washington state, staying in a treehouse was high on my list of priorities.

The Pacific Northwest is known for its lush scenery and treetop rentals, and I planned to take full advantage of the stellar views.

I booked two very different treehouse Airbnbs: one in Mukilteo that looked out over Puget Sound and a remote two-story house in the woods near Olympia.

Both stays felt oddly similar to camping. Although I was technically indoors, way up high in a tree, I felt immersed in nature and had limited modern conveniences.

My first treehouse was in the backyard of a stunning, million-dollar house in a beautiful neighborhood that looked out over the water.

I booked one night at a bargain price of around $100 and slept with the shades wide open to take in the amazing water views. It was small — the bed was pushed against a wall with barely any room to walk, but worth the drive (it was an hour off my route).

The other treetop villa was a splurge that had been featured in travel blogs. It required a two-night booking (which was a bit more time in a tree than I wanted) and didn't have WiFi, but it had multiple decks and was surrounded by forest.

After having stayed in two different treehouse rentals, though, I feel that they're better in theory than reality for three reasons.

It can be difficult to lug belongings up and down the stairs

Although some extra-fancy treehouses have elevators, I'd argue most will require a bit of a workout to enjoy.

My waterside cabin had very steep stairs, and I was traveling alone with a heavy suitcase, a small cooler, and a backpack. I didn't want to leave my belongings or devices in the car, so everything came up with me, requiring multiple trips.

At the other treehouse, there were three staircases up to the bedroom loft. It was quite a workout for a short stay.

Bathroom options in a treehouse are often less than ideal

Using the bathroom in a treehouse can require thought and planning. However, I don't want to think so hard on vacation when I just need to pee.

In many cases, treehouse accommodations have toilets designed for campers or bathrooms that must be accessed by leaving the treehouse.

In Mukilteo, the bathroom was downstairs, attached to the main house, and it required a key. To me, this felt like a lot to remember when I woke up in the middle of the night after drinking too much water.

At the larger treehouse, the facility was in the tree but had an RV toilet with a flush pedal. It didn't feel very luxurious, and, to be honest, I struggled to fully understand how to operate it.

Given how tricky it can be to install plumbing up a tree, I'd suggest checking the listing before you book and making sure you're OK with whatever the bathroom situation may be.

You're at the mercy of weather and wildlife

Treehouses often come with unmatched views, but the wildlife immersion may have drawbacks.

Although it might feel nice and cozy in a treehouse during a rain or snowstorm, it can become treacherous if you need to leave and the steps are icy or slippery.

Plus, in a treehouse, you're more exposed to the elements, drafts, rain leaks, and wind than you would be at a hotel.

During my stay at the treetop villa, the owner told me that if the wind started blowing, the house would creak and sway. If it got really bad, he warned, I'd need to evacuate, possibly in the middle of the night.

This was a bit more than I'd bargained for, and I ended up leaving a night early.

A treehouse stay also means keeping an eye out for nearby wildlife — owls and bears are prevalent in Washington state — and possums, raccoons, and mice can climb.

Overall, I'm glad I stayed in treehouses — but I wouldn't do it again

My trip to Washington was great, and I have no regrets.

Thankfully, I had no animal run-ins, and the weather was beautiful during both of my stays. Sleeping in the air was kind of fun and peaceful, and I was as close to nature as I'll possibly ever get.

Treehouse stays are cool to try at least once, but I can't say I'd want to regularly incorporate them into my travels. The cons don't quite outweigh the pros for me.

• Entry-level programming roles are increasingly scarce, with junior applicants fielding fierce competition.
• Bryce Adelstein Lelbach, a principal architect at Nvidia, discussed the state of the job market in a podcast interview.
• He said young developers should focus on honing two skills — math and writing.

It's a dog-eat-dog world in the job market for entry-level software engineers — just ask Nvidia principal architect Bryce Adelstein Lelbach.

"I think that it's a very challenging time for young programmers," Lelbach said on a recent episode of the TechBytes podcast.

"We saw, post-Covid, with a little bit of the tech pullback — we saw a lot of tech companies pull back on hiring," he added. "And the reality is that most of the Big Tech companies have the luxury of just hiring senior people, these days."

Mass firings in the wake of the pandemic set loose a flood of mid-to-senior level coders into the job market, who suddenly found themselves competing with junior programmers for positions they were once considered overqualified for.

As AI appears more likely to further shrink the pool of available jobs, Lelbach says there are two skills he'd suggest young programmers prioritize.

The first is writing.

"Especially with the emergence of large language models, it's going to become even more important to be able to communicate your ideas and your thoughts," Lelbach said.

The second — the "timeless field" of pure mathematics.

"While there may be a future where we humans do a lot less programming, the fundamentals that you learn in math are always, I think, going to be relevant," he said. "They're going to be relevant to how we design things and how we build things."

Above all else, Lelbach says practical knowledge remains king.

"I think the best option is to have internships," he said. "If you want to get a job as a software engineer, you need to have internships essentially every year that you're in college."

Despite the temptation to delay entering the workforce by way of a master's degree or Ph.D., Lelbach says that approach can present more problems than solutions. The sheer volume of applicants that now sport post-graduate degrees somewhat dilutes their ability to make anyone stand out, he added.

"I am generally a little bit more skeptical these days of people getting Masters and PhDs because there are so many people who have them now," he said.

For undergraduate seniors who are weighing their options, Lelbach suggests focusing on acquiring as much real-world experience as possible.

An applicant with "time in industry" under their belt might have a fighting chance at slightly higher-level roles, bypassing the entry-level mania entirely.

"If you graduate as a Master's student or a Ph.D. student with no industry experience, you're going to be competing with the pool of people that are looking for more junior positions," Lelbach said. "Versus going and getting, you know, two or four years of industry experience — then you're going to be competing for the more senior jobs."

• A retired Boeing 747 is being turned into a unique dining venue.
• The plane is among a handful of double-deckers that have been repurposed into tourist attractions.
• People can sleep in a 747 engine in Sweden, or rent out an entire 747 for a wedding in England.

