• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday announced retaliatory tariffs against the US.
• Canada will impose a 25% tariff on US goods, some effective Tuesday and others in 3 weeks.
• The tariffs came after Donald Trump implemented 25% tariffs on Canadian goods imported to the US.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday announced retaliatory tariffs against the US in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports, which were implemented earlier in the day.

"Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25% tariffs against 155 billion dollars worth of American goods," Trudeau said during a press conference. "This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 day's time to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives."

Trudeau said the tariffs will apply to everyday items shipped from the US to Canada, including alcohol, fruits, clothing, and shoes, as well as major consumer products like household appliances and furniture, and materials like lumber and plastics.

"And as part of our response, we are considering with the provinces and territories several non-tariff measures, including some relating to critical minerals, energy procurement and other partnerships," Trudeau said.

Canada's retaliatory measures come after Trump made good on an oft-repeated campaign pledge, implementing 25% tariffs on Canadian goods imported to the US in what he described as an effort to curb the fentanyl crisis.

A 2022 report by a congressional commission on combatting synthetic opioids found Canada is not a major source of fentanyl or other synthetic opioids to the United States.

Trudeau, who earlier this month announced his resignation as leader of Canada's Liberal Party, said during the Saturday press conference that he had not spoken to Trump since his inauguration on January 20 but pledged to remain available for negotiations over the countries' trade relations.

"If President Trump wants to usher in a new golden age for the United States, the better path is to partner with Canada, not to punish us," Trudeau said. "Canada has critical minerals, reliable and affordable energy, stable democratic institutions, shared values, and the natural resources you need. Canada has the ingredients necessary to build a booming and secure partnership for the North American economy, and we stand at the ready to work together."

Representatives for the Trump administration and Trudeau's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Late Saturday, in response to Trump's trade moves against the country, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also announced retaliatory 25% tariffs on imported US goods, per Reuters.

BI previously reported economists predict the Chinese government will respond similarly, with retaliatory tariffs, limiting exports of raw materials used for semiconductor production, or other changes to its trade policies to squeeze the US economy.

• Donna Burke, 60, started her teaching career in Perth, Australia, but harbored deeper ambitions.
• She left the profession to follow her dream of being a famous singer and actor.
• Now she's a professional singer — and the voice of Japan's bullet train.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Donna Burke. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I actually got my education at a teacher training college completely for free.

In the 1980s, the Australian government paid for you to attend university if you worked for more than two years. I stayed in a banking job for exactly two years and two days so I could claim free higher education and retrain as a teacher.

My parents didn't encourage my true aspirations — singing and acting — but saw teaching as a safe career on which I could always fall back. I was one of seven children, and we were encouraged to do everything we could to be financially stable. Two of my older sisters also went into teacher training.

I reflect now on whether it was good advice to put my dreams second. Perhaps it was. I later really wanted to move to Japan — where I now live — to work. One of the visa requirements was that you have a university degree. Without following my parents' advice, I'd have been ineligible. But now I get to do something I truly love.

I never thought teaching would be a job for life

I began my teaching career by returning to work at the same school I'd attended as a student. The boys in my class were an absolute nightmare and the girls barely got my attention as I was so busy trying to calm and control the unruly boys. I followed the common advice on winning obedience as a teacher: don't crack a smile before Easter. I was super strict; I had to be.

After that, I moved on to teach older students Religion, English, and Drama at a different high school. It was heaven; I could relax and crack jokes without losing control of the class. They'd barely laugh, though.

I never hoped it'd be a job for life. I wanted to be onstage.

In some ways, teaching is like being onstage; it's like acting. You have to pretend you don't care when you deeply care. You have to stifle laughter, keep a straight face, act really disappointed, or say, " Wow, that's amazing!" knowing that 30 young adults are watching your every move. But they don't want a performer; they want a teacher. I never said it out loud, but in the back of my mind, I knew I was settling.

I moved to Tokyo

After eight years of teaching in Perth, Australia, I saw an ad for a teaching job in Tokyo. At the interview, they said the job involved less teaching and more helping Japanese young people with their English conversation skills. It felt like an opportunity for a role with fewer responsibilities in a new and exciting place.

When I moved to Japan, I soon realized I could make good money being a wedding singer as a side hustle, something I'd started doing in Perth. I was doing up to six weddings a day. It affirmed what I'd always known: teaching isn't my passion; it's not what I was put on the planet for.

In 1997, I left my teaching job in Tokyo and focused on my passion: bringing joy to people through my singing and performing. I also began doing voice-overs for computer games, including Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid.

My voice is on the bullet train

In 2002, I auditioned to be the English-speaking voice on the Japanese bullet train, the Shinkansen, coinciding with Japan's tourist boom of English speakers. I voiced about five routes, including the most famous: Tokyo to Kyoto.

It led to other great jobs, too. I'm also the English voice-over for the earthquake alert system in Japan. So if you're anywhere in the country and a magnitude four earthquake or above happens, your mobile phone will blurt out my voice saying "Earthquake! Earthquake!"

I don't regret any of my decisions. But my motto for life is: if you're not grateful for what you're doing, stop. You want to bring some energy into your work.

I'm glad I didn't wait around for my "big break." When it happened, it wasn't what I'd expected, but the key was I didn't ask anyone's permission. I went out and made things happen myself.

• My adult daughter told me she didn't want to hear my advice anymore, setting a boundary.
• I was impressed with her ability to set boundaries, and she has always been emotionally mature.
• I'm jealous of her ability to do that, but she is an inspiration to me.

"Mom, I'm going to give you an update on my life, but I don't want your advice because I won't take it anyway."

My daughter effortlessly stated her well-articulated boundaries to me as she hopped in the car. I kind of laughed as I eagerly awaited the juicy details of her life as a confident, 21-year-old college student-athlete.

Molly told me all about her friends, the hockey team, and her classes. She disclosed her desire to study abroad and her newfound love of Irish music, and of course, she dished any boy drama (or lack thereof) as always. I listened. We laughed.

At the end of our conversation, her brave boundary-setting request was a success. She made something so hard, like setting a boundary, look and feel so damn easy. That's when I realized I was envious of her.

My daughter often stepped up into the adult role

I often joke that my oldest daughter, Molly, was born an adult. From the moment she was born, she has been teaching me how to be a better person. For most of the years that she's been alive, she has been taking care of me.

At first, I was an active alcoholic who could hardly take care of herself — let alone her children. When I finally did get sober and didn't really know how to live without alcohol, Molly taught me.

She doesn't know it and maybe she wasn't trying to, but she made the things that felt so hard to me look so easy.

When her parents split and life changed from one house to two, she became a second parent to her siblings in both homes; she simply stepped up. Too much has fallen on her shoulders, yet she never wavers.

She is calm in the chaos — always. She is loving and patient — always. She is a leader — our leader — and we lean on her (even though we shouldn't). Molly has always made everything look easy despite the fact that nothing in her life has ever truly been that. For as long as I can remember, I have looked up to her.

Now she's taking steps I am too afraid to take

"I don't want your advice." She said it with a smile, a pep, and well-deserved pride. She didn't say it rudely. I didn't feel rejected or less than, but I did feel jealous.

It wasn't the first time I wished I could be more like Molly, but this time, it was so much more poignant. I wondered: How is it that my daughter has mastered the challenge of setting boundaries and I haven't? How had Molly learned this valuable lesson at such a young age? And how did she execute it so beautifully?

I have been struggling with this my entire life — so much so that I typically sacrifice my own wants and needs to avoid boundaries altogether, and that leads to resentment and anger, and whatever is the opposite of peace.

The jealousy factor pops up a lot these days. Both of my young adult daughters have their lives ahead of them, and I'm at the point in life where I'm starting to look back. When I do, I realize that I have spent so much time being my own worst enemy because I am not comfortable doing what Molly did. I people-please first, avoid discomfort, and fear rejection.

I feel jealous of my daughter, and I don't think that is a bad thing

Jealousy often has a negative connotation, but I know that the word also has roots in the word zēlos, which means zeal. It is associated with words such as emulation, devotion, or ardor. This is what I often feel for Molly — love, devotion, and a desire to emulate her.

She shows me who I want to be — maybe who I wish I had become sooner.

When your kids are little, people always warn you about how quickly they grow up, but no one ever mentions how beautiful it is when that does happen.

When our kids are young, we can be struck by how they want to be just like us, but we don't usually talk about how we might want to be more like them. We don't talk about jealousy, but maybe we should. Maybe parenting adults evokes jealousy — jealousy in the more ancient sense of the term. And maybe this is the gift and beauty of parenting adult children: They show us who we want to be.

