• Over three-fifths of US workers have nightmares about work.
• Common nightmares include being late to work, job loss, and romantic dreams about coworkers.
• Dreams are often a reflection of the inner self, therapists say.

For many people, work extends well beyond the standard 9-to-5. The pressure from their jobs can disrupt sleep, leading to restless nights and stressful dreams.

In a survey of 1,750 working adults in the US conducted by Each Night, a sleep resource platform, more than three-fifths of workers reported having a nightmare about their jobs.

The most common workplace nightmare is being late to work, according to an analysis of global search data conducted by the job search platform JobLeads. Losing your job, getting a new job, and colleague romances were also commonly reported dreams.

Annie Wright, a psychotherapist who operates boutique trauma therapy centers in California and Florida, told Business Insider that dreams are worth analyzing.

The fear of being late to work can signify a sense of uncertainty, she said. "It doesn't terribly surprise me that that's showing up because, you know, we have that classic dream in college and high school of being late for a test," she said.

Through the lens of gestalt psychotherapy — a therapeutic approach that focuses on understanding a person's present experience — every element of a dream, from the setting to the people, places, and objects, can be viewed as a reflection of the dreamer's inner self.

Wright offered a hypothetical workplace dream in which the dreamer sees their boss, closest colleague, and a challenging client. The boss is yelling at the colleague about their interactions with the client.

Wright said she would ask the dreamer to describe the qualities they associate with their boss. "Critical, demanding, and hostile," they might say, she said. Then, they would describe their colleague. "Supportive, kind, but incompetent sometimes," she said.

She would ask the dreamer to think about all these aspects within their self.

"What does it say that the critical, angry part of you is attacking the, you know, supportive but kind part of you," she said. Perhaps the person would realize that the dream was about something else entirely.

"I cannot turn off this critical voice about my inability to get pregnant," she said, as an example. "When we unfold it from that lens, it can become less about the workplace itself or the workplace figure itself and more about what those different parts symbolized by the workplace or workplace figures represent."

Stressful dreams often reflect a person's sense of vulnerability in the wider world, she said. Whether it's the workplace or the middle school hallway — the most common setting for a stress dream — the setting of a dream is like a subject that our mental state seeks out. "In other words, the state of vulnerability seeks that out and gloms on to it," she said.

Here's a closer look at the top most searched workplace stress dreams, according to JobLeads data.

• Bill Gates, in a recent Journal interview, said Elon Musk's DOGE could be "a valuable thing."
• Gates said the federal deficit will "create a financial problem" for the US if it isn't reduced.
• But the Microsoft cofounder also said it was important to retain vital programs.

Bill Gates, in a recent Wall Street Journal interview, said the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency could be a "valuable" effort, adding that it's important to reduce the size of the federal budget deficit.

"I think the idea that looking at government expenditures on a sort of zero-based budgeting approach could be a valuable thing," he told the newspaper. "I'm amongst the people who think the deficit needs to be brought down because otherwise, it will create a financial problem for us. That effort could come up with some good things."

DOGE, which recently saw the departure of businessman Vivek Ramaswamy as a co-lead, aims to tackle government inefficiencies and reduce the deficit.

After DOGE was first proposed, Musk set a goal to cut $2 trillion in spending. However, during a conversation with political strategist Mark Penn earlier in January, Musk said the $2 trillion figure was a "best-case outcome" and that the commission had a "good shot" at saving $1 trillion.

DOGE announced on Friday that it had canceled roughly $420 million worth of existing or forthcoming contracts, in addition to two leases. However, according to Business Insider's calculations, the commission would need to be far more aggressive in its spending cuts to meet any of its goals.

During Gates' interview, Journal editor in chief Emma Tucker asked the Microsoft cofounder where he'd look to find savings if he was leading DOGE.

"Well, given the numbers that they've tossed around, they'll have to look at everything, including pension, defense, healthcare," he said.

However, Gates said he had concerns about the government shutting down resources that have "long-term benefits" for citizens, specifically citing HIV.

"I obviously believe in HIV medicines, where the US is keeping tens of millions of people alive," he said. "If you cut those off, not only would they die when we have a cure on its way, but the negative feelings you'd have, say in Africa, would be worse than never having done the thing at all."

While rising to prominence in the technology sphere, Gates has also long been known for his philanthropic work through the Gates Foundation, which he cofounded in 2000 with his then-wife Melinda French Gates.

During the 2024 presidential race, Gates didn't publicly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. But the New York Times reported in October that he privately donated $50 million to a pro-Harris super PAC. After the story was published, Gates released a statement pointing to his bipartisan background while adding that "this election is different."

In December, Gates traveled to Mar-a-Lago to dine with then-President-elect Donald Trump and recently told The Journal he was "impressed" with the president's interest in global health issues.

• DeepSeek, an open-source Chinese AI company, has riled Silicon Valley with its rapid rise.
• Meta's chief AI scientist said DeepSeek has benefited from the open-source community.
• Meta's AI program has remained open-source, while OpenAI has shifted to closed-source.

Silicon Valley was on edge this week after DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, released its R1 model. In third-party benchmarks, it outperformed leading American AI companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic.

For Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, the biggest takeaway from DeepSeek's success was not the heightened threat posed by Chinese competition but the value of keeping AI models open source so that anyone can benefit.

It's not that China's AI is "surpassing the US," but rather that "open source models are surpassing proprietary ones," LeCun said in a post on Threads.

DeepSeek's R1 is itself open source, as is Meta's Llama. OpenAI, which was originally founded as an open-source AI company with a mission to create technology that benefits all of humanity, has on the other hand more recently shifted to closed-source.

LeCun said DeepSeek has "profited from open research and open source."

"They came up with new ideas and built them on top of other people's work. Because their work is published and open source, everyone can profit from it," LeCun said. "That is the power of open research and open source."

When DeepSeek unveiled R1 on January 20, which it said "demonstrates remarkable reasoning capabilities," the company said it was "pushing the boundaries" of open-source AI.

The announcement took Silicon Valley by surprise and was easily the most talked-about development in the tech industry during a week that included the World Economic Forum, TikTok uncertainty, and President Donald Trump's busy first few days in office.

Days after DeepSeek's announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta planned to spend over $60 billion in 2025 as it doubles down on AI. Zuckerberg has been an outspoken advocate of open-source models.

"Part of my goal for the next 10-15 years, the next generation of platforms, is to build the next generation of open platforms and have the open platforms win," he said in September. "I think that's going to lead to a much more vibrant tech industry."

Those who support open source say it allows technology to develop rapidly and democratically since anyone can modify and redistribute the code. On the other hand, advocates for closed-source models argue that they are more secure because the code is kept private.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the closed-source approach offers his company "an easier way to hit the safety threshold" in an AMA on Reddit last November. He added, however, that he "would like us to open source more stuff in the future."

• After dropping out of college, I worked for AmeriCorps and then became a firefighter in Washington.
• I often fight wildfires, which can be grueling; I sometimes have little food and terrible shelter.
• Although it's a difficult job, I'm glad I can help save people's lives and homes.

Last year, I fought wildfires on a fire engine with the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

I worked in the Washington Methow Valley district, and whenever there was a wildfire in that area, they sent me and my fellow firefighters out to deal with it.

While the conditions are sometimes grueling, I'm glad I could help out communities in some way.

I took this job because it's where my expertise was

I dropped out of college during the pandemic because I felt that college was not preparing me for real life or developing me into an adult.

From there, I joined AmeriCorps and worked a couple of seasons doing green-collar work. During that time, I lived out of my car, built hiking trails, and ripped out invasive trees.

It all taught me more than college ever could. On my own, I learned how to manage my finances, how to fix a chainsaw in the field, and how to sneak into a state park for a free shower.

When I learned I could make slightly more money working as a firefighter for Washington state and had the necessary skills, I decided to switch jobs and help save communities.

The job is often brutal and miserable

Firefighting requires a lot of work. For starters, there is no such thing as a work-life balance. If something is on fire, we have to be there until it's out.