You don't need to book a plane ticket to experience one of the most iconic — and quickly disappearing —passenger planes.

In February, Las Vegas entertainment venue AREA15 took delivery of a retired 45-year-old Boeing 747 and plans to convert it into an immersive cocktail and dining experience.

Imagine neon lights, a restaurant, and a dance floor where the passenger cabin once was. Plus, access to the old cockpit and the upper deck via a grand staircase.

"It's going to be like 20 feet up in the air and coming out of the building," AREA15 CEO Winston Fisher told Business Insider. "It's been a significant investment for us, millions and millions of dollars."

The double-decker was once a centerpiece of Burning Man, but it got stuck in the Black Rock playa in 2018 and was decommissioned. It was eventually put into storage until AREA15 bought it in 2022.

Fisher did not disclose an exact opening date or admission price for the 747 but said it would be a place to dine, drink, and party and would be "accessible to the public."

Repurposed 747s can be found around the world

While any large aircraft art piece may catch someone's attention, the 747 is particularly famous.

The quad-engine jet, nicknamed the "Queen of the Skies," was the world's first widebody plane and was launched in the 1960s to support the booming demand for air travel.

Aviation enthusiasts and historians have long hailed it as the catalyst for aircraft innovation and industry growth.

Dozens of carriers worldwide took advantage of the 747's mammoth capacity — which prompted cheaper plane tickets — and some used the upper deck to create luxurious lounges to attract high-paying customers.

However, the iconic 747 is disappearing from the skies as more efficient twin-engine airliners take over. Just four global passenger airlines still fly the plane commercially in 2025.

Most of the dwindling global fleet has gone to the boneyard, but a select few have found new life as tourist attractions in countries around the world.

A UK airport converted an old 747 into a party venue.

British Airways retired its fleet of Boeing 747s in 2020 following the pandemic, but one has been preserved as a flightless "party plane" at England's Cotswold Airport.

Airport CEO Suzannah Harvey bought one of the decades-old jumbos for just £1 ($1.30) and converted it into an event space for things like weddings or birthday parties. The venue opened in 2022.

The rental rate is £12,000 ($15,400) for 24 hours.

The regular hourly rate is £1,000 ($1,285). It's pricey, but the 747 offers myriad amenities.

Guests can enjoy some of the original cabin seats, peer into the cockpit and the upper deck, and enjoy a dance floor and bar.

The renovations cost Cotswold about £500,000 ($642,900).

You can stay in a 747-turned-hotel in Sweden.

One of the more convenient places to spend an overnight layover at Stockholm Arlanda Airport is the "Jumbo Stay" 747.

Located a short bus ride away from the terminal, the hybrid hostel-hotel boasts 33 bedrooms. The nose houses a lounge and kitchen, and a deck is over one of the wings.

The plane first flew for Singapore Airlines in 1976. It also flew for carriers like Pan Am, Cathay Pacific Airways, Garuda Indonesia, and Swedish carrier Transjet before settling at Arlanda in 2009.

Nightly rates range from 450 SEK ($44) to 1,895 SEK ($185).

The cheaper hostel-style dorms are gender specific and come with two or four bunks.

The most unique rooms are located in the wheel well and the four engines. One of the suites is inside the cockpit.

Most guests will share a bathroom, though the suites and select private rooms come with an ensuite toilet and shower.

A 747 was sunk off the coast of Bahrain as an artificial coral reef.

UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling sunk the mammoth plane in 2019 to attract diving tourism in Bahrain, a Middle Eastern island nation in the Persian Gulf.

The company said on its website that it specially modified the wings for the project. Further, it was sunk to specific environmental standards, including removing materials that could be harmful.

The media outlet Arabian Business reported the jet was bought for $100,000 from the UAE, citing government officials.

The plane has attracted divers from more than 50 countries.

Hundreds of divers from around the world have visited the 747-turned-artificial coral reef, which is about 65 feet underwater.

Dive Bahrain managed the sunken 747 site after its opening, but trips closed during the pandemic. The company website appears down.

The Middle Eastern company Scuba Master, which offered a diving excursion to the 747, told BI the tours are still paused and didn't disclose a possible restart date.

If tours resume, the website says dives start at about $93 per person.

Delta Air Lines converted a retired 747 into a museum in Atlanta.

Northwest Airlines first flew the 747 in 1988, and it was transferred to Delta in 2008 after the two airlines merged.

Delta retired the plane in 2015 and converted it into the "747 Experience," which opened as an exhibition in 2017.

It's part of the larger Delta Flight Museum near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and is included in the $15 adult ticket.

Tourists can see the 747's skeleton.

Delta outfitted the plane with educational material about the history of the 747 and its role in the airline's fleet.

Guests can sit in the old DeltaOne cabins in the nose, see the cockpit, and walk over the wing.

Delta also stripped many of the plane's panels to display some of its critical inner systems, such as air conditioning, pressurization, fuel tanks, flight control cables, and miles of wires.

• I tried ChatGPT's Deep Research tool, which can complete complex research tasks in minutes.
• Powered by a version of OpenAI's o3 model, Deep Research acts independently to work through multi-step tasks.
• I used it to research the history of tariffs and their impact on consumer goods pricing.

In an era when we're used to getting answers to AI queries in seconds, I can confidently say OpenAI's Deep Research tool is worth the five to 30-minute wait.

Plus, it's a fascinating look into how AI "thinks" through a complex research assignment and executes it.

Deep Research is an agentic AI tool, which means it can act independently to solve a multi-step task. OpenAI says on its website that the tool "accomplishes in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours," and it's not an exaggeration.

While ChatGPT can provide a thorough report on a topic if you ask for one, it doesn't complete the kind of multi-step research that Deep Research does. That capability isn't relevant to every query, but it is helpful if you want to explore a topic's history or nuances. OpenAI says Deep Research is particularly useful for "niche, non-intuitive information that would require browsing numerous websites."