• Jefferies CEO Richard Handler addressed the death of 28-year-old associate Carter McIntosh.
• The memo slammed 'unfounded, vitriolic attacks' against the firm in the wake of the death.
• Dallas police are probing McIntosh's passing as an "unexplained death.'

Jefferies CEO Richard Handler addressed the death of a 28-year-old tech banker in a memo to staff on Saturday, slamming online "speculation" and "cynical assumptions" and offering support to junior staffers.

"I hope that all of you who know me understand how personally heartbreaking this is for me," Handler said of the unexpected death of Carter McIntosh, a TMT banker out of Dallas.

McIntosh was found dead at a residential apartment building called Bell Knox District on Monday, according to records from the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office. The cause of death remains unknown, but it has led to some criticisms online over the sometimes grueling demands that can be placed on young Wall Street professionals.

Handler on Saturday blasted what he called "unfounded, vitriolic attacks."

"At this point, nobody knows exactly what happened and engaging in speculation with cynical assumptions serves no useful purpose and only adds to the grief that the McIntosh family is suffering," he said.

Dallas police said they are investigating McIntosh's passing. "Based on the date, approximate time, and location, this incident is being investigated as an unexplained death," Michael Dennis, a public information officer for the Dallas police, told BI on Tuesday.

Handler said he spent time with junior members of the Dallas office on Thursday and offered support for anyone grieving or overworked.

"So, whether it is being overwhelmed by the sadness of Carter’s passing or getting overloaded by work or even feeling like there are things in your personal life that seem unmanageable, always feel free to reach out to us or to any of our highly capable senior leaders," he said.

A spokesman for Jefferies declined to comment. Bloomberg earlier reported on the memo.

Here's a copy of the memo Handler sent to staff:

• Best new artist is one of the most high-profile Grammy Awards.
• Major stars like Adele, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and The Beatles have won in the past.
• However, not-so-famous artists have also won, including Esperanza Spalding and Christopher Cross.

Best new artist is one of the "Big Four" categories at the Grammy Awards, a huge honor for any rising music star.

The category is also somewhat controversial. Qualifications have shifted over the years, but in general, artists don't actually need to be "new" in order to be nominated. They just need to be "new" to the mainstream.

These days, screening committees are tasked with evaluating whether artists "had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year." In short, the award is meant to distinguish the artist who had the shiniest banner year — and has an even brighter future.

This hasn't always worked out as planned. While some of the best new artists have gone on to superstardom, just as many winners have faded from the spotlight.

We rounded up 11 of the most famous best new artists in Grammys history, as well as 11 of the least famous.

(Note: We only considered artists who won 10 or more years ago. For those who won more recently, their fame is too fresh to gauge objectively. Each category is listed below in reverse chronological order.)

Adele is one of the biggest names in music.

Year: 2009 at the 51st annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Duffy, Jazmine Sullivan, the Jonas Brothers, Lady Antebellum

Adele first earned Grammy recognition thanks to the release of her debut studio album, "19," and breakout hit, "Chasing Pavements." Both surged in popularity in the US following her stellar performance on "Saturday Night Live."

Adele was nominated for four Grammys in 2009, winning two for best new artist and best female pop vocal performance.

Today, Adele has won 16 Grammys out of 25 nominations, including album of the year twice.

Her third album, "25," became the first in history to sell more than 3 million copies in its first week in the US. She has also been dubbed the UK's best-selling female artist of the 21st century.

Carrie Underwood has now been named Academy of Country Music's entertainer of the year three times.

Year: 2007 at the 49th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Chris Brown, Corinne Bailey Rae, Imogen Heap, James Blunt

Carrie Underwood rose to fame after winning the fourth season of "American Idol" in 2005. Her debut album, "Some Hearts," was released that same year and became one of the best-selling country albums in history.

She won both of her Grammy nominations at the following ceremony for best new artist and best female country vocal performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel."

Underwood has become one of country's biggest stars with massive crossover appeal. In 2015, she was named the top-selling digital artist in country music. In 2020, she won entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, becoming the first woman to do so three times.

More recently, Underwood sparked headlines (and backlash) for performing at President Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration.

"I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event," she told Business Insider via a representative. "I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future."

John Legend is one of just 16 people to have achieved EGOT status.

Year: 2006 at the 48th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Ciara, Fall Out Boy, Keane, Sugarland

John Legend's debut album, "Get Lifted," scored him three Grammys for best new artist, best R&B album, and best male R&B vocal performance for "Ordinary People."

Nearly two decades later, Legend has been nominated for 39 Grammys and won 12.

He has also won an Oscar for his work on the movie "Selma," a Tony for the best revival of a play, "Jitney," and most recently, an Emmy for producing "Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert" — making him the first Black man in history to achieve EGOT status.

Maroon 5 got big enough to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.

Year: 2005 at the 47th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Gretchen Wilson, Joss Stone, Kanye West, Los Lonely Boys

The success of Maroon 5's debut was enduring enough to earn them a best new artist trophy — two full years after the album would've been eligible.

"Songs About Jane" was released in June 2002 and wasn't nominated for any Grammys in 2003. But the album and its hit singles — "Harder To Breathe," "She Will Be Loved," "This Love," and "Sunday Morning" — were still making enough waves to earn the band a best new artist nomination in 2004 and a subsequent win in 2005. The album went quadruple-platinum that same year.

Maroon 5 has remained one of the most prominent bands of the 21st century, clocking 15 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, four No. 1 singles, and two No. 1 albums. In 2019, they headlined the Super Bowl halftime show.

Alicia Keys, sometimes referred to as the "Queen of R&B," has now won 16 Grammys.

Year: 2002 at the 44th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: David Gray, India.Arie, Linkin Park, Nelly Furtado

Alicia Keys' debut album, "Songs in A Minor," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned the singer a whopping five Grammys out of six nominations. She earned best new artist and best R&B album, plus song of the year, best female R&B vocal performance, and best R&B song for "Fallin.'"

Keys has now won 16 Grammys out of 32 nominations and even hosted the awards show twice.

She has also received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and she's been included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people twice, in 2005 and 2017. Billboard dubbed Keys the top-selling R&B/hip-hop artist of the 2000s decade.

Christina Aguilera was named one of the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone.

Year: 2000 at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Macy Gray, Susan Tedeschi

Christina Aguilera appeared on "Star Search" at age 11 and "The Mickey Mouse Club" as a young teen. She shot to stardom in 1999 with "Genie in a Bottle," the lead single from her self-titled debut album.

Aguilera won best new artist the following year, her first of five Grammys to date.

In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked Aguilera as the 58th greatest singer of all time. She boasts a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and recently completed a residency in Las Vegas following the release of her favorably reviewed eighth studio album, 2018's "Liberation."

Sheryl Crow has won nine Grammys and sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Year: 1995 at the 37th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Ace of Base, Counting Crows, Crash Test Dummies, Green Day

Sheryl Crow released her debut, "Tuesday Night Music Club," in 1993.

The album gained traction in 1994 after the runaway success of its third single, "All I Wanna Do," which earned Grammys for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance, alongside Crow's best new artist trophy.

Crow has now won nine Grammys out of 32 nominations — although she has recently expressed dissatisfaction with the voting process.

Per reliable estimates, Crow's albums have sold over 50 million copies worldwide. Though she previously said 2019's "Threads" would be her last, Crow released "Evolution" in 2024, one year after she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Mariah Carey is the best-selling female solo artist of all time.

Year: 1991 at the 33rd annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: The Black Crowes, The Kentucky Headhunters, Lisa Stansfield, Wilson Phillips

Mariah Carey's self-titled debut was nominated for five Grammys, including every Big Four award. Of those, she only won best new artist, in addition to best female pop vocal performance for "Vision of Love."

Carey has achieved astronomical success throughout her career. She claims 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including three of the longest leaders in the chart's history, and six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.

Billboard has crowned Carey the top female solo artist of all time.

Bette Midler remains one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood.

Year: 1974 at the 16th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Eumir Deodato, Barry White, Marie Osmond, Maureen McGovern

Bette Midler won best new artist on the heels of her debut album, 1972's "The Divine Miss M," coproduced by Barry Manilow.

As noted on the Grammy website, Midler was "on her way to becoming a huge star with her racy and flamboyant stage act."