Sometimes, we'll have to hike two or three miles up a mountain with five gallons of water in bags on our backs to extinguish a lightning-struck tree. Sometimes, we'll have to spend all day digging ditches in the sun to contain a fire, and then we'll have to stay there all night to keep watch.

Once, we were sent out to a fire on 10 minutes' notice and spent the next 17 days without a break chasing fast-moving brush fires. You have to be ready to go anywhere and do anything whenever it's required of you.

We sleep wherever and whenever we can. Sometimes, the state pays to put us up in hotels. Sometimes, we're in tents or on the cement floor of a rural firehouse. Often, we have to grab sleep in the back of the engine whenever we get 15 minutes of downtime — with the understanding that if someone kicks you awake, you have to be ready to go.

We eat whatever is available. Sometimes, local restaurants near the fires will cater free meals for us. In emergencies, we eat pre-packaged military rations and whatever we have squirreled away in our packs. It's grueling, and it grinds you down to the nubs.

I'm glad I get to help communities stay safe

After all my experience fighting fires, I'm now very concerned when I watch the fires in Los Angeles on the news. To me, it's clear that the fire season is becoming longer and making fires more intense. As regions across the world get hotter and drier, fires burn brighter and for longer.

Wildfires are destroying homes and livelihoods all over the country in towns you've never heard of. I just hope governments are prepared to provide housing, food, and healthcare to us firefighters.

Nevertheless, I'm glad to see so many fire crews from around the country and the world gathering to save Los Angeles. Although I haven't been brought down to Los Angeles myself, I'm still glad to be part of this brotherhood determined to save lives and homes. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

• Jesse Eisenberg has criticized top tech leaders for getting involved in politics.
• The actor, who once played Mark Zuckerberg, said tech leaders should focus their money and attention elsewhere.
• Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos were among the tech billionaires who attended Trump's inauguration.

Jesse Eisenberg has said that "tech bros" who have involved themselves in politics would be better off "doing good things for the world."

The actor, who portrayed Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film "The Social Network," made the comments during a recent episode of "Real Time With Bill Maher."

Eisenberg was asked by the show's host what he thought of the array of "tech bros" who attended President Donald Trump's inauguration earlier this month.

The actor-director responded: "I look at it from a very specific perspective, which is if you're so rich and powerful, why are you not just spending your days doing good things for the world? So it's hard for me to understand the specifics of what they're doing."

"You know, I married a woman who's like this amazing activist. All she thinks about all day is, 'How can I help the people who are most in need?'" he said of his wife, Anna Strout, who works for a number of nonprofits.

Eisenberg, who directed and starred in the Oscar-nominated film "A Real Pain," continued: "So when I watch these incredibly powerful people, I just think, 'Why are you not spending your day helping people?'"

"Why are you getting mired into this weird stuff — stuff I don't really understand — and taking privacy concerns away, hurting people who are already hurting, marginalized people?"

"I'm just thinking, 'Why are they not spending every day helping people?'" Eisenberg added.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos were among the tech leaders to attend Trump's inauguration.

Musk spent millions of his own money supporting Trump's election bid last year and has since been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Both Meta and Amazon have also offered their support to Trump, donating $1 million each to his inaugural fund.

Speaking a The New York Times' DealBook Summit last month, Bezos — who has been at odds with Trump in the past — said that he was "actually very optimistic" about another Trump term and that he would like to help Trump with his deregulation plans.

For Zuckerberg's part, he has made a series of sweeping changes at Meta that appear to be remaking the company at least partly in the image of Trump and Musk.

Trump's inauguration also saw Apple CEO Tim Cook, OpenAI's Sam Altman, TikTok exec Shou Zi Chew, and Google boss Sundar Pichai in attendance.

• I took a trip with my mom and grandma when I was 6.
• A jellyfish stung me, and my mom peed on me, which mortified me.
• Still, I look back fondly at that trip with my family.

"Don't swim there, there's a jellyfish!"

It was 1996, I was 6 years old, and I was vacationing with my mom and grandma on the remote Colombian island archipelago of San Andres and Providencia. I saw nothing in the perfectly clear water, so I ignored my grandma's warning.

Sure enough, I got stung in the stomach. My screams filled the beach and didn't stop when my mom frantically picked me up and ran back to our room (which was, thankfully, very close). Then, she did something I am very embarrassed to admit: She peed on me. In the moment, I didn't even care, I was just relieved. But afterward, I felt so grossed out that I wanted to cry.

That was my first real trip ever. It was a complete disaster, but it's also one of my most formative childhood memories.

There was no kids' menu

Even before that happened, the trip had proved challenging.

Most tourists in Providencia's tiny but gorgeous island stay at locally-owned guest houses or hotels, but since my mom had lived there for several years, we were staying with our island "family." In the '90s, there was no A/C in the house, and water was limited. To shower, we had to fill buckets with water and then use bowls to pour the water on ourselves. I was used to the comforts of Bogota, a huge capital city whose year-round 60-degree weather made the island heat difficult to bear.

I also had to eat crab soup and other seafood I didn't like. We ate whatever was at the house — no kids' menu or choices.

But rather than ruining the vacation for me, these challenges made it memorable. This has convinced me of one important truth: Kids don't always need to be comfortable while traveling. Seeing my mom and my grandma seamlessly adapt to the circumstances without complaining or even remarking on them made me react the same way.

The trip helped me grow

Living without the comforts of the city and trying foods that I didn't necessarily like felt like small adventures to my six-year-old self. These experiences helped me build a sense of identity as someone adventurous, flexible, and willing to step out of her comfort zone. Four years after the trip, this identity helped me navigate life in a new country when my family moved to the US. It's also helped me as an adult as I've traveled to over 45 countries and lived in four continents.

Even the very painful jellyfish sting (and its very embarrassing cure) became my first tale of travel misadventure, which I was excited to share with my siblings when I returned to Bogota. In my brain, these challenges were stored in the same place as the good memories of the trip: floating in the Sea of Seven Colors next to my grandmother, falling asleep in a hammock, reading with my mom as we lay on the sand, and being on an island that truly feels disconnected from the rest of the world. As a whole, I remember it as a beautiful trip with two of the people that I loved the most.

My grandmother died very recently. This was the only real trip we ever went on together, and I am now more grateful than ever for those hot, uncomfortable nights spent in a tiny room with her.

I'm also glad that the jellyfish taught me at a young age that I should (almost) always listen to her wisdom. I'm sure that it saved me from even harsher stings in life.

• Authorities are warning about scam texts that claim unpaid toll fees to access bank info.
• Scammers imitate legitimate toll services like FastTrak and EZdriveMA to deceive users.
• Avoid clicking links in suspicious texts; report scams to 7726 to protect personal data.

Did you get a text saying that you owe unpaid toll fees? It's probably a scam.

Authorities across the United States are warning about a wave of scam text messages that claim the person receiving the message has unpaid fees. The real goal of the scam is to give the criminals access to your bank account information, police say.

The text messages are the latest phishing scam targeting victims across the country, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a warning that the text messages usually contain a link designed to "deceive drivers into entering banking or credit card information into a website."

"Scammers have become skilled at imitating legitimate companies, sometimes even linking to legitimate websites," Bonta said in a statement. "Text-based toll charge scams are prevalent right now and knowing what to look for can keep consumers safe against these tactics."

Bonta said that scam texts in California may claim to come from the state's toll payment service, FastTrak. One scam text message reviewed by Business Insider claimed to be from Massachusetts' EZdriveMA toll service.

Both state services, EZdriveMA and FastTrak, say they do not send text messages to non-account holders to collect toll payments.

Authorities say the best way to avoid becoming a victim of these fake toll text messages is not to click on the link provided in the message.

Clicking on the link could expose your personal information, such as a driver's license number, to the scammers and put you at risk of identity theft.

The FTC also recommends checking where suspicious messages may come from to see if the source is legitimate and forward scam messages to 7726 (SPAM) to report them as junk mail.