The AI tool is powered by a version of the coming OpenAI o3 model designed for web browsing and data analysis and uses "reasoning to search, interpret, and analyze massive amounts of text, images, and PDFs on the internet."

OpenAI initially made the AI agent available to Pro users who pay $200 a month but announced its rollout to ChatGPT Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users on February 25. Pro users get 120 Deep Research queries a month, while Plus users have access to 10.

How it works

You can generate a Deep Research report by selecting "deep research" button in the text bar of ChatGPT. Then, you write a prompt, which the assistant will clarify to make sure it's looking for the right information.

For example, I asked it to compile a research report about the history of US trade policy regarding tariffs and the impact they've had on consumer goods pricing. Deep Research responded asking for more information including about the time period and industries I wanted covered, the type of analysis, and the level of detail.

I told it to research the 20th century onward, with a focus on President Donald Trump's first term and the impact on general consumer goods. I also asked it to generate a data-driven economic analysis with tables included.

The AI reiterated my instructions and then went to work.

As the assistant compiles the report — which can take roughly five to 30 minutes depending on the ask — you can check its progress and observe its search process. One of the most interesting parts of this process was seeing how the search evolved as it uncovered new information.

Here, you can see its thought process toward the end of its eight-minute research.

Deep Research searched and analyzed sources and then generated a thorough report on its findings, with in-line citations included throughout the various sections. The middle section was dense, but the conclusion gave a solid summation, and the tables were also insightful.

I spent a fair share of my 10 uses exploring research on any long-term effects of various health trends, like Ozempic usage. It provided thorough overviews and included isolated incidents with limited research, which I found interesting. I also used it to investigate my family's history. It correctly traced the origin of my last name and what I know of my ancestors' history before they immigrated to the US generations ago.

The reports I read were fascinating — and accurate based on the cited links that I checked. It did cite Wikipedia a good amount though. You can see in the screenshot below from the tariff query that Wikipedia was one of the sources used in compiling the report.

OpenAI said in its announcement that the model powering Deep Research achieved a 26.6% score on Humanity's Last Exam, an assessment designed to evaluate AI across various subjects. For context, ChatGPT-4o scored 3.3%.

However, OpenAI added that the tool "can sometimes hallucinate" or "make incorrect inferences," though at a lower rate than other ChatGPT models.

"It may struggle with distinguishing authoritative information from rumors, and currently shows weakness in confidence calibration, often failing to convey uncertainty accurately," OpenAI said in its announcement.

Almost every AI tool I've tried initially impressed me, but most failed to become a part of my routine. Deep Research isn't something I thought I would lose track of using, but I burned through my 10 queries in a matter of days — and found myself wanting more.

I'm not sure if I would pay $20 a month for 10 of these queries, given that feels fairly limited for a paid service. However, if I had specific legal questions or wanted to research medical treatments, I'd likely find it worth the cost.

For now, I'm excited to make the most of my next batch of 10 queries.

• Gloria Steinem, 90, is the first guest on Bobbi Brown's new YouTube series, "I Am Me."
• In Thursday's episode, the 90-year-old activist discussed aging and her choice to skip motherhood.
• Brown told Business Insider that she aims to uplift and inspire women with this video series.

Gloria Steinem wouldn't mind being one of the oldest women in the world.

The writer and activist, 90, recently sat down with Bobbi Brown to appear as the first guest on the beauty legend's new YouTube series "I Am Me," which launched Thursday.

During their discussion, Steinem reflected on her life in the public eye, the evolution of women's empowerment, and her feelings about skipping motherhood and aging.

Regarding the latter topics, the author said she's satisfied in both areas.

When Brown asked Steinem who would carry her legacy, the activist replied, "lots and lots and lots of people" — from modern artists she admires to parents.

Steinem said single mothers, especially, inspire her. She believes a "huge" factor in her success over the years is that she was never responsible for raising children — giving her time to focus solely on herself and her work.

"Any regrets on that?" Brown asked.

"No, no, absolutely not," Steinem said. "I'm not sure why except perhaps because when I was growing up, I was looking after my mother, who was not well. I've noticed that other people who were small people looking after big people don't want to do it again."

She also said she would "maybe" describe herself as a big sister of the women's empowerment movement but would never assign herself the title of its mom.

"I've never been a mother," she said.

On the topic of aging, Steinem said she's comfortable with herself in her ninth decade and is excited to get older.

"I'm 90 years old. Hello?" Steinem said to Brown. "I looked up to find the oldest woman in the world, and I found a woman who's 130, supposedly — so I have a goal."

The activist also said that not working from an office daily spares her "the compulsion" to regularly look in the mirror. When she does, however, she's not surprised or bothered by what she sees.

"I don't care about getting old, except I love it here, and I don't want to leave," Steinem said.

In an email to Business Insider, Brown said that helping women love themselves has always been a core part of her career — from launching her first namesake makeup line to her current beauty venture, Jones Road Beauty.

With this series — produced by the brand with help from JPMorganChase — she wants to take that effort further and show that "success doesn't come easily."

"We all face challenges, no matter how perfect things look on the outside," Brown said. "The message is simple: the best thing you can do is to be yourself."

And she's learning that lesson herself from each guest on her show.

"We all have our struggles and battles with self-doubt," Brown said. "The key is how we rise above the challenges and choose to move forward with vision and confidence. I've learned to look at obstacles as opportunities — and every one of the inspirational women on 'I Am Me' has their own stories of how they got there."

America is one of the world's biggest food importers. It relies on EU nations, Mexico, Canada, China, India, and many countries for food products like seafood, fruit, olive oil, sugar, and cheese. President Trump is threatening tariffs on many of these countries, which could make food items more expensive for Americans at grocery stores. We explore where America gets its food and what's at stake if trade relations are jeopardized.

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

Happy almost Friday! If you're indulging in a Thirsty Thursday — Do people still call it that? —don't be surprised if happy hour looks a bit gray. While millennials and Gen Zers are cutting back on booze, the number of boomers tipping one (or a few) back is rising.