Midler has since won two more Grammys, including record of the year for "Wind Beneath My Wings," four Golden Globes, three Emmys, and two Tonys. She is renowned for her performances in Broadway shows like "Fiddler On the Roof" and "Hello, Dolly!" and movies like "The Rose" and "The First Wives Club."

Carly Simon has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Year: 1972 at the 14th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Bill Withers, Chase, Emerson, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Lake & Palmer

Carly Simon won best new artist after the success of her self-titled debut solo album, which included her first top 10 hit, "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be."

Simon is widely seen as one of the "quintessential singer/songwriters of the '70s." She went on to release 13 top 40 hits, including the No. 1 classic "You're So Vain," which has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Simon herself was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994.

The Beatles is the most iconic band of all time.

Year: 1965 at the 7th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Petula Clark, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Morgana King

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr made their US debut with "Meet the Beatles!" in 1964, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

The following year, the band won two Grammys out of four nominations: best new artist and best performance by a vocal group for "A Hard Day's Night."

Obviously, the rest is history. The Beatles went on to earn seven Grammys, a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and 20 No. 1 hit songs, more than any other artist. The band has been dubbed the best-selling artist of all time.

Two years after winning best new artist, Fun went on indefinite hiatus.

Year: 2013 at the 55th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Alabama Shakes, Frank Ocean, Hunter Hayes, The Lumineers

In addition to best new artist, the pop band Fun (stylized as fun.) won song of the year for "We Are Young" featuring Janelle Monáe. They were even nominated for album of the year for "Some Nights," their sophomore effort.

"Some Nights" ended up being Fun's last album. In early 2015, the bandmates announced they were going on indefinite hiatus and have yet to reunite. These days, Fun feels less like a band and more like a weird blip in Jack Antonoff's prolific career.

Esperanza Spalding beat out superstars like Justin Bieber and Drake.

Year: 2011 at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons

Esperanza Spalding is the only jazz artist who has ever won best new artist. Her victory was controversial due to her four strong competitors, all of whom went on to greater fame and chart success.

Spalding has released many albums and enjoyed critical acclaim over the years, but remained largely under the mainstream radar.

Shelby Lynne won best new artist after the release of her sixth studio album.

Year: 2001 at the 43rd annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Brad Paisley, Jill Scott, Papa Roach, Sisqó

Shelby Lynne had been a recording artist for more than a decade when she won her first Grammy. Her sixth album, "I Am Shelby Lynne," was seen as her breakthrough project and she was deemed eligible for best new artist.

Best new artist remains Lynne's only Grammy Award. She has released 10 more albums since then, though none have achieved widespread commercial success.

Paula Cole is most famous for writing the theme song of "Dawson's Creek."

Year: 1998 at the 40th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Erykah Badu, Fiona Apple, Hanson, Puff Daddy

Paula Cole received her first Grammy nomination after the success of "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" in 1997, the lead single from her second studio album, "This Fire."

Cole was nominated for six other Grammys in 1998, but best new artist remains her only win. She hasn't been nominated since.

"Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" remains Cole's only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's second single, "I Don't Want to Wait," became the theme song for the popular TV series "Dawson's Creek," which has somewhat eclipsed Cole's legacy as an artist.

Marc Cohn never recreated the success of his debut album.

Year: 1992 at the 34th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Boyz II Men, C+C Music Factory, Color Me Badd, Seal

Marc Cohn won best new artist after the success of "Walking in Memphis," a single from his debut studio album, which was also nominated for song of the year and best male pop vocal performance.

It remains Cohn's signature song and only top 40 hit. He also hasn't been nominated for a Grammy since.

Bruce Hornsby & The Range didn't last long as a group.

Year: 1987 at the 29th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Glass Tiger, Nu Shooz, Simply Red, Timbuk3

Although Bruce Hornsby went on to receive 11 additional Grammy nominations and two awards, his project with The Range was relatively short-lived and low-profile.

After the group won best new artist, they received one more Grammy nomination the following year (best pop performance by a duo or group) and lost. Bruce Hornsby & The Range released their third and final album in 1990.

Men at Work split in 1984, the year after they won best new artist.

Year: 1983 at the 25th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Asia, Jennifer Holliday, The Human League, Stray Cats

Men at Work is a generally well-known name, but the Australian band peaked before their best new artist win, releasing two top 5 albums in 1981 and 1983.

In 1984, the group split when two original members were asked to leave. A fractured version of Men at Work continued making music, albeit with middling success. 

Their third album, 1985's "Two Hearts," was a comparative flop and peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard 200. Since the release of the album's lead single "Everything I Need," none of the band's songs have cracked the top 40.

Christopher Cross is best known as the first artist to sweep the Big Four categories.

Year: 1981 at the 23rd annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Amy Holland, Irene Cara, Robbie Dupree, The Pretenders

Until Billie Eilish's big year in 2020, Christopher Cross was the only artist in history to sweep the general-field categories at the Grammys. His self-titled debut even beat Pink Floyd's "The Wall" for album of the year.

The following year, he earned three more nominations (and an Oscar) for cowriting and performing the theme for the 1981 film "Arthur."

Then, Cross promptly dropped out of the spotlight. His sophomore album, 1983's "Another Page," peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. His third album peaked at No. 127. None of his subsequent albums have cracked the chart.

A Taste of Honey was a one-hit wonder.

Year: 1979 at the 21st annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Chris Rea, Elvis Costello, The Cars, Toto

A Taste of Honey is best known for their debut single, "Boogie Oogie Oogie," a defining song from the disco era.

The smash hit was nominated for best R&B vocal performance by a duo, group, or chorus the same year that A Taste of Honey won best new artist.

Unfortunately, the group never achieved the same level of success again. They informally split as their popularity waned in the '80s.

Debby Boone found niche success in making Christian music.

Year: 1978 at the 20th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Andy Gibb, Foreigner, Shaun Cassidy, Stephen Bishop

Debby Boone is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life," which was nominated for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance. She lost both but won best new artist.

Boone briefly focused on country music, then pivoted to Christian themes shortly after. She earned several Grammy nominations in "inspirational" and gospel categories but never achieved mainstream stardom.

A member of Starland Vocal Band said that winning best new artist was "the kiss of death."

Year: 1977 at the 19th annual Grammy Awards

Other nominees: Boston, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, The Brothers Johnson, Wild Cherry

Starland Vocal Band won their only two Grammys — best new artist and best arrangement — thanks to the runaway success of "Afternoon Delight," the group's only hit song. "Afternoon Delight" was also nominated for record of the year and best pop vocal performance by a duo, group, or chorus. 

In fact, singer Taffy Danoff blamed the Grammys for the group's failure to recreate their early success, calling best new artist "the kiss of death" in a 2002 interview for VH1's "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders."

"I feel sorry for everyone who's gotten it since," she said.

• Single adults are shifting from dating apps to social media to find partners.
• Instagram is now the top platform for meeting new people, according to data from Rizz.
• Rizz, an AI dating assistant, helps users craft replies and has half a million monthly active users.

Single adults are fed up with dating apps.

They might be turning to old-fashioned social media to find their next partner instead.

Instagram is the most popular place to meet and communicate with a potential partner, at least for the hundreds of thousands of people using Rizz, an AI dating assistant.

Rizz, which is slang for charisma, launched in 2022. It functions like a dating coach, helping users craft witty responses to messages and less cringey pick-up lines.

"Dating coaches charge $30 to $300 an hour. Not everybody can afford paying over $30 an hour. So the moment ChatGPT launched, I already had this idea in the back of my mind," Rizz cofounder and CEO Roman Khaves told Business Insider.

Users upload screenshots of conversations from dating apps, messaging apps, or social media to Rizz, which then generates a response. The app leverages ChatGPT but fine-tunes its responses based on prior responses it generated. So the more you use it, the better and more personalized its responses will be, Khaves said.

Rizz costs $7 a week or $20 a month and has about half a million monthly active users. The platform's user base is 65% male and 35% female and most of them fall between 18 and 35. They're largely from English-speaking countries.

Khaves shared data with BI showing that 22% of the screenshots uploaded to Rizz now come from Instagram, an 8% increase from a year ago. About 15% come from iMessage and 11% from WhatsApp. Dating apps comprise a smaller share, with Tinder at 11%, Hinge at 10%, and Bumble at 4%.

It's not uncommon for potential partners to meet on a dating app and quickly move their conversation to text or even Instagram. But Rizz sees evidence in the data that Instagram is becoming a first-choice destination for dating.