The Better Business Bureau told Business Insider last month that a similar scam text campaign impersonating the US Postal Service was one of the largest scams the organization saw during the holiday season.

Melanie McGovern, BBB director of public relations, also told BI that the best method to spot a phishing scam is to check from where the text or email came. Scam text messages from the USPS scam last month and the toll collection scam viewed by Business Insider had area codes of +63, originating in the Philippines.

• A United Airlines flight from Nigeria to the US made an emergency landing following a technical issue.
• The flight from Lagos to Washington, DC. experienced "an unexpected aircraft movement," United said.
• Six people were taken to hospital with injuries but have been discharged, the airline said.

A United Airlines flight from Nigeria to the US was forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos early Friday.

The flight from Lagos to Washington D.C. turned back after the aircraft — a Boeing 787-8 — experienced a technical issue and "an unexpected aircraft movement," the airline said.

After diverting, United Airlines Flight UA613 landed safely back in Nigeria. Four passengers and two flight attendants were taken to hospital with injuries but have been discharged, United Airlines said in a statement.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said an additional 27 passengers and five crew members sustained minor injuries.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show scenes on board the aircraft. The footage shows food and items strewn across the cabin with the sound of panicked passengers in the background.

Two-hundred-and-forty-five passengers were on board the flight, as well as eight flight attendants and three pilots.

United Airlines said it was working with US and Nigerian aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the issue.

FAAN said the aircraft did not suffer "any major damage."

The Boeing 787-8 in question, registered as N27903, was built in 2012.

In 2024, the FAA ordered hundreds of Boeing 787s to undergo inspections after a Latam Airlines jet suddenly dropped in midair.

Boeing did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.

• On Sunday, the Washington Commanders will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.
• If the Commanders win, they'll make their first Super Bowl appearance since 1992.
• At 24, Jayden Daniels could become one of the youngest starting quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl.

Only four teams remain in the race for Super Bowl LIX: the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Commanders.

While the Chiefs, Bills, and Eagles have been playoff staples in recent years, the Commanders have had a different story.

The team finished last season 4-13, but under the leadership of new head coach Dan Quinn, the team has rebounded in spectacular fashion, going 12-5 in the regular season before winning their first wild card playoff game since the 2005 season.

On January 18, the Commanders continued their postseason run by upsetting the No. 1 seeded Detroit Lions 45-31 at Ford Field to reach their first NFC Championship since their Super Bowl-winning 1991 season.

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is a key part of the team's recent successes. In the regular season, he threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns, and rushed for an additional 891 yards and six touchdowns. And he hasn't slowed down in the postseason either, having thrown for 567 yards and four touchdowns.

It should come as no surprise then that Daniels was awarded the 2024 Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year awards by the Professional Football Writers of America in January 2025.

Now, if the Commanders can get past their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, Daniels will have a chance to make history yet again at Super Bowl LIX by potentially becoming the second youngest quarterback to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

If he succeeds, he'll be just 24 years, 1 month, and 22 days old when he joins this list of greats.

Here are the 10 youngest starting quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl, and how old they were at the time.

10. Tom Brady

Age: 26 years, 5 months, and 29 days old

Of course, Tom Brady made this list twice. The New England Patriots legend won his second Super Bowl with the team in 2004, defeating the Carolina Panthers 32-29.

9. Jim McMahon

Age: 26 years, 5 months, and 5 days old

Jim McMahon was part of the star-studded 1985 Chicago Bears lineup, which included Walter Payton, Richard Dent, and William "The Refrigerator" Perry when they defeated the Patriots 46-10 to win the franchise's only Super Bowl in January 1986.

McMahon rushed for two touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback to do so in the Super Bowl.

8. Terry Bradshaw

Age: 26 years, 4 months, and 10 days old

Terry Bradshaw won the first of his four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975 in a 16-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He would go on to win again the following year, as well as in 1979 and 1980.

7. Troy Aikman

Age: 26 years, 2 months, and 10 days old

Troy Aikman helped the Dallas Cowboys usher in a new era. Despite the team finishing 1-15 during his rookie season in 1989, the team rebounded just a few years later to beat the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. Aikman threw for 273 yards, including four touchdowns, and earned the title MVP. It was the first of his three Super Bowls with the Cowboys franchise.

In a 2022 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Aikman's agent, Leigh Steinberg, recalled telling him after the game that his life would never be the same now that he was "Troy Aikman, Super Bowl MVP, superstar."

6. Joe Montana

Age: 25 years, 7 months, and 13 days old

Joe Montana's first of four Super Bowl wins came in 1982 in Super Bowl XVI. He was named MVP in the San Francisco 49ers' 26-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, an honor he'd receive twice more in his career.

5. Joe Namath

Age: 25 years, 7 months, and 12 days old

Joe Namath and the New York Jets defeated favorites, the Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts), 16-7 to give the team their first — and only — Super Bowl win to date at Super Bowl III in 1969. Namath was named MVP.

4. Russell Wilson

Age: 25 years, 2 months, and 4 days old.

Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl title in 2014. He threw for more than 200 yards, including two touchdowns, in a dominating 43-8 performance over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII.

After the game, Wilson told Fox Sports reporter Pam Oliver, "In the beginning of the season, I told the guys, 'Hey, you know, why not us?' You know, we believed that we could get here; we had the talent, we had the coaching staff, we had the best fans in the National Football League, and we wanted to win it all."

3. Tom Brady

Age: 24 years and 6 months old

The seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl MVP had to start somewhere. Brady's first Super Bowl celebration came after the Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams (now known as the LA Rams) 20-17 in 2002's Super Bowl XXXVI.

2. Patrick Mahomes

Age: 24 years, 4 months, and 16 days old

During the 2019-2020 season, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970. He had two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown to help the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20, and he became the youngest quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl MVP award.

"I mean, obviously, I've had a good start to my career," Mahomes told reporters at the time.

That win was the first of his three Super Bowl titles with the team so far.

1. Ben Roethlisberger

Age: 23 years, 11 months, and 3 days old

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl in NFL history thanks to the team's 21-10 defeat over the Seahawks in 2006's Super Bowl XL.

• Business Insider asked bartenders for their best nonalcoholic drink recipes.
• All the bartenders were inspired by nostalgic childhood ingredients, like tamarind and juma.
• Sherbert, juice, and nonalcoholic vermouth come together to make a booze-free punch.

Nonalcoholic beverages have the highly alluring benefit of being hangover-free.

However, it can sometimes be hard to capture the vibe of a specialty cocktail without the liquor.

If you're looking for inspiration, Business Insider spoke with three international bartenders about their favorite recipes for nonalcoholic drinks to make at home.

Bring some Afro-Caribbean flavors to your kitchen with a tamarind-forward mocktail

Erika Flowers, the lead bartender at Compère Lapin in New Orleans, wants to celebrate a fruit that's plentiful in her home country of Belize: tamarind.

The sweet-and-sour fruit, also known as tambran, is popular in many tropical countries' cuisines, from Asia and Africa to the Caribbean. Flowers grew up watching her mother and aunt enjoy tamarind candies while she sipped on tamarind juice, so it's also a personal ingredient for her.

The award-wearing bartender calls her tamarind mocktail a Tambran Caye in honor of the small collection of islands off the coast of Belize.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces of tamarind syrup
• 1 ounce of pineapple juice
• ½ an ounce of fresh lime juice
• 4 ounces of club soda

If you can't find tamarind syrup at the store, look for a can of tamarind pulp (Goya sells one).

Method

1. Make the tamarind syrup by combining an equal amount of tamarind pulp and cane sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Once cooled, add 1 ½ ounces of the tamarind syrup to the pineapple and lime juices in a cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Shake until the tin frosts over, and then attach the strainer to the opening.
4. Pour the mixture into a Collins glass and top it with the club soda, ice, and a lime wedge.