In today's big story, Microsoft is rethinking how it evaluates employees and handles underperformers.

What's on deck:

Markets: The jobs report is tomorrow, but don't expect a DOGE-sized drop in numbers. Here's why.

Tech: Meta's got a list of ex-employees it won't rehire.

Business: Lulu Cheng Meservey's brash PR tactics annoy some of her peers, but her big-name clients can't get enough of it.

But first, HR is going to join us for this one.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Under review

Microsoft's performance review is on a PIP.

The tech giant is rethinking how it evaluates employees, according to Business Insider's Ashley Stewart, who spoke to several people with knowledge of the plans.

The result could be Microsoft taking a tougher stance on employees deemed low performers. Evidence of that came earlier this year when Microsoft made hundreds of performance-based cuts in January and February.

In many ways, it's a blast from the past for Microsoft, which once had a reputation for conducting tough reviews. The arrival of Satya Nadella as CEO more than a decade ago changed that, with the company taking a softer stance. Some even called Microsoft a "country club."

Microsoft's current process for managing out low performers can take months of documentation. One high-level manager told Ashley the average time to exit a low performer after a manager notified HR was about seven months. That process can be further delayed if an employee takes a leave of absence, which can reset the clock.

But with the AI race heating up, Microsoft wants to move faster and more efficiently. Like its peers Meta, Amazon, and Google, that's meant taking a deeper look at its performance review and management process.

Microsoft's potential pivot also shows where AI's had the most impact thus far.

Since ChatGPT's arrival a few years ago, there's been plenty of speculation about all the jobs that were at risk of being automated away by AI.

The reality, though, is the tech isn't advanced enough to replace most roles completely. Efficiencies can be achieved that allow a company to cut some headcount, but AI hasn't completely wiped out jobs in most cases.

In fact, the industry AI is disrupting the most is the one building it: tech.

It's not just a matter of AI automating people's jobs. (Although those are looking dicey for software engineers.) The massive bets tech giants are making on AI are forcing them to recalibrate their entire operations to be as streamlined as possible, and those changes don't come easy.

Perhaps the shift was always coming. The rise of interest rates and the maturation of these companies might have naturally led to a stage of buckling down.

But spending billions on tech that hasn't fully panned out from a business perspective certainly didn't slow things down.

News brief

• Alito says he's 'stunned' the Supreme Court ruled against Trump over USAID's funding.
• Outgoing Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen lost $11 million in bonus and stock payments when he resigned from the grocery chain.
• Trump told Congress that Musk runs DOGE — and the lawyers noticed.
• Instagram says it's 'doubling down' on DMs. This chart shows just how much.
• Add the teachers' union to the list of investors worried about Tesla's sliding stock.
• Media leaders tell BI how they're tackling a crisis that's bigger than Trump.
• Tripledot Studios in a $900 million deal, sources say.

3 things in markets

1. Federal workers' layoff pains will be mostly invisible in Friday's jobs report. DOGE's February firings won't be reflected in the Bureau of Labor Statistics report because of the cuts' timing. And even though the job losses will appear in a more distant report, they probably won't make a big dent overall.

2. Are we on the verge of a "Trumpcession"? Wall Street exec Jeffrey Solomon is part of a small but growing group of forecasters using the dreaded R-word: recession. In an interview with CNBC, Solomon said a trade war could impact supply chains and prompt business leaders to pump the brakes on dealmaking. Some signs already point to an economic slowdown, and Solomon isn't alone in waving the red flag.

3. Brevan Howard is telling investors the "true risk" is not getting in on crypto. For years, institutions have kept their distance from digital assets. Brevan Howard's CEO told BI the tipping point for institutional investors is on the horizon, thanks to the boost provided by President Trump and crypto czar David Sacks. The firm, whose digital assets unit was up more than 52% in 2024, wants to be the go-to place for crypto-curious institutions.

3 things in tech

1. Meta keeps "block" lists of ex-employees. Hiring managers at Meta sometimes pursue laid-off workers for rehire. They express interest, set up a screening call — and then ghost. That's because some ex-employees are on lists that deem them "ineligible for rehire," even if they have a written track record of exceeding managers' expectations. BI's story elicited a reaction from former Google HR chief Laszlo Bock.

2. Google Search is going AI Mode. The tech giant said it plans to test a new "AI Mode" feature for Search that aims to answer users' queries with "a wider and more diverse" set of AI-powered results. Instead of AI Overviews, which respond to queries with a direct answer at the top of the results page, the new AI Mode takes things a step further by generating an entire page.

3. Big events for big ratings. TV networks have been struggling with maintaining their audiences for years. But BI's Peter Kafka picked up on a pattern to get more eyes: streaming must-watch live sports and awards shows. The most recent Oscars, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics got bumps in viewers, and streaming was part of their equation.

3 things in business

1. Meet the PR pitbull adored by Sam Altman and Bari Weiss. Lulu Cheng Meservey is one of Silicon Valley's most sought-after communications gurus, known for her unusually aggressive "going direct" strategy. Less enchanted are her PR peers, who aren't sold on her style of bucking convention, tweeting madly, and playing offense with the press. Still, Cheng Meservey won the admiration of startup founders by showing them how she thinks.

2. A new DOGE staffer was connected to a fertility clinic and has ties to the pronatalist movement. Miles Collins, whose association with DOGE was first reported by BI, is a startup founder who employees say has been working at the Department of Labor. Collins was connected to a California fertility clinic that's now facing lawsuits accusing it of mistreating employees, although the company has denied wrongdoing. Collins is also the brother of a prominent pronatalist, a movement that Elon Musk has also spoken in favor of.

3. A tariff breather for car companies. President Donald Trump is giving the Big Three automakers — Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors — a one-month pause on his recent tariffs to avoid an "economic disadvantage." But there won't be another break when Trump's second round of trade-related tariffs takes effect on April 2, and additional tariffs on steel and aluminum are coming this month.