"Instagram has evolved into this fascinating dual-purpose platform for relationships," Khaves said. "Whether it's sliding into DMs or naturally connecting through shared content, people are both starting and deepening their connections entirely within Instagram."

Dating on Instagram isn't new. Celebrity couples — like Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, or exes Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid — and regular couples alike have found love on Instagram. The data from Rizz shows it's only becoming more popular as users give up on regular dating apps.

Rizz's algorithms can track the source of screenshots, distinguishing whether a user uploads them from an Instagram story or a direct message. What's less clear is the history behind the relationship. "The one thing we don't know is how long they know the person, whether they've been friends with them on Instagram for a while or not," Khaves said.

Rizz is already developing features tailored to Instagram, where the first move could be linked to a story or a picture rather than a prompt on Hinge. Instagram also introduced a feature in September that allows users to leave comments under stories, making it easier for mutual followers to interact with each other.

The reason people are moving away from dating apps might be simple — they offer too much data about a person upfront.

"Think about it — in real life, you don't walk up to someone with a resume of your height, job, and dating intentions. Instead, you get to know them gradually through shared moments and mutual interests, which is exactly what Instagram enables," Khaves said.

• I lived in New York City for years but left because we couldn't afford to raise three kids there.
• We live in Maine but recently visited friends in NYC and went to the Instagram-famous Space Club.
• The indoor playground was a blast for all of us, though it felt a bit expensive for three kids.

When I found out I was expecting twins in 2019, I panicked. There were many reasons for my stress, but a big one was that I didn't know how we could afford to raise three young kids in New York City.

We moved to Maine, where our living costs are cheaper, but we still visit the city regularly. We have friends there, and there's always something to do — especially with kids.

In a recent visit, our friends suggested meeting at Space Club, an indoor playground in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, so the kids could get the wiggles out before dinner.

Although I found it to be a bit expensive, my kids loved the experience and have been asking every day since when we're going back.

Space Club is an indoor play area for kids.

Space Club, which opened its Greenpoint location at the end of 2023, is essentially an indoor playground.

It was created by artist and mom of three CJ Hendry, known for — among other things — her installation of a Bargain Bodega.

The Space Club website says it was created by parents with parents in mind and that the goal was for it not to be cramped, loud, or stinky.

I paid $115 for my three kids for a two-hour pass — $35 per kid, which includes one adult per child. Without having explored the place yet, that felt very expensive.

You can also add an adult for $5 or pay $15 an hour for extra time. The club also offers a $300-a-month membership with a $500 joining fee billed once per family.

The space is massive and has so many rooms to explore.

Prior to our move, I spent a lot of time with my oldest child in similar play spaces in New York, but they always felt cramped, dirty, and stinky.

When we first entered Space, it was clear the playground was doing something different.

The lobby is wide and open. There are coat hangers and shoe racks since all visitors must go in wearing socks with grips, which are provided. No shoes are allowed inside, not even for parents.

There are tables for kids to eat snacks at when taking a break from playing and so many rooms to explore.

As soon as they were ready, my kids all ran in different directions.

There's a room with a giant white bounce house that my twins immediately gravitated to.

Other rooms include an area with foam blocks where kids can build structures, an area for younger kids with age-appropriate activities, a huge ball pit with climbing structures and hanging ropes, a bead room, a music room, a glow-in-the-dark room, a sequin wall, a Lego blocks area, and a hamster-wheel wall.

There was truly something for all my kids to enjoy.

My kids have very different interests, so organizing activities they will all enjoy gets trickier as they get older.

My oldest, for example, loves playing with Lego bricks and can do so for hours. At first, he was hesitant about jumping into the ball pit — which seemed to be the main attraction for other kids — and wandered around looking for what to do.

Once he found the Lego area, he was thrilled.

My twins, on the other hand, ran to the bead pool — which I stuck my feet in for a cool sensory experience — and they spent almost their entire time there making creations for the entire family.

Months later, one of them still carries the necklace she made there with her wherever she goes.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it myself.

My kids had an absolute blast during the hours we were there, and it was true that it helped them get their wiggles out. However, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much myself.

Encouraged by my friend, who said I could join kids in playing, I jumped into the ball pit — technically a star pit since the balls are star-shaped — and had so much fun playing with my kids.

I also bounced around in the bouncy house, made a bracelet for myself, and played some music. My inner child was thrilled.

Most importantly, I got to spend time with my friends without our children interrupting us. They were so engaged in their activities that it allowed us to catch up and chat like we did before we had kids.

The space feels more like an art installation that you can play with.

There's no doubt that Space Club is the most attractive kids' play space I have ever been to. Every room has a theme and a color palette. Sometimes, I felt like I was more in an art installation than a play area.

I appreciated seeing employees regularly walk through the rooms to tidy up, putting blocks back into the Lego room, beads back into the beads room, and so on.

After our time was up, two things were true: The price I paid for my kids to play didn't feel that expensive anymore, given how much fun they had, and none of us wanted to leave to go to dinner.

• I've known my husband was the person I wanted to marry since we met.
• He knows me so well and proposed to me in a library without saying a word.
• He also secretly filmed our engagement, and I'll treasure the video forever.

Dean and I met in 2014 and had been together nearly 10 years by the time he proposed. We shared a mortgage, a cat, and a perfect life. I'd known I'd marry him from the moment we met, and started a wedding Pinterest board almost immediately (yes, it was every bit as cringey as you can imagine).

I impatiently and impulsively proposed to him in 2020 — drunkenly, over New Year's karaoke — which he (rightfully) declined because it was the one traditional thing he wanted to do, and he wanted to wait until our finances were in a better place for the wedding of our dreams.

When he proposed to me, I didn't know what was happening at first

For my 30th birthday that year, he'd booked us a weekend stay at Gladstone Library, which we ended up having to postpone due to the pandemic. Instead, my birthday was spent holed up in our home with my dad, who was staying with us in our "bubble," and we drank Aperol Spritzes — a much more muted celebration.

When the pandemic died down, Dean rebooked our stay for August 4, 2023, deciding it was the perfect time to propose, and we made our way to Wales. The venue was spectacular — he knows I'm a bookworm and love being surrounded by old books.

And man, were there books. Everything from dusty, leather-bound copies of Chaucer to modern feminist essays — I was home.

While I was gazing at some Shakespeare, he beckoned me over to a little nook he'd found, pointing to a book he wanted me to look at. Even from a few feet away, it looked different from the other books in the library, and I gave him a puzzled look as I headed over, wandering away from a dusty copy of Hamlet. Exasperated, he silently gestured for me to pick up the book and look inside.

It was a ring-bound scrapbook, with "The road so far" written on the cover — when we'd met, we were both watching Supernatural, and the first thing he'd asked me was whether I prefer Sam or Dean. (Contrarian that I am, I replied with Castiel.) If you're not a hardcore fan, "The road so far" is basically Supernatural's own "Previously on…" title card, recapping what's happened before each new season, set to '"Carry on My Wayward Son" by Journey. It's every bit as nerdy as you can imagine.

When I opened the book, I was met with dozens of photos of the two of us together, memories from the past 10 years.

Reader, at this point, I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't clocked where this was going.

I took my time with each photo, silently reminisced (we were in a library, after all), and pointed at his (admittedly sparse) spelling mistakes. After 20 pages of memories, I reached the final page.

He'd attached the engagement ring (a stunning, minimalist white gold band with three diamonds — elegant and understated; he knows me) and written, "Will you marry me?" There was no getting down on one knee, no grand gesture, just us.

My heart leaped in my chest, I looked up at him, tears welling in my eyes, and mouthed the words "Hell, yes!" as I'd practiced so many times in the mirror, putting the ring on as quickly as my trembling hands would let me.

It was the perfect proposal for us

Little did I know, he'd recorded the whole thing, positioning his phone in the corner of the nook, capturing every bizarre facial expression and cheesy thumbs-up to the camera after we officially became engaged.

I don't think any of the students or readers in the library had any idea something so amazing was happening around them — it really was just us.

My favorite part? Just as I got to the final page, Dean looks to the camera, a mix of nervousness, excitement, and coyness. It's the only time I'd seen him nervous — except, of course, our wedding day.

I got to planning immediately, and we set a date for our wedding the next day. We married on February 2, 2024, the day after our 10th anniversary — the perfect day.

I couldn't wish for a more perfect proposal from my husband; every detail was so us. It goes to show that the best proposals are every bit as unique as the couple.