Liven up a party with a sparkling nonalcoholic punch

Marie Amelie Fabre, head bartender at Punch Room Barcelona, loves nonalcoholic twists on classic drinks like Negronis, martinis, and punches.

She has her own take on a Garibaldi punch, which she calls Il Risorgimento punch.

It's a tribute to her Italian grandmother, who served her sparkling water with fruits as a child. However, the spiced punch also holds some local significance in her region of Catalonia since Barcelona is a major port city connected to ancient spice-trade routes.

Ingredients

• Nonalcoholic red vermouth (like Martini Vibrante)
• Orange juice
• Grapefruit sherbet
• Soda water

The quantities of each ingredient depend on how many people you're serving, but you can play around with ratios until you find something you like.

Method

1. Combine the Martini Vibrante, orange juice, and grapefruit sherbet.
2. Add ice and shake well to chill.
3. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice before topping it with soda water and stirring gently.
4. Garnish with an orange slice or a twist of grapefruit peel.

Some mocktails may even have added health benefits

Bina Nuraga, the beverage R&D manager at Desa Potato Head in Indonesia, likes to honor the long-standing cultural and holistic traditions around low-to-no-alcohol beverages.

"Jamu is a traditional Indonesian herbal drink made from roots and spices like turmeric, ginger, and galangal," Nuraga said.

At its base, the drink can be as simple as turmeric and water, but there are ways to add more medicinal herbs and flair. The bartender's take on the beverage called a Jamu Sling, pays tribute to his childhood in Bali.

He grew up drinking lolo (a Balinese version of jamu), which his mother mixed with things like cemcem leaves and tamarind for a before-school drink or cinnamon, water, and salt to aid with stomach aches.

Ingredients

• 15 milliliters of jamu
• 60 milliliters of coconut water
• 10 milliliters of coconut nectar
• 50 milliliters of tonic water

There are a number of places to buy jamu in the US, including DJAMU, an Indonesian-owned business based in NYC that ships nationally. Alternatively, you can make your own with things like turmeric, ginger, tamarind, lemon, honey, and water.

Method

1. Shake the jamu, coconut water, and coconut nectar together.
2. Top the mixture off with tonic water.
3. Serve in a wine glass with a garnish of edible flowers or cinnamon sticks.

• I've been going to Disney parks for years, but I visited a Universal theme park for the first time.
• Universal Studios Hollywood had great character interactions and incredible ride-skipping passes.
• However, I felt disappointed by some food, prices, and attractions I think Disney parks do better.

I first went to Disney World when I was 2 years old, and it's been a favorite destination ever since.

Now, as the editorial director of two print magazines dedicated to Disney World and Disneyland, I visit the parks for about four weeks every year.

Although I'm a die-hard Disney fan, I also just really love theme parks. Kings Island, Cedar Point, and Six Flags are great — but, somehow, I'd never set foot inside a Universal park until recently.

While on a trip to Los Angeles, my friends, husband, and I spent two days at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Here's how it went and how I felt Universal compared to Disney.

Universal had cool themed restaurants, but I found I preferred Disney's food options

When it came to food, Universal let me down a little bit.

We ordered food from Toadstool Cafe, Hog's Head Pub, and multiple restaurants in the Simpson area — and I found a lot of it felt overpriced and a bit lackluster.

For example, the decent fish and chips at Hog's Head cost me $19. I'd much rather grab a tastier fish-and-chips platter for just $13.50 while walking around Disney's Epcot World Showcase.

Although the restaurants and dishes we tried had excellent theming, the only food we really enjoyed was the giant pink doughnut with sprinkles from Lard Lad Donuts.

In this category, I felt Universal was overshadowed by Disney parks, which are great for foodies with fantastic sit-down restaurants, creative snacks, and festivals throughout the year that celebrate food.

In general, I felt some of Universal's prices were a bit high.

Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland have comparable ticket prices that both start at just over $100 a day.

However, Universal felt more expensive than even nearby Disneyland. Although neither park is cheap, I found myself quickly blowing through my budget at Universal.

For example, the interactive wristbands for Universal's Super Nintendo World — which are considered essential to truly experience the land — felt expensive at over $42 each.

Worse, some of the wristband-related technology didn't seem to be working correctly both times I rode the Mario Kart ride. My group also encountered tech issues with a few games around the land.

Disney isn't perfect, either, and I know issues and glitches can happen with any attraction, but I still felt let down, especially because I'd paid so much for my wristband.

The band felt especially pricey compared to Disney's MagicBand+, which starts at $35. These bands allow visitors to interact with special elements throughout all Disney parks — not just one land — and aren't essential to fully enjoying a visit.

There are too many screen-based attractions at Universal for my liking.

Friends had warned me that Universal was packed with screen-based rides and that my husband, who gets severe motion sickness, would have little to do.

They were right. Of Universal Studios Hollywood's 13 attractions, roughly half rely heavily on screens. Even the World-Famous Studio Tour inserts screens into a few portions of the experience.

Although I absolutely loved some of these attractions, I wish there had been more variety.

Disneyland also has screen rides, but the park is also packed with coasters, dark rides, and more traditional screen-free attractions, like carousels, Ferris wheels, and trains.

I was disappointed by Universal's lack of parades, but the park had great character experiences.

Although Universal had some performances and shows on offer, I was sad not to find a single parade during my visit. At Disney parks, there are usually multiple parades each day.

However, I must give Universal kudos for its random character encounters. I felt like I experienced more here than I usually do at Disney.

I especially loved the raptor encounter in the Jurassic Park area, where guests interact with a giant dinosaur accompanied by a cast member who teaches them about the creature.

I also liked the wand experience at Universal, which felt accessible and fun.

Another highlight of visiting Universal was going to the Ollivanders wand experience at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Although the interactive show is short, it's free for all guests, and no appointment is required.

You have to pay if you want to purchase a wand (and they're expensive at $65 a pop), but the actual wand-selecting experience is cool in its own right.

It kind of reminded me of the lightsaber-building experience at Savi's Workshop at Disney. Although the experience is more immersive and includes a saber, it also requires a $250 reservation — and you can't simply watch the process for free.

In my opinion, Universal has a better security experience.

Disneyland's security process makes me feel fairly safe, but Universal Studios Hollywood's felt like it was on a whole other level.

The bag and body scanners at the entrance reminded me of what I might find at the TSA at an airport.

Although Universal's process felt more thorough, it was also faster. We spent less time going through security here than we usually do at Disney.

Universal's Express Pass is an incredible value — especially compared to line-skipping options at Disney parks.

When it comes to add-on line-skipping services, Universal's blows Disney's out of the park.

Universal's Express Pass is expensive but absolutely worth the cost. They vary in price but start as low as $199, which includes the cost of admission to the park.

With our passes, we were able to ride everything in the park without waiting for even a second — seriously, we walked right onto each attraction — and we didn't have to plan our day around specific entry times.

On the other hand, Disney's comparable skip-the-line program, Lighting Lane, is expensive and has multiple tiers that can be confusing to navigate.

The most expensive option, the Premier Pass, starts at about $300 per person per day at Disneyland, which doesn't even include park admission.

Although there are cheaper options for the skip-the-line service at Disney, I don't find they're of great value: You'll still wait in several lines and probably spend the day on your phone trying to plan your next steps while inefficiently walking around the park.

I had fun, but I wasn't completely sold on Universal by the time I'd left.

There are things I love about Universal, and being immersed in two of my favorite franchises (Mario and Harry Potter) was a dream come true.

However, Disney parks feel even more immersive — and two days at Universal was more than enough time for me.

In my opinion, nearby Disneyland is an overall better value than Universal Studios Hollywood, especially when looking at food choices and the variety of attractions.

Still, I look forward to someday checking out Universal Studios Orlando as it's much bigger, and I've heard it's even better than the Hollywood park.

Until then, though, I'll get my magic at Disney.

• President Donald Trump has threatened to scrap the emergency agency FEMA.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with responding to disasters across the US.
• Trump's comments came during a national disaster recovery tour that saw him visit Los Angeles and North Carolina.