In other news

• A once-hot startup got a $1.5 billion loan. More than $500 million went to a high school dropout's 'sham' hedge fund, judge rules.
• Instagram cofounder explains how the work of a software engineer will change in the next three years.
• Are you worth $10 million? $100 million? Chances are you live in the US.
• Elon Musk says the Post Office and Amtrak should be privatized.
• Where you can cash in on Florida's cooling housing market.
• RFK Jr. says vitamin A could help treat measles. Here's what doctors think.
• Millennial moms want more kids — they just can't afford it.
• Where to hide right now as tariffs hit markets.
• While the US and China compete for AI dominance, Russia's leading model lags behind.
• Crypto insiders say Trump's love for bitcoin is more than a fling — even though he may be making an 'unforced error.'

What's happening today

• Macy's, Costco, and Kroger report earnings.

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

• CapitalG investor Kelly Barton is a newly crowned IRONMAN world champion.
• Barton is one of many former student-athletes who are now making waves in venture capital.
• She says that stepping away to complete her triathlon training helps her be a better investor.

For CapitalG investor Kelly Barton, being twice as busy as the average person for most of her life — including as a member of the MIT crew team — has paid off in her professional endeavors.

Barton is a vice president on CapitalG's investment team, where she focuses on fintech and software startups. Since joining in 2021, she's helped the fund write checks for supply-chain startup Coupa, insure tech startup Duck Creek Technologies, and wealth-management fintech Further.

Her fitness journey has also reached new highs: Barton in December traveled to Taupō, New Zealand, to compete in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships. She won her age group at the competition and became a world champion IRONMAN for women ages 25-29.

While her elite-athlete status makes her especially unique, Barton is one of many venture capitalists around the country who are former college athletes and for whom sports still make up a big part of their identity.

For Barton, training as an elite triathlete has only improved her investing game — she was promoted at CapitalG in early 2024 in the midst of training for her world-championship qualification.

"One thing that I've appreciated is that workouts create a forced space for me to think about the companies I back," she said. "Stepping back for two-plus hours a day helps me find the space to think about their next steps."

From rowing to triathalons

After seven years of rowing, through 2017, Barton was ready for something new. She picked up running after college, trained for a marathon, and then transitioned to triathlons with the goal of one day completing a full IRONMAN — a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run.

Barton, who at the time coached herself, was the overall winner of her first triathlon, an Olympic-distance event consisting of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer ride, and 10-kilometer run. She then finished near the top of her age group in her first half IRONMAN, qualifying for the 70.3 World Championships in 2021.

In 2022, she won her age group in every race she competed in. In 2023, she started winning the overall women's field in some of her races and qualified for both the full and half IRONMAN World Championships, earning her professional triathlete license, or "Pro Card."

While her triathlon career was picking up steam, so was her career in VC. Barton joined CapitalG in August 2021 and was promoted in February 2024 to vice president, leading investments in B2B fintech and vertical software companies.

The life of an elite endurance athlete spending tens of hours per week training might seem incompatible with the life of a VC. Barton, who spends more than two hours running, biking, and swimming most days, said her background in sports has made her a better investor because she sees the big picture, rather than fixating on small details like one missed workout or a less-than-stellar conference call.

She added that while it might seem counterintuitive, having a busier schedule encourages her to slow down and find balance between her personal and professional lives.

"You can work 24-7 if you want to, and early on I would just train, sleep and work, but I have much better balance now," she said.

Fintech investments

Barton says that she sees investing as a natural extension of her time at MIT, where she was constantly surrounded by peers solving cutting-edge problems in research labs. She was drawn to venture capital for the opportunity to work with founders with a similar mindset.

At CapitalG, Barton focuses on growth-stage fintech and software investments. She's particularly interested in massive profit pools within financial services, such as the $100 trillion wealth management industry in the U.S. One of her big bets last year was Farther, a tech-enabled wealth management firm that raised a $72 million Series C co-led by CapitalG and Viewpoint Ventures.

Looking ahead to 2025, Barton is excited to continue developing deep investment theses in fintech. One of the biggest questions she's focused on is how digital banking will evolve globally. CapitalG invested in Monzo last year, and Barton is particularly interested in how regional differences affect digital banking adoption.

In the U.K., for example, Monzo has built a beloved consumer product, but the tech hasn't taken off in other countries that have different cultures of handling money. Barton is looking for opportunities in other markets, especially where cash payments are still king.

"2025 is going to be about answering big questions on how certain markets and trends will evolve," she said. "I'm excited to spend years thinking about these problems and working with founders to solve them."

• Kimberly Guilfoyle has become a prominent figure within the Republican Party.
• She began dating Donald Trump Jr. in 2018, but they split in 2024.
• Her outfits at public events have included bold, business-casual looks and peplum-style dresses.

One of the most public-facing female members of the Republican Party is Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., former Fox News host, and President Donald Trump's pick for ambassador to Greece.

Guilfoyle, who dated the president's eldest child from 2018 to 2024, has had some ups and downs in her style journey. In fact, People even reported in December 2024 that her style was an issue between father and son.

Around the same time as their breakup became public news, Guilfoyle was nominated to be the next ambassador to Greece, with the president calling her "a close friend and ally" in a Truth Social post.

Here's a look back at Guilfoyle's best and worst style moments since she became involved with the Trump family.

Guilfoyle did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

At a March 2018 event, Guilfoyle kept it simple with a robin's egg shift dress.

The vibrant shade of this knee-length, short-sleeved dress was a strong choice for Guilfoyle, who accessorized with snakeskin pumps.

One month later, Guilfoyle started dating Trump Jr., Page Six reported. They went Instagram official in June, and she joined him at the Montana Republican Convention that same month.

Her navy dress at a 2018 movie premiere could've been great if she'd lost the belt.

Guilfoyle loves a knee-length dress, and while this one was largely elegant, the belt made it seem old-fashioned. The look would've been more streamlined without it.

Her red heels also blended with the red carpet.