• The Pentagon will replace some large media outlets that have long had desks inside the Pentagon.
• Outlets like NBC News and The New York Times will lose their space.
• It's part of a "rotation program" that allows different media outlets to work from the Pentagon.

The Defense Department said it is implementing a new "annual media rotation program," which means some legacy media outlets — like The New York Times and NBC News — will lose their longtime Pentagon workspaces to a slate of new publications.

In a major shake-up for the Pentagon's "Correspondents' Corridor," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Ullyot announced in a memo to the Pentagon Press Association that The New York Times, NBC, National Public Radio, and Politico would all have to vacate their office space in the building.

The sought-after space will be offered instead to The New York Post, Breitbart News, One America News Network, and The Huffington Post.

The changes — which the memo said were intended to "broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents' Corridor" — are set to take effect on February 14.

"Each year, one outlet from each press medium — print, online, television, and radio — that has enjoyed working from a physical office in the Pentagon will rotate out of the building to allow a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps," the memo read.

Ullyot also said in the memo that access to the Pentagon would remain unchanged for the publications that have been removed from their traditional office spaces.

"They will continue to enjoy the same media access to the Pentagon and will be able to attend and cover briefings and be considered for travel with civilian and military leaders in the Department as they have previously," the memo read.

In a statement to Business Insider, NPR urged the Department of Defense to "expand the offices available to press" at the Pentagon.

"This decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership, and with NPR's public interest mission to serve Americans who turn to our network of local public media stations in all 50 states," the statement read.

New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander told BI that the newspaper is "committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly."

"This move to expel the Times and other independent, fact-based news outlets from the Pentagon's press spaces is a concerning development," Stadtlander said. "Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest."

NBC News said in a statement it was "disappointed" by the decision.

"Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has," the outlet said.

In January, the Senate narrowly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaker after three Republicans joined every Democrat in rejecting his nomination — a significant departure from the broad support that the GOP-controlled Senate has so far granted to most of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees.

The outlets who will have to vacate their Pentagon workspaces all covered Hegseth's tumultuous confirmation process, during which he faced questions about alcohol abuse and sexual assault accusations stemming from a 2017 incident.

Hegseth, who was sworn into his new role on January 25, has denied the allegations.

The Defense Department's move also comes as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced earlier this week that the Trump administration would be granting access to the White House press briefing room to "new media" — which includes TikTok content creators and podcasters.

• Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman says he is moving his management company out of Delaware.
• It follows similar statements from companies like DropBox, Meta, and SpaceX.
• Some corporations are turning against Delaware, historically considered a business-friendly state.

Bill Ackman, the billionaire CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, says he will move his management company out of Delaware to reincorporate in Nevada.

His announcement, which came in a post on X on Saturday morning, was in response to news that DropBox was making a similar move. "We are reincorporating our management company in Nevada for the same reason. Top law firms are recommending Nevada and Texas over Delaware," Ackman said.

Pershing Square Capital Management declined to comment further.

Other high-profile public companies have also announced their exit from Delaware, former President Joe Biden's home state, over the last year as some corporations turn against the historically business-friendly state.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk spent much of 2024 encouraging companies incorporated in Delaware to leave after a judge repeatedly struck down his $55 billion Tesla compensation package, which a shareholder lawsuit argued was excessive. The decision prompted Musk to move SpaceX to Texas.

Much of the concern for these established public companies is a series of recent Delaware court rulings, including the one on Musk's pay package, that further empower shareholders to challenge executive decisions.

Meta, which maintains a corporate structure that gives CEO Mark Zuckerberg near total control, is also considering leaving Delaware to reincorporate in Texas or another state, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on whether it was considering reincorporating outside of Delaware, saying only that it had no plans to move its headquarters to California.

Billionaire CEOs like Ackman, Zuckerberg, and Musk hope that courts in other states, such as Texas or Nevada, will be less permissive of lawsuits from shareholders and boards of directors.

Correction: January 25, 2025 — The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta Platforms is discussing moving its incorporation from Delaware, citing people familiar with the matter. An earlier version of this article reported that Meta itself said it was considering such a move.

• Taiwan has banned government agencies from using DeepSeek.
• Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said the technology "endangers national information security."
• The arrival of the Chinese AI lab's R1 model sent shock waves through markets last week.

Taiwan has banned government agencies from using DeepSeek, citing security concerns.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said in a statement on Friday that public sector workers and critical infrastructure facilities should not use the Chinese company's technology, as "its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage" and "endangers national information security."

Chinese AI lab DeepSeek made headlines in January after unveiling a new flagship AI model called R1, which it says matches the reasoning capabilities of US models such as OpenAI's o1 but for a fraction of the cost.

Its arrival sent shock waves through markets, with AI stocks tumbling last week.

But the company is already facing regulatory hurdles in some countries.

Italy's Data Protection Authority (called Garante) announced on Thursday that it had blocked access to the DeepSeek app to protect Italian users' data.

Garante said the decision came as it was unhappy with DeepSeek's response to a query about the app's use of personal data.

"Contrary to what was found by the Authority, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy and that European legislation does not apply to them," Garante said in a statement, adding that it was launching an investigation.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission reportedly said earlier this week that it had also written to DeepSeek for more information about how it processes Irish users' data.

In the UK, Feryal Clark, the AI minister, issued a warning to British citizens thinking of using DeepSeek.

"Ultimately it is a personal choice for people, whether they decide to download it or not," Clark said in an interview with Bloomberg. "My advice will be to make sure if people are downloading it that they are alert to the potential risks and they know how their data will be used."

DeepSeek, which began as an AI side project for Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng, was founded in 2023.

• Amelia Samson is a 31-year-old content creator in Seattle.
• She briefly spoke with a good-looking firefighter during an emergency at her house.
• She wanted to find him, so she drew a stick figure of him and posted it online.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amelia Samson. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In October 2022, I hosted a little party at my house to celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast I co-hosted. Early in the evening, 10 of my friends and I were on the roof having drinks.

My friend had brought a date that none of us knew. Although she seemed fine when she first showed up, someone asked her if she was OK minutes after she arrived. She was swaying and falling over. We were trying to figure out what was happening. All of a sudden, she flopped over and started vomiting, her eyes rolling back. Multiple people jumped to hold her up and turn her on her side so she didn't choke.

We called 911. Shortly after, firefighters turned up at the house. I guess emergency services were really busy that night, so firefighters were all they had to send. These men were stunning. To guests who were showing up during the mayhem, it actually looked like we had ordered strippers.

There was one firefighter that stood out

Last to come out of the truck was a firefighter who looked like he was 6ft3, built, and had the standard firefighter mustache and the kindest eyes. Everyone at the party was whispering to each other about how handsome he was.

He was the one who went up to check on the clearly unwell girl. He gently talked to her and asked her some questions. As the other firefighters prepared to leave, he asked me about our podcast. I saw his wedding finger and he didn't have a ring.

Once they left, everyone talked about what had happened and the attractive man who came to the rescue.

I drew a stick figure to find him

In the following days, my friends made jokes about the firefighter. Kicking myself for not talking to him more, I briefly flicked through fire department rosters. After a few minutes, I decided to let the internet do its thing: I drew a stick figure of him and posted a video of it on TikTok. Almost immediately, a friend of the guy's wife got in touch to say she knew exactly who it was but that he was married and a new dad.

I made a quick, funny video response of being sad about the revelation but then moved on.

A month later, I was tagged in a video that showed a mug with my drawing on it in front of the fire station. I thought it was the best thing ever. Apparently, one of the firefighters' wives had seen the drawing and put it on mugs to give to the fire department.

I was glad they could laugh about it — it was so lighthearted.

Just a few weeks later, I was tagged in another video, but I didn't see the tag until a few months later, in February 2023. The firefighter's niece had posted a video of everyone in his family posing with T-shirts they had all received for Christmas with the stick figure drawing on them, with his relation to them underneath the drawing. His dad's T-shirt read "son," and his niece's T-shirt said "uncle."

I got to experience the best of the internet

I just loved this outcome. I'm assuming that his wife had filmed the video because she wasn't in it, and the voice laughing behind the camera was a woman. How great that she could laugh about it and not be offended that other people think her husband is hot.

But every single time I see a fire truck, I try very hard not to make eye contact with the guys in the truck. I'd be mortified if one of them recognized me.

When I shared this on social media, most people told me they loved this story — it was so much fun. This was the very best of the internet. It connected people and made people laugh.