President Donald Trump threatened to scrap the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a visit to North Carolina on Friday.

During a press briefing, Trump said he would sign an executive order that would "begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA" or "maybe getting rid of" the agency entirely.

"FEMA has been a very big disappointment," Trump said, adding that the agency — which employs more than 20,000 people across the US — was "very bureaucratic," "very slow," and "cost a tremendous amount of money."

"Other than that we're very happy with them," Trump joked, reiterating that he believed states should be in charge of managing disasters.

After Hurricane Helene hit the US in late September, FEMA received both criticism and praise for its work.

Trump was speaking in Fletcher, North Carolina, as part of a national disaster recovery tour that later saw him visit areas affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

During his trip to California, Trump met with local leaders and pledged to provide federal disaster relief for people affected by the fires, which ravaged the region earlier this month.

Trump received a warm welcome from California Gov. Gavin Newsom as he touched down in the state, despite a tense relationship between the pair in recent weeks.

They appeared to set aside their differences as Trump said he wanted to work together on the recovery.

Trump had previously threatened to withhold federal funds for recovery.

The LA fires could be some of the costliest in US history. AccuWeather has estimated the preliminary total damage and economic loss to be between $250 billion and $275 billion.

Early estimates suggested the potential economic losses of Hurricane Helene could be more than $50 billion.

• Elon Musk has become a key advisor to President Donald Trump as a government efficiency tsar.
• Trump has moved to cut subsidies for EVs, which the Tesla CEO has embraced.
• Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said Musk's relationship with Trump could benefit the EV industry.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told Business Insider that Elon Musk's close proximity to President Donald Trump could benefit the electric vehicle industry.

"Tesla is the largest EV manufacturer in the United States. All that said, it's good that there's somebody who understands the electric vehicle space and technology and importance so well that's close to President Trump," Scaringe said of Musk. "I don't think that's a bad thing."

Musk has become a key advisor to Trump, leading the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut federal spending and regulations. The Tesla CEO has also made policy suggestions on his social media platform.

In a July X post, Musk called for the end of government subsidies for "all industries." That same month, Musk said during an earnings call that doing so would "be devastating for our competitors and for Tesla slightly" but would help his company in the long run.

Musk and a White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump on Monday signed an executive order calling for the removal of incentives for EV purchases. Scaringe said the EV industry would be fine without them.

The President previously attacked EVs, once calling them "too expensive" and discouraging people from buying them because of their range. His rhetoric around electric cars, however, softened after Musk's endorsement.

"I'm for electric cars," Trump said at a rally in Atlanta. "I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly."

Scaringe said he doesn't think Trump is "anti-EV." Instead, Trump "just wants to allow consumers to choose," he said.

The Rivian CEO is also confident that Trump would see EV companies like his as a net positive to the US, especially considering its race to electrification against China.

Days before Trump's inauguration, Rivian closed on a $6.57 billion loan from the Department of Energy. The money will go into a new manufacturing facility in Georgia and add 7,500 jobs through 2030, the DOE said in a press release.

"I think some of this discussion forgets the fact that, when we talk about EVs and new technology, those jobs that are created in the United States are often in politically more Republican areas," Scaringe said. "And I think the US needs it. Trump — he 's a businessman. And so he's going to look at this and say, 'We need these businesses to be successful.'"

Tesla benefited greatly from Trump's electoral victory in November.

Following Trump's win, Tesla's stock surged 27% and pushed the company to a trillion-dollar market valuation. As a result, Musk's wealth on paper ballooned to more than $400 billion by December.

• I received several rejections and referrals from colleges, including my dream school.
• I'm trying not to attach any meaning to my rejections, but I still feel like a failure.
• I'm trying to convince myself that who I become is more important than where I go to school.

Just a few months ago, I submitted my college applications to several schools, taking the early action route.

Recently, those decisions came in, and, unfortunately, my rejections and deferrals started piling up. Of the more than half a dozen schools I've heard back from, I have far more deferrals or outright rejections than acceptances.

I unfortunately was rejected from my dream school. Some schools I hoped (and believed) were my safety schools differed me. Those deferrals give me no greater insight into my academic fate; they just leave me on edge until final decisions are announced in April.

The sting of each rejection made it harder to believe that my worth was not tied to these decisions.

There's so much pressure to get into a top university

The narrative that success equals attending a "top" university often pushes my close friends and me to sacrifice our well-being for a résumé boost. All-nighters, overcommitment to extracurriculars, and constant comparison with peers have become normalized.

This isn't just stressful; it's damaging. The constant obsession with where I end up can overshadow the more important question: Who do I want to become? What do I want to achieve — both in college and for the rest of my life?

Each of us will decide the outcome of our next four years. But still, nobody is asking me, "How would you, Sarah, define personal success?"

Instead, the questions are about what university name will be emblazoned on the sweatshirt available for purchase in the campus bookstore.

It doesn't matter that some of the most successful people didn't follow a traditional path. Oprah Winfrey attended Tennessee State University, and Steve Jobs dropped out of Reed College. But I'm not either of them, and I still have to prove myself a person of worth in the grown-up world.

I can't help feeling like a failure right now

I can't scroll through Instagram or TikTok without seeing videos of students opening their acceptance letters from Ivy League schools or hearing people boast about their 4.0 + GPAs and extracurriculars. Comparison feels inevitable.

It doesn't help that college has come to symbolize so much more than just education. To many students, it represents validation — proof that all our hard work was worth it. It's a ticket to a secure future.

When rejection arrives instead, it's hard not to feel as though we've failed — not just academically, but as individuals. After all, colleges claim they're looking for "the whole person," not just grades. What does it say about me if the whole person I've spent years becoming wasn't enough?

I'm now trying to move forward

As I sit with my rejections and try to process what they mean, I'm learning to separate my self-worth from external validation. It's not easy, and it's a lesson I suspect I'll be relearning throughout my life. But I'm also trying to focus on the bigger picture.

My worth isn't determined by where I go to college. It's determined by how I show up in the world, how I treat others, how I pursue my passions, and how I respond to challenges like this one.

As I send out applications for the regular decision round, I'm trying to approach the process with a different mindset. I'm focusing on finding schools that align with my values and goals rather than chasing prestige. I'm reminding myself that rejection is not a reflection of my worth or potential. And I'm holding onto the hope that wherever I end up, I will make the most of it.

• Trump and others have floated sending US special operations forces to Mexico to combat cartels.
• Experts told Business Insider that intervention in Mexico could create instability.
• SOF missions like foreign internal defense could be prudent, but only to augment nonmilitary approaches.

Trump world is kicking around the idea of sending special operations forces into Mexico to combat drug cartels. There's a risk these operations could make things worse, experts said.

While designating Mexican cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" on Monday, President Donald Trump was asked by reporters whether he would consider sending US special operations personnel to Mexico.

"Could happen," the president said, noting that "stranger things have happened."

Experts on the cartels and warfare said that sending any military troops into Mexico risks stirring instability, which could then spill over the border into US territory.

"I don't think that the American people have the stomach for what's going to happen if we start messing around down there," a senior active-duty special operator told Business Insider, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

"Just throwing any military mechanism at this problem for the purpose of just killing cartel leaders is not going to change anything," he said. "It's only going to make things worse."

Trump floated the idea of military intervention in Mexico in his first term, but his team now appears to be considering the idea more seriously.

"How much should we invade Mexico?" a transition team member told Rolling Stone in November 2024 for a report on Trump's musings about combating cartels in Mexico. "That is the question."

Trump's new national security advisor, Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, has pushed the idea of using special operators. And Trump's "border czar," Tom Homan, has said that special operations forces could be used to take the cartels out, or "take them off the face of the Earth."

Direct action raids — hard-hitting missions US special operations is known for and which Trump appears inclined to pursue — on Mexican soil would bring disastrous consequences, especially if conducted without an invitation from Mexico, the operator and other experts BI spoke with warned. But other, less kinetic missions, like training foreign troops or improving foreign internal defense, could prove worthwhile, they said.