The polka-dot high-neck blouse wasn't a good match with the low-rise red trousers.

This look, which she wore to an event in the Hamptons in May 2018, had too much going on.

The blouse clashed with the trousers, which in turn clashed with the geometric-patterned heels.

Her necklace, which appears to feature a chili-pepper pendant, also didn't gel with the rest of the look.

There was also too much going on with this dress, which she wore for one of her first public appearances with Donald Trump, Jr.

A slightly less plunging neckline or a subtler mesh overlay would've made this look more cohesive.

Instead, the illusion of a vest and skirt made it look like menswear or officewear, which, in Guilfoyle's defense, Gen Z now loves.

While it was refreshing to see Guilfoyle stepping away from her typical closed-toe pumps, it's a fashion faux pas to wear pantyhose with open-toed shoes.

This appearance in August 2018 — to attend the Washington, DC, premiere of political documentary "Death of a Nation" — was one of Guilfoyle and Trump's first public appearances as a couple.

The furry part of this dress was confusing.

In August 2018, Guilfoyle attended the annual summer party for New York's Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where she was pictured with publicist Matt Rich.

She wore a red dress for the event, but the look would've been much better without the fur across the chest — the red lace overlay was enough of a statement.

The black-and-white dress she wore in 2019 is one of Guilfoyle's best looks.

For a New York Fashion Week event for designer Chiara Boni (pictured left) in 2019, Guilfoyle wore one of Boni's designs.

Guilfoyle accessorized with long diamond earrings and later added a black cape to her look.

The outfit could've been improved with black pumps — white heels are a tricky thing to pull off — although Guilfoyle's Valentino heels did complement the white in her dress.

She had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction at a Fashion Week event in 2019.

If this Zang Toi dress wasn't see-through under bright lights and camera flashes at a New York Fashion Week event, it wouldn't be too bad — though we could do without the butterfly embellishments on the shoulder.

It happens to the best of us, but this is a good reminder: always do a flash test before going to an event with lots of cameras.

Guilfoyle took part in the color-blocking trend during 2019 New York Fashion Week.

The slit in her orange skirt is subtle, and it pairs well with the yellow ruffled blouse. While the look could've been elevated with different shoes — why leopard-print heels? — this is a solid look.

Guilfoyle wore a bright-red dress to the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Guilfoyle wore the knee-length, Republican-red dress to deliver a fiery speech at the Republican National Convention.

The dress, which has an orange undertone, was a striking look for Guilfoyle. The only improvement to the look could've been a simple necklace.

One of Guilfoyle's favorite styles is a peplum dress, and she selected a mint-green version for a 2020 Trump rally.

While another striking color to help Guilfoyle stand out on stage, the shade of green made this dress look dated.

That was also the case for the business-casual peplum, which hasn't been on trend in years — though some designers are trying their hardest to bring it back.

Guilfoyle needs to leave the peplum behind.

Guilfoyle wore this dress to CPAC in February 2022 and again in April for a meeting with the House Select Committee investigating the attack on January 6.

While navy blue works better with this peplum style, we can't ignore the crystal-encrusted heels, which feel out-of-place for the setting.

Guilfoyle wore this patterned minidress in 2024, 10 years after it was in style.

This geometric minidress by Balmain wouldn't have been out of place in season one of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," but it doesn't fare as well in London in 2024, where she was spotted with Donald Trump, Jr.

Once again, we would've preferred to see her pair this with black heels, not bright-white ones.

The red dress with a capelet she wore to the 2024 Republican National Convention is on trend.

This Badgley Mischka dress is an understated, elegant look from Guilfoyle.

She also didn't over-accessorize, choosing just a pair of chunky silver earrings.

• My family stayed at The Brando on an exclusive private island in French Polynesia.
• A stay in this one-bedroom villa could typically cost about $6,000 a night.
• The villa was right on the beach and had a private pool, outdoor tub, and great views.

An ultra-exclusive private island escape in French Polynesia, The Brando has been at the top of my bucket list for years.

I first heard of The Brando around the time Barack Obama spent a month there writing his memoir after leaving the White House in 2017. It came to mind again when Kim Kardashian hosted her lavish 40th birthday there in 2020.

Spread across a private South Pacific island 30 miles north of Tahiti, the property consists of just 35 private villas and one private residence, plus a central common space with three restaurants, as well as a staff village.

It seemed like the ultimate destination for private-island luxury and exclusivity — and I had to see it for myself. Finally, my family of four got the chance to stay in a one-bedroom villa for six nights in December.

As a travel writer, I received a discounted media rate for our stay at The Brando. Our stay (including food, drinks, and some activities) would typically cost about $6,000 a night — or about $36,000 total.

With these photos from my visit, take a look inside the lodging that comes with such an eye-popping price tag.

Each villa is marked with a covered arrivals area, set far away from the living space.

Each villa is fairly far apart from the next and shrouded in lush foliage.

A covered area in front of our villa protected our bikes from the nighttime rain and provided seating where we could rest in the shade.

A tree-lined pathway leads from the entrance to the villa.

To get inside our villa, we crossed a secluded, pier-like wooden walkway woven through the trees.

The central living area had room to lounge and a killer view.

The indoor living space of our one-bedroom villa was about 1,033 square feet.

The villa's front door opened to a central lounge area, set with a sofa and small dining table. The space also housed the bar and coffee station, plus a minibar and fridge.

Doors slid open to create a breezeway to the outside space, with spectacular pool and lagoon views.

The bedroom felt spacious and had more great views.

My husband and I slept great in the king-size bed in the primary bedroom.

When we checked in, the attendant who showed us around noted the retractable TV hiding beneath the bedroom's picture window.

He recommended we not use it, though, and instead enjoy the view of the stars and sea.

We used the TV just once to watch the three-hour-long epic "Mutiny on the Bounty," which comes pre-loaded onto a memory stick in each villa.