• Multiple records were broken at last year's Grammys.
• Taylor Swift became the first artist to win album of the year four times.
• Victoria Monét, at 34, became the oldest person to win best new artist.

The 67th Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 2.

Music's biggest night will be filled with musical performances, heartwarming speeches, more than a few tears, and hopefully, some surprise wins.

There are plenty of records that could be broken this year, including a new most-awarded album ("Cowboy Carter"), a new most-awarded female artist in one night (Charli XCX or Billie Eilish), or the most-nominated individual in Grammy history who has yet to win an award (Chris Gehringer) continuing his unlucky streak.

But until then, here are some of the current record-holders, including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and U2.

At the 2024 Grammys, Taylor Swift became the first musical artist to win album of the year four times.

Swift has won album of the year four times: In 2010 for "Fearless," in 2016 for "1989," in 2021 for "Folklore," and most recently, in 2024 for "Midnights."

Before that night, she was in a four-way tie with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, and Stevie Wonder with three wins each in the category. But now, she stands alone.

She also won best pop vocal album for "Midnights," her second win in that category after "1989."

Victoria Monét gave an inspirational speech about never giving up — she became the oldest best new artist winner at 34 years old.

Monét, whose career as a songwriter started in 2010, likened her career to a plant with roots that took years to sprout above ground.

"I just want to say to everybody who has a dream, I want you to look at this as an example," she said during her acceptance speech for best new artist in 2024. "My roots have been growing underneath the ground unseen for so long. And I feel like today I'm sprouting finally above ground."

At 34, Monét became the oldest artist to win best new artist. Before Monét, 33-year-old Sheryl Crow held the honor.

If the band Khruangbin wins the award on Sunday, its members, who are 38, 45, and 48, will be the new oldest winners.

Her daughter, Hazel, was the youngest nominee ever at 2 years old.

Monét's 2-year-old daughter, Hazel, is featured on her song "Hollywood," which was nominated in 2024 for best traditional R&B performance, making Hazel the youngest nominee ever.

"She understands she's done something really cool, but I don't think she understands the magnitude," Victoria Monét told People.

They ended up losing to PJ Morton and Susan Carol's song "Good Morning," but Hazel is still the record holder for her nomination.

At the 2021 Grammys, Beyoncé officially became the female artist with the most Grammys when she secured her 28th win.

When Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion won for their "Savage" collaboration (more on that later), host Trevor Noah announced Beyoncé was tied with Alison Krauss for female artist with the most Grammy wins.

A few moments later, she won her 28th Grammy, best R&B performance, for "Black Parade," and became the female artist with the most Grammys of all time.

She won her first Grammy in 2001 as part of Destiny's Child. They won for best R&B performance by a group and best R&B song for "Say My Name." She was 19.

And at the 2023 Grammys, she became the most-awarded artist in Grammys history with 32 wins.

Beyoncé took the crown from Georg Solti, the longtime conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, according to the Grammys website. He won 31 Grammys over 35 years, from 74 nominations.

After taking home her first three Grammys at 2023's event, the "Cuff It" singer made history when she accepted the best dance/electronic album for "Renaissance," her 32nd win overall.

She was nominated for another 11 this year, which could bring her total to 43.

Beyoncé is also the most-nominated artist in Grammys history.

Beyoncé overtook her husband, Jay-Z, as the most nominated artist this year, with a career total of 99 nominations.

The "99 Problems" rapper has been nominated 89 times, making him the male artist with the most nominations.

In 2021, Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion became the first female performers to win best rap performance.

A woman had never won this award in its first 11 years of existence. But Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé ended that streak when they took home the award for "Savage." 

Beyoncé is also the most-nominated artist without a win in the record of the year category, but that could change this year.

She was nominated for record of the year for "Say My Name," "Crazy in Love," "Irreplaceable," "Halo," "Formation," "Savage," "Black Parade," Break My Soul," and "Texas Hold 'Em."

Only two people have won the Big Four in one night: Billie Eilish and Christopher Cross.

In 1981, newcomer Cross became the first person to ever win record, song, and album of the year, along with best new artist.

This feat would not be replicated until 2020, when 18-year-old Eilish swept the night, becoming the first female artist to do so.

At 18, Eilish also became the youngest artist to win album of the year.

Eilish won the Grammy for her debut album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?"

The oldest person to win a Grammy was 97-year-old Pinetop Perkins in 2011.

Perkins was 97 years old when he won the best traditional blues album award for his album "Joined at the Hip" in 2011. He died just one month later.

But the oldest nominee is Jimmy Carter, who was 100 when he was nominated in November 2024.

The former president was nominated for his 10th Grammy last year, at the age of 100, making him the oldest nominee in history. He was nominated for best audiobook, narration & storytelling recording.

Carter died in December.

The youngest person to win a Grammy was 8-year-old Leah Peasall, who won in 2001.

The Peasall Sisters were featured artists on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack, which won album of the year in 2002 (the second soundtrack to ever do so), and the youngest, Leah, was just 8 years old at the time.

In 2021, 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter won her first (of what we predict will be many) Grammys, making her the second-youngest winner ever.

The Grammys hit a ratings low in 2021, though numbers were up in 2024. By contrast, the most-watched Grammy ceremony was in 1984.

In 1984, around 51.67 million people watched the King of Pop take home eight trophies, including record and album of the year, Billboard reported.

That number is downright unimaginable today. Last year's ceremony was watched by 16.9 million viewers, a four-year high, per Forbes.

The band with the most Grammys is Irish export U2, with 22 wins.

U2 is the group with the most wins of all time — they're also the only group or duo to win album of the year twice (1987's "The Joshua Tree" and 2005's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb").

When Bruno Mars won song of the year for "That's What I Like," he shared the honor with a record-breaking seven other writers.

There were eight credited songwriters for "That's What I Like," which won song of the year in 2018.

They are Mars himself, Philip Lawrence, Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Johnathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, and Ray McCullough II.

That's the most songwriters to win song of the year, ever.

Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Sin Ti" was the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for album of the year.

The album was nominated for the Grammy for best música urbana album, which it won, in 2023.

One of the album's songs, "Moscow Mule," was also up for best pop solo performance, but it lost to "Easy on Me" by Adele.

Kim Petras became the first trans woman to win best pop duo/group collaboration in 2023.

Petras shared the award with Sam Smith, who has five Grammys to their name. When "Unholy" won, Smith let Petras accept the award.

She went on to thank her friend and producer Sophie, one of the first trans women to be nominated for a Grammy, who died in January 2021.

She also shouted out Madonna and her mom, who "believed me that I was a girl."

The person with the most nominations across various categories is Quincy Jones, who has been nominated 80 times across 15 categories.

Jones was one of the most prolific producers, songwriters, composers, and musicians of all time, with a career that began over seven decades ago.

According to the Grammys, he's been nominated in 15 categories, with 28 wins from 80 nominations. Those categories are the general category (like album of the year), spoken word, arranging, music video/film, jazz, pop, rap, R&B, children's, musical theater, disco, composition, gospel/contemporary Christian music, music for visual media, and production, non-classical.

He also holds the record for the most-awarded producer (28 wins) and is tied for fourth for most wins in a single night, winning six Grammys in 1991.

Jones died in November 2024. He was 91.

Paul McCartney set the record for most nominations in one night without a win almost 60 years ago.

McCartney's nominations came primarily from two Beatles songs, "Yesterday" and "Help!"

He was nominated for record of the year, album of the year, song of the year, best original score written for a motion picture or TV show, best performance by a vocal group, best contemporary single, best contemporary performance by a group (vocal or instrumental, best vocal performance by a male, and best contemporary vocal performance by a male.

He lost each one, a record that stands to this day.

• I've been an interior designer for years, so I've gotten good at spotting high-quality furniture.
• A piece of furniture is likely not well-made if it has visible screws, staples, or nails.
• Furniture shouldn't be wobbly, uncomfortable, or sloppily finished.

As an interior designer with over a decade of experience, I've seen my fair share of furniture hits and misses.

The right piece can elevate a room, but the wrong one can be a costly eyesore. Whether you're furnishing a new space or updating an old one, knowing what to avoid can save you time, money, and headaches.

Here are seven red flags I look for when shopping for high-quality furniture that could be signs a piece isn't up to snuff.

The piece feels wobbly or unstable

One of the first things I check when evaluating furniture is its stability. Wobbly legs or an unstable frame are major red flags.

Give the piece a gentle shake. If it feels unsteady or if the legs don't sit flush with the floor, it's likely poorly constructed.