Such missions have long been the bread and butter of forces like the Army's Green Berets. With Trump's formal designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, those kinds of missions could augment other government efforts to more effectively stem the flow of drugs into the US, sources told BI.

An idea that keeps coming up

The idea of using special operators to combat cartels in Mexico has gained traction among leading Republicans, particularly military veterans. Before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former naval officer, ended his bid for the White House, he told CNN that if elected president, he would deploy US special operations forces into Mexico "on day one."

In 2023, Waltz, then a congressional representative from Florida, and Dan Crenshaw, a Texas congressman and former Navy SEAL, introduced new Authorization of Military Force legislation aimed at Mexican cartels. Such legislation is notably not often quickly reversed — both of the AUMFs that allowed the Global War on Terror to balloon in scope are still in place.

Wanting to send special operations forces into Mexico is understandable, said Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations. Other measures have failed to curb the flow of drugs into the US, though some of the efforts at home appear to be working, as deaths from fentanyl overdoses are finally on the decline.

But special operations is much smaller than conventional military forces, he said, and isn't designed to solve every problem that might warrant military intervention.

"Despite the public imagination, SOF is not on a regular basis engaged in the kinds of operations that people often imagine, that are depicted in Hollywood," Hoffman said.

"They're engaged in less glamorous things like training indigenous forces, gathering intelligence, psychological operations, [and] civil affairs," he said.

Bolstering Mexico's internal defenses could be a worthwhile endeavor, the active-duty special operator told BI, but prioritizing military intervention over non-violent approaches, like empowering the State and Treasury departments to apply pressure on the financial institutions used by cartels, would be foolhardy.

The dangers of getting it wrong

Violence against cartels could trigger a humanitarian crisis and spur more immigration to the US, said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a professor at George Mason University who has extensively studied cartels.

Mexican civilians caught in the crossfire would likely flee communities, which could create a refugee crisis, she said. "They are going to apply for asylum in a desperate situation," she said, calling the idea of immediate military intervention illogical.

It's not as simple as killing top leaders either. Complicating the grip cartels have on Mexican society is their seemingly infinite complexity, she said.

"We're not talking about businesses that operate vertically, like El Chapo and El Mayo, and all these guys that provide orders to everyone," she said, referring to two infamous drug kingpins. Most cartels operate with less centralized command structures and are splintered into smaller cells. Some of these focus on drug movements and production, while others focus on kidnapping, extortion, and human smuggling.

If the goal is to limit the reach of the cartels and the violence and the destruction that comes with them, "you are going to get the exact opposite effect" if you start killing leaders, said Carolyn Gallaher, a professor at American University who studies cartels, in an interview with BI.

Top leaders can be easily replaced by others zealously vying for power, creating an even more complex battlefield for American troops and Mexican civilians.

"When you start fighting an army that is not behaving like a regular military, you are basically in the middle of civilian life," Gallaher said. "And you don't have an accurate way to differentiate between civilian and soldier."

Doug Livermore, vice president of the Special Operations Association of America and a senior Green Beret officer in the National Guard who has written about narcoterrorism, said special operations is just one tool in the vast US government toolbox, and can't be the main effort.

"A military approach by itself will not be sufficient. It will not solve the problem," Livermore told BI.

He suggested a broader approach involving US special operations-provided intelligence or efforts to bolster internal security. However, Livermore said rampant corruption in Mexico's government agencies could complicate these efforts.

He also recommended a closer examination and targeting of China's role in the US drug crisis, pointing to the supply of chemical and financial support to cartels.

It's unclear what endstates the Trump administration desires to achieve to define success, said the SOF operator. Lacking such parameters could lead to another quagmire. It seems likely, however, that any effective operation to dismantle them will take years, he said.

"It's not done in a short amount of time; it takes consistent effort and partnership," the operator said. "It's going to take a generation or two; it's not going to be done in four years."

• Wildfires have devastated California in early 2025, and climate change may be to blame.
• Real-estate analyst Ivy Zelman warned of rising property insurance costs last summer.
• Here are five other states that homeowners could flee as climate risk rises.

Six months ago, Ivy Zelman made a bold, unpopular call, as she's done throughout her career.

The venerated real-estate analyst and founder of research firm Zelman & Associates said there was a looming threat to property values that only a few of her counterparts were talking about.

Climate change, which some have dismissed as merely a boogeyman, would become an increasingly big headache for homeowners, Zelman had told Business Insider. Her thesis was that rising global temperatures, which are correlated with natural disasters like floods and fires, would cause home insurance prices to soar over time, which would weigh on property values.

Those who agree with this thinking, like analyst David Burt of "The Big Short" fame, warned that this dynamic could cause property prices in certain markets to fall up to 60% in extreme cases.

Though they'd love to be proven wrong, Zelman and Burt seem to be onto something.

Devastating wildfires have ravaged California in January, killing dozens and displacing thousands, and scientists say climate change is partially to blame. This could go down as the costliest natural disaster in US history. And those whose homes haven't gone up in smoke may face exorbitant insurance cost increases — assuming insurers are willing to cover them at all.

In a recent interview, Zelman refused to take a victory lap but is still concerned about this trend.

"I never want to be someone to say, 'Oh, I was right,'" she told Business Insider. "I just think we all have to be realistic. How many times — it's the definition of insanity — how many times are people going to be evacuated, and then, 'Wow, we were lucky our house didn't burn down,' and they then say, 'OK, well, let's just go back home, and we're OK.'"

Zelman continued: "I think it's got to [get] some people to rethink whether they want to keep doing this."

The California exodus could continue due to high insurance prices, climate risks

California had the second-largest outbound moving rate among US states last year, according to data from Atlas Van Lines, and Zelman thinks that could only accelerate after the fire crisis.

"Bigger picture, does the state of California have more outbound migration because people are concerned about getting their home insured?" Zelman asked rhetorically.

Insurance companies are reconsidering whether homes in high-risk markets are worth insuring. If the risks of insuring a home against fires, earthquakes, and floods outweigh what they can charge, they may decide it's not profitable to stay in markets like California.

"It's very preliminary, but the insurance industry is in complete turmoil," Zelman said. "And part of that has been driven by the commissioners not allowing premiums to rise fast enough to accommodate the risk."

If insurance costs surge by thousands of dollars per year to account for climate risk, prospective homebuyers could take note and make lower offers, driving prices down over time, as Burt pointed out. And that assumes buyers are still comfortable with living in California long term.

"One gentleman friend, who we've been friends with forever, reached out and said, 'I was near the evacuation site, but I fortunately didn't have to evacuate. But I'm actually wondering, should I just sell and get the hell out of here? I'm worried about home values going down,'" Zelman said.

In the near term, Zelman said California homeowners like her friend shouldn't fret. Ironically, she said property values could surge in the next year since tons of home supply just got wiped out.

But in the coming years, Zelman suspects that buyers will gravitate toward cities that may be warm but have less risk of natural disasters, like Phoenix or Las Vegas. And those looking to get distance from Los Angeles but stay nearby could go south to Newport Beach or Orange County.

5 states that could have long-term climate risk

California isn't the only state with housing markets at risk from natural disasters that may be influenced, at least in part, by climate change.

Property values could also come under pressure in a handful of Sun Belt states, Zelman said. Elevated risks of hurricanes and uncomfortably high temperatures could eventually reduce demand for homes in the region that Zelman's colleagues had jokingly called the "Sun Melt."

Although the Sun Belt was home to some of the hottest housing markets last year, Zelman noted that existing home listings have risen rapidly in Florida and Texas, and to a lesser extent in North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. Those states each saw neutral to positive net migration flows in 2024, and new-home construction rates suggest that they're still in demand. In fact, the South is the only US region that has more inventory now than before the pandemic.

However, rising rates of homeowners looking to move could be an ominous sign. If there was a major uptick in existing listings, Zelman said it could put prices under pressure. At the very least, she thinks owners in those states should keep an eye on this trend in the coming years.