It's the 1962 movie Marlon Brando (who helped develop the resort) was filming in the area when he fell in love with Tahiti and bought the entire atoll on which his namesake resort now stands.

The kids each had a twin bed.

Across the villa from the primary bedroom was the kids' sleeping area, which appeared to be a converted lounge space.

We had two twin beds as well as a large TV and a workspace with ample power outlets.

A huge dressing area featured closets and a vanity.

Since we had tons of closet space, I unpacked fully so I could really make myself at home for the week.

The closet also held a beach bag and Brando-branded flip-flops for the whole family (all were ours to use during the visit and to take home after).

The bathroom was huge and airy, with two far-apart sinks and vanities.

The airy and bright room had a modern, crisp look and tons of space.

With curtains opening right into the trees, the room felt one with the environment.

The bathtub was on a deck outside the bathroom, with views of the lagoon and lush trees.

I'm a bath person, and this tub afforded me an epic soak for the ages.

The bathroom also came stocked with a jar of bath salts to create a spa-like experience in the sizable outdoor tub.

Two palm trees on the beach anchored a hammock in our "backyard."

Our villa led onto the nearby beach, where a hammock between two trees was waiting for us.

The swaying hammock was downright intoxicating. I logged some heavenly reading and naptime here while the natural environment (waves crashing, birds singing, and trees rustling) provided the dreamy soundtrack.

Our private pool was deep and spacious.

We spent a ton of time in our 10-square-meter private pool, though the resort also had a larger, common pool we could enjoy.

Our pool was big enough for my whole family to hang out in (and for my kids to coordinate races in).

The backyard also featured an alfresco dining setup under a thatched roof.

Whenever we ordered food to the villa, the room-service staff asked us whether we wanted our spread set up indoors or outside.

Anytime we chose outside, they set up a beautiful table for us beneath our own private, shaded structure.

Looking down the beach from our villa, there was not another soul in sight.

One of the most astounding things about this place is how few people we encountered throughout our stay. It truly has a deserted-island vibe but in a luxurious way.

Looking all the way in either direction from our beachfront space, we never saw another guest.

• Jack Reacher's close friend in "Reacher," Frances Neagley, is getting her own eponymous spinoff.
• Maria Sten told Business Insider "Neagley" shows the character has a life outside of helping Reacher.
• Lee Child, the author of the "Jack Reacher" books, told BI the show might premiere at the end of 2025

After the success of "Reacher" season three, the world of Jack Reacher is about to get bigger. The hero's close friend Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) is getting her own spinoff called (you guessed it) "Neagley."

Like Reacher, Neagley is based on the books by British author Lee Child. She was a member of the Military Police's 110th Special Investigations unit, which Reacher led before he left the armed forces.

Amazon announced the "Neagley" spinoff in October 2024 and confirmed that Maria Sten will lead the series.

"When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell-bent on justice.

"Using everything she's learned from Jack Reacher and her time as a member of the 110 Special Investigators, Neagley puts herself on a dangerous path to uncover a menacing evil," the show's synopsis reads.

Speaking to Forbes last month, Ritchson joked that he couldn't confirm if he'd appear in "Neagley."

"That would make sense, but we cannot confirm that it would make sense. It just makes sense in a world of hypotheticals.

"Like if he popped in for a couple of episodes. But it could happen."

Sten spoke to Business Insider about "Neagley" ahead of the release of the latest season of "Reacher." Here's what to know.

Maria Sten said 'Neagley' shows her character has a life outside of her relationship with Reacher

Recalling how Neagley has developed in "Reacher" since 2022, Sten said: "When we first meet her, I think she's still sort of a stray dog, out of the military and finding her way in the world. Then, coming into season two, she definitely found her way in the world, at least in her professional life.

"I think season three is more of that, where we really see her established in her life in Chicago before she, of course, goes off to help Reacher."

Sten continued: "I think that is a nice way to hand off the character from, 'Yes, I am living in this Reacher universe and I'm connected to him.' She has been showing up for him but also showing the world that yes, there's also a life outside of Reacher and she is actually running her own cases and doing her own thing and has her own problems as well, outside of helping the big guy!

"So I think they did a lovely thing to honor the book and honor what Reacher is, but also honor Neagley's contribution so far and send her off on her own."

'Neagley' does not have a release date yet, but Lee Child said it might arrive by the end of 2025

Amazon is still developing the spinoff, which doesn't have a release date. Neagley doesn't have dedicated books like Reacher, so that may explain why it is taking some time to develop.

But co-showrunners Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton could adapt storylines from the five "Jack Reacher" books by Lee Child that Neagley appears in.

In an interview with BI before the premiere of "Reacher" season three, Child suggested the show might debut at the end of 2025.

"They start shooting very soon, as a matter of fact! And I think I've seen the screenplays, I think it's going to be excellent, just as good as 'Reacher,' really," he said. "So you know, with a bit of luck, the 'Reacher'-verse will dominate the year on Amazon Prime both ends of it."

'Riverdale' and 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'stars have been cast in 'Neagley'

On February 25, Sten confirmed on Instagram that "Neagley" had started filming its first season. That day, Amazon named a handful of cast members who had joined the series, although little is known about their characters.

"Riverdale" star Greyston Holt will play Detective Hudson Riley alongside Adeline Rudolph, who appeared in "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and will play Renee.

"Mayor of Kingstown" actor Matthew Del Negro will play Pierce Woodrow, while "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" actor Damon Herriman will play Lawrence Cole. Newcomer Jasper Jones has also been cast as Keno.

• Salesforce has dropped diversity hiring targets from it's most recent annual financial disclosures.
• The company also removed references to diversity and inclusion as core company values.
• Salesforce joins the likes of Amazon, Google, Meta, and Walmart in rolling back DEI programs.

Salesforce is the latest tech giant to abandon explicit diversity hiring targets.

This comes in the wake of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump in January aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the federal government and its contractors.

The San Francisco-based software giant filed its annual financial disclosures on Wednesday. The company removed language that outlined how some executive compensation was tied to employee diversity measures.