Stability is crucial, especially for items like tables and chairs that may endure daily use.

It's already chipping or showing signs of damage

When buying a piece of furniture, I inspect its edges and corners for signs of peeling or chipping, which can indicate poor quality.

This is common with pieces made from particleboard or thin layers of wood veneer, as these materials are prone to damage and wear over time.

Instead, I look for high-quality furniture made with durable materials, like solid wood or metal.

For pieces with fabric, look out for ripping or pilling. It's not a good sign if a piece is having issues before you even take it home.

It has visible staples, nails, or screws

I try to avoid buying furniture that's being held together with staples, nails, or visible screws as these can be a sign of inferior craftsmanship. They may not be built to last through a lot of regular use.

Instead, I look for sturdy joinery techniques, like dovetails or mortise-and-tenon joints, that are common in high-quality pieces.

The finish looks sloppy or inconsistent

I check the surface of tables, dressers, and other furniture pieces to make sure there are no rough patches, drips, or bubbles in the or finish.

After all, a high-quality varnish enhances the beauty of a piece and protects it from damage. Inconsistent coloring or visible brush strokes can indicate a rushed or poor-quality job.

There's no warranty or generous return policy

A reputable manufacturer should stand behind its product with a warranty or a flexible return policy.

I think it's a major red flag if a furniture seller or company doesn't offer any form of guarantee after you purchase a piece. To me, this can be a sign the seller isn't confident in its product's durability and quality.

It's meant to be sat on but is not very comfortable

When buying furniture people will sit on, comfort is a priority. I always sit on chairs, sofas, and benches to test their comfort level.

I move on if they feel too hard or soft, or if I can feel the frame through the upholstery. Comfort should never be compromised and it's too risky to buy something in hopes it'll get cozier over time.

Prices seem too good to be true

Although it's tempting to go for the cheapest furniture options, some pieces are suspiciously inexpensive because they're poor quality and won't last long.

Unrealistically low pricing often means corners have been cut in materials and construction.

On the other hand, pieces that are priced really high without clear justification should also raise suspicion. Always compare prices to ensure that the cost matches the quality and craftsmanship of the piece.

• X is suing more advertisers over what it claims was a coordinated ad boycott.
• Nestlé, Abbott Laboratories, Colgate, Lego, Pinterest, Tyson Foods, and Shell have been added to the suit.
• Elon Musk's company is seeking damages, alleging the boycott hurt its competitiveness in digital advertising.

Elon Musk's X is suing more big advertisers as part of a lawsuit that alleges they collectively conspired to boycott advertising on the platform following his takeover of the company.

In an amended complaint filed in a Texas court on Saturday, X added Nestlé, Abbott Laboratories, Colgate, Lego, Pinterest, Tyson Foods, and Shell as defendants to its lawsuit, which was originally filed in August.

The complaint alleges that members of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a now-defunct initiative from the advertiser trade body the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), illegally conspired to "collectively withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue" from X.

The WFA, CVS Health, Mars, Ørsted, and Twitch are the other defendants in the case.

The WFA declined to comment. The trade body has previously said that it planned to contest the suit and that it was confident in its adherence to competition law.

X, Nestlé, Abbott Laboratories, Colgate, Lego, Pinterest, Tyson Foods, and Shell did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, which were sent outside normal US business hours.

Founded in 2019, GARM was a US-based initiative that aimed to provide common frameworks to be used by media owners, advertisers, and agencies to categorize harmful content such as hate speech, misinformation, and online piracy.

The uptake of the frameworks was voluntary, and many online platforms and agencies adopted them as what became known as a "brand safety floor" — content that was deemed unsuitable for advertising to fund or appear next to. X was also previously a member of GARM.

GARM discontinued operations after X filed its initial lawsuit, saying that, as a small nonprofit organization, it lacked the resources to fight it.

In its latest legal filing, X alleges that the WFA "organized an advertiser boycott of Twitter through GARM, with the goal of coercing Twitter to comply with the GARM Brand Safety Standards to the satisfaction of GARM."

The complaint claims that at least 18 members of GARM stopped advertising on Twitter in the US or worldwide between November and December 2022. Musk's $44 billion acquisition of Twitter closed in October of that year.

"As a result of the boycott, X became a less effective competitor to other social media platforms in the sale of digital advertising and in competing for user engagement on its platform," the complaint reads.

Twitter's ad revenue plummeted following Musk's takeover of the company. Many advertisers shunned the platform after a number of sales and safety staff were let go and controversial banned accounts were allowed back on the site.

X claims in the suit that GARM members "collectively acted to enforce Twitter's adherence" to its brand safety standards by boycotting the platform. The company is seeking "trebled compensatory damages" and injunctive relief for what it claims are violations of US antitrust laws.

The WFA, alcohol giant Diageo, and the ad agency holding company WPP are also facing a similar lawsuit from the video site Rumble, which alleges they collectively agreed to restrict advertising on social platforms, including Rumble. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is also investigating whether advertisers' and agencies' participation with GARM led to conservative media being demonetized.

• Chinese startup DeepSeek shocked markets this week after releasing a cheaper rival to OpenAI's o1.
• Silicon Valley has reacted to DeepSeek's release with a mix of panic and awe.
• Some AI startups see an opportunity in DeepSeek's open-source success.

In the tech industry, the tides can turn quickly, especially when it comes to AI.

Last week, OpenAI was the industry leader, developing what many saw as the most advanced AI models on the market, which led to a skyrocketing valuation.

This week, its standing was in question as Silicon Valley eyed a more cost-effective competitor: DeepSeek.

The Chinese company recently released a challenger to OpenAI's o1 reasoning model called R1. Users who've tested both said R1 rivals the capabilities of o1 and comes at a substantially cheaper cost.

The news shocked markets on Monday, leading to a stock sell-off that wiped almost $1 trillion in market cap. AI insiders said the frenzy is warranted: DeepSeek's methods are a game changer for the industry.

CEOs of startup companies facilitating the AI boom by supplying hardware, security services, and building agents told Business Insider that DeepSeek's success creates more opportunities for smaller companies to flourish.

Roi Ginat, the cofounder and CEO of EndlessAI, which develops the video AI assistant Lloyd, said DeepSeek's success could widen the pool of who can develop AI technology — and who can access it.

"DeepSeek's success represents a democratization of AI development, where smaller teams with limited resources can meaningfully compete with well-funded tech giants," Ginat wrote by email. "This has catalyzed a wave of innovation from startups and research labs previously considered peripheral to the field."

While OpenAI might not lose its standing in the industry, Ginat said its role could change. "The industry is witnessing a fascinating tension between two competing visions. One focuses on pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI) through increasingly powerful and comprehensive models. The other emphasizes practical applications through efficient models and methods targeted at specific use cases and benchmarks," he said, comparing OpenAI and DeepSeek. "This tension drives innovation in both directions, and also exists within the big companies."

Pukar Hamal, the CEO of SecurityPal, which helps companies like OpenAI complete security questionnaires, said the industry should temper expectations of immediate change.

"If the DeepSeek team truly can cut training and inference costs by an order of magnitude, it could spark far broader deployment of AI than analysts anticipate," Hamal, told Business Insider. "On the flip side, it'll take more than a few tough earnings calls to make the biggest AI players reconsider the staggering GPU investments we're seeing for 2025."

Meta recently committed $60 billion to AI infrastructure investments. President Donald Trump also announced Stargate last month, a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank that will invest $500 billion into AI infrastructure across the country.

One of the biggest debates among AI innovators is whether open-source models, which the public can access and modify, are more likely to drive breakthroughs than closed-source models. OpenAI says it keeps its models closed for safety, while DeepSeek's models are open-source.

Satya Nitta, the cofounder and CEO of Emergence AI, a company developing AI agents, said that "DeepSeek R1 is a meaningful advance in broadening access to AI reasoning, spotlighting the power of open source and setting a new benchmark for reasoning."

Hamal said we should still approach open-source development cautiously — even if it'll eventually dominate the industry.

"An 'open source' model of unknown alignment invites serious public safety and regulatory questions. If DeepSeek's mobile app keeps climbing the charts, we could end up with a discussion similar to the recent calls to block TikTok in the US," he said. White House advisor David Sacks also raised concerns about DeepSeek's training methods when he told Fox News that it is 'possible' DeepSeek used OpenAI's models to train its own AI model.