"The reason why home prices are under pressure is because there's more competition, whether it be builders opening more communities, or we have existing home sellers that are trying to move inventory," Zelman said. "I think that suggests that there is going to be more a need for people to either reduce their asking price or for builders to provide incentives."

Lower home prices may seem like a blessing for buyers who've been frozen out of what was the least affordable housing market in four decades, Zelman & Associates found.

But new buyers could get stuck with declining long-term home equity values unless the factors spooking homeowners and affecting prices, including climate-related headaches, don't go away.

"I don't anticipate that '25 is going to really be the only year that we're going to see pressure in these markets," Zelman said. "Maybe the pressure abates. But I think that it could be where I would tell a Business Insider reader, 'Well, if you buy in '25, it could go lower in '26.'"

Those looking to move may want to consider the more affordable Midwest region, Zelman said, reiterating a point that the Cleveland resident made last summer.

• I'm the mother to three daughters, and all of them aren't having children anytime soon.
• I'm devastated that I might never get to be a grandmother.
• After struggling to get pregnant for years, I can't wrap my head around their decision.

Let's face it: Not everyone is cut out to be a parent.

As a mother to three adult daughters, I'll be the first to tell you motherhood is no walk in the park. I always wanted to be a mother, but it wasn't easy to get pregnant. Once I finally did, there were even more hardships ahead as I raised my three girls.

So, I understand why some people decide not to have children, especially biological ones.

But when all three of my kids said they don't plan on prioritizing being parents, I was devastated that I wouldn't be a grandparent anytime soon.

My daughters all say having biological children is not a priority right now

One of my children said she didn't plan to have biological children. She hasn't ruled out becoming a mom altogether, but after seeing how many foster kids end up in group homes because of a lack of families willing to host them, she realized that adopting an older child would be the right choice. So, I'll be getting no tiny bundles from her.

Another child is undecided. She'd like to become a mom someday and is considering perhaps one pregnancy, but, like her sister, she believes adoption is her best course to parenthood. However, as an LGBTQ+ person, she also recognizes that motherhood — whether through a biological child, adoption, or a combination of the two — could be out of reach due to expense and possible discrimination.

That leaves me with one child who seems content, at least at this stage, to pursue having a family "the old-fashioned way eventually." She and her significant other, however, have a long way to go before kids are even glimmers in their respective eyes. They're pursuing careers in highly competitive fields, which won't allow time to grow a family for several of their most fertile years.

My children are far from alone. According to the CDC, the US birth rate has decreased by 2% annually over the last decade, reaching a historic low in 2023. According to the Pew Research Center, a majority of adults under the age of 50 who don't have kids cite a major reason as "they just don't want to."

My experience with becoming a mother is affecting my emotions

Each of my kids thought this through and arrived at the right decision for them. So, I had to take a step back and ponder why I, the person known for always being supportive of individual choices, had such a sorrowful reaction to my own kids' decisions on this topic. After all, at least one of them hopes to have kids, and the other two might end up with them one way or another.

I quickly realized it might have something to do with my own fraught path to parenthood. I struggled for almost five years through multiple cycles of fertility drugs, two devastating miscarriages, and eventually in-vitro fertilization (IVF) before I finally gave birth to these three little people who infused my life with meaning.

Desperate to become a mom, I basically subjected myself to medical torture to achieve it, so my own children feeling so differently about the prospect is hard to wrap my brain around.

I'm learning to accept and support my daughters' decisions

Ask any grammy or grandad, and they'll tell you the payoff for the hard work of raising those helpless humans into productive citizens is the gift of grandparenthood. The thought of possibly never receiving this well-deserved prize makes me feel rather sorry for myself.

However, I realize my children don't owe me anything, and honestly, the joys of watching them grow into the amazing young women they've become have truly been the greatest gift of all.

So, while I may be privately nursing my wounded soul over my "lost" grandchildren, I know I'll also find the strength to support my kids' very personal decisions.

• I get unlimited Priority Pass airport lounge access through my credit card for $550 a year.
• I worry about overcrowding as people look to banks for more easily accessible lounge access.
• Chase is still the best bang for my buck, as chasing airline status is too difficult and expensive.

As a frequent flyer who isn't loyal to any one airline — I typically just book the cheapest economy ticket — I've focused on making my airport experience as enjoyable as possible.

The best investment I've made to that end is getting Priority Pass airport lounge access through my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.

The card costs me $550 a year and gives me unlimited visits to more than 1,700 airport lounges worldwide. American Express and Capital One also offer access to the network through their respective credit cards.

I've used the pass dozens of times a year in more than 20 countries since 2018. I always enjoy free food and drinks — alcohol included — and many have access to showers and private spaces to work or relax away from the busy airport terminal.

Some even have sleep pods and spas, like the airport transit lounge at Singapore's Changi Airport. The one in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has a pool.

Priority Pass has some downsides

Some lounges have lackluster amenities, others are restricted due to crowds, and a handful of major US airports don't have Priority Pass options at all.

Christopher Evans, the CEO of Collinson International, which owns Priority Pass, told Business Insider that many people don't want to give up the perk, and the company is constantly investing in the customer experience to make it worthwhile.

"We've surveyed people asking if you lost your lounge access benefit, what would happen?" he said. "94% of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region said they were likely to change card provider. That was 62% in the Americas."

While my biggest worry is capacity and lounges cutting some access, I think Priority Pass — even with the crowds — is easily worth the hefty annual fee for frequent travelers.

Waitlists and reserved spots to tackle overcrowding

I've been increasingly concerned about Priority Pass crowds — especially as airlines make it more difficult to access their own lounges.

In 2023, Delta Air Lines changed who could access their SkyClubs and made earning status based on dollars spent instead of miles flown. British Airways recently followed suit with its own sweep of changes.

As a result, Evans said people who can no longer reach the upper echelons of airline loyalty are looking at memberships like Priority Pass as an alternative.

I've noticed the increased crowds in the US and some European airports, which were already on the rise amid the post-COVID travel boom. I've found myself on waitlists that reach up to an hour or fighting for a seat with a power outlet available.

Meanwhile, airline lounges like Lufthansa and Air France at New York-JFK, both of which are in the Priority Pass network, limit access to those using Priority Pass due to capacity.

Evans said Priority Pass has seen a spike in the number of people accessing its network and is working to address the demand by establishing waitlists, adding new lounges, creating a "pre-book" reservation system, and other app improvements.

"We have millions of visits a month in our program, two visits a second now, I think, or we're getting close," he said.

Pre-book guarantees access for a fee, with another 110 lounges soon getting the option, a spokesperson told BI.

"We'll be starting to roll out the ability to highlight to customers which lounges are likely to be busier and at which times a day," he said. "So, pre-warning people by enhancing a digital journey to then improve the physical experience when you get there."

New and improved lounges will further increase Priority Pass' value

Evans said Priority Pass has added about 200 lounges to its network in 2024 to provide more choice and a better overall experience.

I personally hope places like Newark, Denver, and Philadelphia airports see future options, as none have a proper Priority Pass lounge.

I actually try to avoid flying out of New Jersey's Newark airport — the alternative to my local New York City airports — for this reason.

Philadelphia, however, is soon getting a Chase-branded lounge as the bank expands its airport network. Reserve card members have access.

New York-JFK, LaGuardia, San Diego, Boston, Hong Kong, and Phoenix airports each also have one, and more are coming to airports like Las Vegas.

Chase is taking on competitors American Express and Capital One as banks race to take advantage of the growing interest in credit card-branded airport lounges. Amex's Centurion network is the largest of the three.

I have considered adding the Amex Platinum card to have Centurion in places without Priority Pass, like Denver (and Newark, come 2026).

But the card would add another $695 a year (at the time of publication), and I am happy with the value I get from my Chase Reserve card for now.

It's hands-down easier and more affordable than chasing expensive airline status.