The latest disclosures also omit explicit language describing diversity and inclusion as core company values, focusing solely on equality.

"While we are not specifying representation goals, we remain committed to our core value of equality," a Salesforce spokesperson told Bloomberg when asked about the company's hiring process.

Salesforce emphasized in the filing that its commitment to equality is "firmly rooted in compliance with federal law and other applicable laws and regulations in the regions in which we operate."

In its filings, the company states: "We value the equality of every individual at our company and in our communities and are dedicated to fostering a workplace that complies with these protections, creating an inclusive culture where every individual feels seen, heard and valued."

Salesforce's CEO Marc Benioff has previously set a high standard for supporting LGBTQ+ employees. In an interview with Axios last month, Benioff said, "If someone is going to come after our employees and discriminate against them in any way, we will do everything we can to help them."

The rollback places Salesforce among several other major companies, including Amazon, Google, Walmart, Meta, Deloitte, and KPMG, who have recently scaled back or entirely discontinued diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

In a memo to staff in December, Amazon said it was "winding down outdated programs and materials" related to diversity and inclusion. The company also scrubbed prior references to diversity and inclusion from it's 2024 annual report released in February.

Google removed hiring goals explicitly linked to diversity representation and Meta shuttered its DEI team and training programs. The leaked internal memo from Meta specifically references the shifting political and legal landscape around DEI policies.

Business Insider has reported previously that since mid-2024 more than 20 major companies have rolled back DEI initiatives in the US.

Salesforce representatives did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

• VW unveiled a $21,500 EV on Wednesday, but don't expect it to come to the US anytime soon.
• The compact ID.EVERY1 will be the first car to incorporate software from EV startup Rivian.
• The two companies struck a $5 billion partnership last year, and both face their own looming challenges.

Volkswagen and Rivian are teaming up on an ultra-cheap EV, and once again, Americans can only stare across the Atlantic in envy.

After several months of teasing, Volkswagen unveiled the ID.EVERY1 on Wednesday, with a version of the compact electric car set to go on sale for 20,000 euros ($21,500) in Europe by 2027.

The 13-foot long, four-seater EV packs a lot into a small package, including 155 miles of range and a customizable dashboard — but the most interesting thing about it is what's going on behind the scenes.

The production version of the ID.EVERY1 will be the first vehicle to include software developed with EV startup Rivian, a Volkswagen spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.

The two companies announced a deal last year that would see the German car giant invest over $5 billion in Rivian and form a joint venture to develop next-generation software and EV technology.

That deal has quickly become a vital part of Volkswagen's strategy to turn its crisis-stricken car business around.

The nearly century-old automaker has seen sales collapse in Europe and China, its two most important markets, thanks to weaker-than-expected demand for EVs in the former and brutal competition from local rivals in the latter.

VW also weathered a bruising fight with worker's unions over restructuring plans last year and has vowed to cut 35,000 jobs by 2030.

The company now faces the prospect of its Chinese competitors selling their affordable EVs in its backyard, with the likes of BYD and Xpeng eyeing ambitious expansion plans in Europe.

Just as VW faces many of the same problems as other legacy automakers, Rivian's challenges have the same flavor as those of other fledgling EV firms.

The startup, known for its sporty electric trucks and SUVs, plans to release cheaper EVs in the coming years but is still losing nearly $40,000 on every vehicle it sells.

Rivian also faces the looming disruption of Trump ending federal support for EVs, and is battling a slowdown in electric vehicle sales growth which has seen several electric vehicle startups that went public around the same time file for bankruptcy in recent months.

The deal with VW gives Rivian a crucial financial lifeline as it scales up production.

For VW, it allows the German automaker to incorporate Rivian's electric vehicle and software know-how into its lineup of affordable EVs, starting with the ID.EVERY1, which will compete against the coming wave of affordable Chinese EVs packed with advanced technology in Europe.

Other European automakers such as Renault and Stellantis are also rolling out their own affordable electric vehicles — but there is no sign of the wave of cheap EVs reaching the US just yet.

While a production version of the ID.EVERY1 is set to launch in Europe in 2027, VW did not provide any details about a US launch.

That means the ID.EVERY1 is likely to join the growing number of affordable EVs that are available in Europe but not the US. With the prospect of tariffs on European cars and the end of government subsidies for EVs being floated by the Trump administration, that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

• Police are investigating after a 17-year-old boarded a plane with a shotgun in Australia.
• Passengers told local radio he was dressed like an airport worker.
• The teenager was detained by crew and passengers on the flight.

A 17-year-old with a loaded shotgun boarded a flight after breaching airport security, police in Australia said.

The incident occurred on Thursday at Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, which has flights operated by the Qantas-owned budget carrier Jetstar.

Victoria Police said the teenager was detained by crew and passengers on the flight. Officers also located two bags and a vehicle belonging to the suspect.

Images obtained by Australia's ABC News showed him wearing a high-vis jacket similar to airport ground crew, and being held down in the cabin.

The broadcaster reported that Superintendent Michael Reid said the teenager had acted alone and entered the airport through a hole in a security fence.

Reid said the teen then made his way to the plane but was overpowered by several passengers after boarding it.

Barry Clark, a passenger on the flight, told ABC Radio Melbourne he noticed the 17-year-old as he was being questioned by a flight attendant.

"He was dressed up as a worker and he got agitated and before we knew, it there was a gun — shotgun appeared — and I was worried about there being shots so all I could do was get the gun out of the way, threw it down the stairs … and then put him in a hold and throw him to the ground til the police come," Clark said.

Asked what was going through his mind when he tackled the young man, Clark said: "You don't think, you act."

Reid also told reporters: "No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane and Victoria Police really commend the bravery of the passengers who were able to overpower that male."

A Jetstar representative told Business Insider the airline was working with police and airport authorities to investigate the incident.

"The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there were no reported injuries," they said.

"We know this would have been a very distressing situation and we are sincerely grateful to the customers who assisted our crew to safely manage the situation."