• Ukraine says it will give its armed forces an additional $60 million a month to procure new drones.
• The funds will be distributed among combat units, the Ukrainian defense ministry said.
• The move is designed to allow brigades to purchase the equipment they need directly.

Ukraine's defense ministry has announced that its armed forces will get an additional UAH 2.5 billion (almost $60 million) a month to procure new drones.

The funds will be distributed among military combat units and will allow brigades to buy the equipment they need directly, rather than having to rely on centralized acquisition efforts.

The initiative builds on a prior allocation of UAH 2.1 billion (around $50 million) in December, the ministry said.

"We have analyzed this experience and decided to scale up the initiative," Ukrainian defense minister Rustem Umerov said in a statement.

"Commanders of the units will have the flexibility to use these funds to acquire the drones that are the most effective for carrying out mission requirements at the front," he continued. "This marks another step towards building a highly flexible system to ensure the military has everything necessary for Ukraine's defense."

In December, Umerov announced that commanders would now be able to purchase drones "without unnecessary bureaucratic approvals from the General Staff and other military authorities."

Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) has been leading Kyiv's centralized drone procurement efforts.

In August, the agency said it had so far spent 30 billion UAH (around $717 million) acquiring drones in 2024. It had signed contracts for more than 350,000 drones so far in the year, it added.

Dmytro Klimenkov, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, said at the time that such efforts were "aligned with the strategic objective of the President of Ukraine to supply our military with UAVs."

He added that 95% of the drones they had purchased were made in Ukraine, which he said showed "notable progress in enhancing national defense technologies and validates the high quality of domestic products."

The war in Ukraine has acted as a kind of incubator for drone innovation.

Uncrewed systems have dominated the battlefield, wreaking havoc in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

The conflict has seen drones deployed against warships and tanks, used for reconnaissance, and as support for medical evacuations.

The rising demand for such technologies has led Kyiv to issue increasingly ambitious production goals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that Ukraine wanted to produce "a record number of drones" this year.

In early December, the Ukrainian defense ministry said it had supplied more than 1.2 million uncrewed aerial vehicles to the country's armed forces in 2024.

Zelenskyy said in October that Ukraine was capable of manufacturing up to 4 million drones a year.

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

Welcome back to our Saturday edition! One luxury travel planner, who crafts itineraries for her clients, forgot her own golden rules when booking her family's 12-day trip through Europe. Here are her must-dos to avoid travel snafus.

On the agenda:

• Everyone is talking about ranches right now. Here's why.
• Americans who use cheap weight-loss drugs are about to face a harsh new normal.
• Inside Jackson's Hole's ultra-exclusive golf club Shooting Star.
• A Texas local went to four Michelin-starred barbecue joints. One restaurant ended up being her favorite.

But first: Hi, awards season.

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

This week's dispatch

Lights, Camera, Awards

As the saying goes, the show must go on. Even with a city reeling from the devastating aftermath of wildfires, Los Angeles is taking center stage with awards season officially in full swing.

For the average fan, it's a good time to escape the news from the boardroom or the White House and reflect on the projects that made us laugh, cry, or feel our feelings — whatever they may be.

For Hollywood, the implications are much larger. The economic impact of hosting several awards shows is a huge financial boon to the region. And while estimates are hard to quantify, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos wrote that events like these are "a hugely important source of income for a vast network of professionals" in California.

While the Golden Globes came and went with a splash, LA is now preparing for the Grammys. On February 2, comedian Trevor Noah will return to host music's biggest night from inside LA's Crypto.com Arena. BI's music team says it'll be a big year for Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, and Kendrick Lamar.

"All eyes will be on Beyoncé, who's already the most-awarded artist in the show's history — but hoping to win album of the year for the first time in her career with the country-inspired opus 'Cowboy Carter,'" senior music reporter Callie Ahlgrim told me.

"Meanwhile, expect Kendrick Lamar to sweep the rap categories with 'Not Like Us' and Chappell Roan to win big in general-field races like best new artist and record of the year, thanks to her massive breakout hit 'Good Luck Babe!'" she added.

The Oscars cap off awards season. The nominations were announced earlier this week, and "Emilia Pérez," "Wicked," and "The Brutalist" were the most recognized. Still, until March 2, it can be anybody's trophy.

BI's entertainment correspondent Jason Guerrasio said it may be a big night for an iconic movie star. "For the first time in years, Oscars night is wide open," Guerrasio said, "but I think when the dust settles, 'Wicked' and Demi Moore will be walking away with hardware."

Home sweet ranch

Beyoncé released "Cowboy Carter," "Yellowstone" pulled 11.4 million viewers, and Western-inspired fashion trends are on runways. Our love affair with cowboy culture seems to be back in full swing.

The cowboy craze has also extended to the real-estate market, with ranches seeing more demand, brokers told BI. While owning a ranch comes with its own challenges, they offer something for everyone — from living off the land to enjoying more privacy.

Why people are loving ranches right now.

So long, faux-zempic

GLP-1 drugs are at the center of a weight-loss revolution. For some Americans, the Ozempic gold rush helped deliver a weight-loss solution into their hands.

The drugs became so popular that manufacturers started running out. When the FDA added GLP-1s to its shortage list, it allowed drug compounders to get in on the action — making cheaper, knock-off versions more accessible to patients. Now that supply has caught up to demand, and the FDA is poised to declare the shortage over.

It's going to get a lot harder to get knock-off Ozempic.

Bet on the Shooting Star

Shooting Star in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has been ranked a top golf course in the US. Still, few get to see it — membership requires an invitation, and there's a long waitlist.

BI's Joey Hadden went inside the 1,300-acre property and toured the clubhouse, 18-hole course, barn, and residences. It oozed Western charm, and its natural beauty made it look like a painting.

Take a peek.

Michelin-starred BBQ

When it comes to barbecue, Texas might rank supreme. Barbecue restaurants in Texas feel as abundant as Starbucks locations.

It's no wonder why the Michelin Guide awarded stars to four barbecue spots when it expanded to Texas in 2024. A local visited La Barbecue, Interstellar BBQ, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, and Corkscrew BBQ to see if they lived up to the hype.

One ended up being her favorite.

What we're watching this weekend

• "The Night Agent": Netflix's popular political thriller series is back for season two, focusing on Peter Sutherland's new job as a night agent.
• "Gladiator II": Ridley Scott's epic sequel to the 2000 movie "Gladiator" is streaming on Paramount+ following a theatrical release.
• "Blink Twice": Channing Tatum plays a sinister tech billionaire named Slater King in Zoë Kravitz's 2024 directorial debut. The psychological thriller is now streaming on Prime Video.

See the full list

What to shop

• Affordable loungewear: We love Spanx's AirEssentials sets, so we had to test this affordable alternative from Amazon that went viral on social media. The Amazon bestseller had us impressed with its luxe feel and comfortable fit.
• For the dog parents: No toy is truly indestructible, but these come pretty close. We submitted these products to our dogs' strong jaws, plus forks, knives, and dishwashers, to find the best dog toys for aggressive chewers.
• Underwear that won't let you down: Boxer briefs should offer ample support, coverage, and comfort — but not all are created equal. That's why we've spent years testing the best boxer briefs for men.

More of this week's top reads:

• I've been a chef for over 10 years. Here are 10 tips for making foods everyone should know how to cook.
• A busy nutritionist said avoiding ultra-processed foods is easier if he makes his own bread and cereal. Here are his simple recipes.
• I booked a dreamy 2-week vacation in Bali. I was so disappointed that I ditched my original itinerary after just 3 days.
• Peter Kafka: A Trump movie that Trump hates is going to get a lot more attention, courtesy of the Oscars.
• Whole Foods founder John Mackey said his Apple Watch helped him quit drinking.
• I took my kids to Venice for the first time. Our trip would've been better if we'd avoided these 5 mistakes.
• How malls became cool again.
• Instagram made a change that might reveal your embarrassing habits — or not.
• I live in the northernmost town on Earth, where alcohol is rationed and polar bears are a common threat.

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