Still, "openness typically wins in the long run," Hamal said. "If DeepSeek helps reset an increasingly closed foundational model market, that can be a net positive — so long as we maintain the guardrails that protect customers and the public at large."

If there's one lesson AI executives are taking away from this week, though, it's that it's possible to do more with fewer resources.

Matthew Putman, CEO of Nanotronics, which designs AI-controlled factories, said, "To me, the competition itself is less significant than the validation of a broader principle: AI models can be built more affordably and applied far beyond large language models."

• I try not to be a helicopter parent at home, but there are times when my children need supervision.
• On a recent vacation, however, we felt safe enough to let them have almost total independence.
• We were on a private island, and the independence they had gave them immediate confidence.

These days, many parents favor a hands-on, highly supervised, and tightly scheduled parenting style. However, unlike some of my peers, I'm not much of a helicopter parent. My twins, now 10 years old, have been lucky to grow up in our flat, friendly area of urban Los Angeles, where they enjoy the freedom to pop into neighbors' houses unannounced and unsupervised.

Still, at their age, their freedom is limited by the realities of our big-city environment — and their parents' enforcement of rules meant to protect them from it. So they can't ride their bikes out of sight or walk alone from their school bus stop a few blocks from home; the dangers (vehicular and human) associated with our traffic-packed cross streets are just too risky. And that creates a ceiling for their development and independence.

But the calculus changed for all of us on our recent family vacation when we spent a week at The Brando, a resort built upon a private island in French Polynesia. (Yes, my kids enjoy a posh travel life thanks to my job.) Completely inaccessible to unauthorized visitors — just a speck in the Pacific Ocean 30 miles north of Tahiti — there are no cars on this island, or even on the greater atoll.

We let our kids roam free during our vacation

There are just 35 villas (only a few of which were occupied at the time of our stay), and a staff village, tucked into a paradisical coconut palm jungle reminiscent of Gilligan's Island. That's it. And protected as it is by a lagoon, the waters surrounding the island are completely placid at all times.

For all those reasons, the greatest risk I saw to my kids on the island was sunburn — and my husband and I made sure they were well-slathered with sunscreen to protect against the tropical rays. Beyond that, they were free to explore as they wished — alongside their sibling or, in fact, entirely alone, as they preferred at a given moment.

So with their own keys around their wrists in the form of rubber bracelets, off my kids went. They hopped on their bikes, provided by the resort during our stay, and hit the paved path around the island. As long as they remained on this path, there was no real way to get lost, so they were free to explore among the palm jungles and deserted beaches at will. By the water, they found and named hermit crabs and watched fish swim in the lagoon. On land, they identified plants, swung in hammocks, and got soaked by warm rain.

All this time, they were away from their otherwise omnipresent screens — and also away from their parents and the level of oversight they get at home. The whole vibe was more of a 1970s approach to hands-off parenting, and I watched it pay off quickly.

We saw a change in them

In just a week, without the close supervision they get at home, I saw a change in my kids. They exuded greater independence, curiosity, courage, and confidence. Their problem-solving skills improved in this short time, as did their sense of direction and navigational prowess.

Because they were on their own out there, and they didn't have us feet away at all times to lean on for assistance instinctively, they tended to solve their own small problems — like dusting off a scraped knee after toppling on a bike, and making sure to bring along the stuff they felt they needed (such as swim goggles and water bottles, which I'd normally take responsibility for stashing in my beach bag and divvying out when needed, mom style). It was a refreshing change — for all of us.

I also distinctly noticed a particular joy — a carefree affect I don't see from them as frequently in their highly scheduled and supervised normal lives.

Back home after our trip, we snapped back into our typical patterns — the standard buzzkill associated with post-vacation reentry. Resuming my typical level of parental oversight seemed necessary and appropriate given their still-young age, and amid the real and varied risks of our densely populated county, home to nearly 10 million people and a host of social, political, economic, and climate-related problems. (Soon after, widespread wildfires would decimate the city and close their school for nearly two weeks.)

But I like to think the independence and confidence they gained during their free-range week in paradise will continue to serve them well back in the real world. At any rate, it sure was fun — for all of us — while it lasted.

• The 2025 Grammy Awards will air on Sunday, February 2 at 8 p.m. on CBS and Paramount Plus.
• Presidents, first ladies, and senators have been recognized for their recording achievements.
• Jimmy Carter was nominated for the 10th time this year.

In addition to winning elections, some politicians have also won Grammy awards.

Presidents, first ladies, and members of Congress have been recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for their achievements in recorded sound.

At the 67th Grammy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter is up for best spoken-word album, his 10th Grammy nomination. Carter, who died in December, became the oldest nominee in Grammys history when he was nominated in November at age 100.

Here are nine politicians you may not have known were Grammy winners — and seven more who have been nominated.

Jimmy Carter won three Grammys for best spoken-word album and is posthumously nominated again this year.

Jimmy Carter has been nominated 10 times for best spoken-word album, according to the Grammys' official website. He won for the recordings of his books "Faith — A Journey For All" in 2019, "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety" in 2016, and "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis" in 2007.

This year, the former president is nominated in the best spoken-word album category for "Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration."

Michelle Obama has won two spoken-word Grammy awards.

The former first lady's audiobook for her memoir "Becoming" won best spoken-word album in 2020. In 2024, she won again for the recording of her latest book, "The Light We Carry."

Barack Obama also has two Grammys.

The recordings of Obama's books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" won best spoken-word album in 2006 and 2008, respectively. His presidential memoir audiobook, "A Promised Land," was also nominated in 2022.

Sen. Bernie Sanders received his second Grammy nomination in 2024.

In 2018, Sanders was nominated for best spoken-word album for "Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In" along with actor Mark Ruffalo, who narrated parts of the audiobook. The pair lost to Carrie Fisher, who won a posthumous award for her memoir "The Princess Diarist."

In 2024, Sanders was nominated in the same category for his audiobook, "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's audiobook for her memoir, "A Fighting Chance," was nominated for best spoken-word album at the 2015 Grammys.

Warren lost the award to "Diary of a Mad Diva" by Joan Rivers.

Bill Clinton has two spoken-word Grammys, one for a children's book and one for his memoir.

Clinton's narration of the children's book "Peter and the Wolf: Wolf Tracks" earned him his first Grammy in 2004. The following year, he won best spoken-word album for the audiobook of his presidential memoir, "My Life."

He received two other Grammy nominations for his recordings of "Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World" and "Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy."

Hillary Clinton attended the Grammys in 1997 to accept her award for best spoken-word album.

The then-first lady won a Grammy for the recording of her nonfiction book, "It Takes A Village." She was nominated again in 2004 for the audiobook of her memoir, "Living History."

Al Gore's audiobook for "An Inconvenient Truth" won best spoken-word album in 2009.

The former vice president's audiobook was read by actors Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon, and Blair Underwood, according to its listing on Audible.

Al Franken has won two Grammys: one for best comedy album and one for best spoken-word album.

The former Minnesota senator, who rose to fame as a comedian before entering politics, won best comedy album in 1997 and best spoken-word album in 2004. He has been nominated seven times.

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who represented the District of Columbia in the Senate, won a Grammy for best spoken-word recording.

Jackson advocated for DC statehood in an unpaid Senate position known as a "shadow senator" from 1991 to 1997. He was also appointed as a special envoy to Africa by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

In 1989, Jackson won a spoken-word Grammy for a recorded address entitled "Speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson." He was nominated in the same category in 1985 for "Our Time Has Come."

His musical talents were also recognized at the 22nd Grammy Awards in 1980, when his gospel album "Push For Excellence" was nominated for best contemporary soul gospel performance.

Richard Nixon was nominated for best spoken-word recording in 1979 for his televised interviews with journalist David Frost.

In what became known as "Frost/Nixon" or "the Nixon interviews," the former president sat down with Frost to discuss his presidency and role in the Watergate scandal. The Grammy-nominated interviews were watched by 45 million people, the BBC reported.

Former Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen won a Grammy for a recording of his poem "Gallant Men."

A Republican senator from Illinois, Dirksen took home the Grammy for best spoken word, drama, or documentary recording in 1968. He was also nominated in 1971 for his spoken-word album "Everett Dirksen's America."

Harry Truman was nominated for a Grammy in 1978.

"The Truman Tapes," a series of recorded interviews with Ben Gradus, was nominated for best spoken-word recording at the 20th Grammy Awards.

Former Sen. Sam Ervin recorded a Grammy-nominated album, "Senator Sam at Home."

The album, a mix of stories, jokes, and pop music covers, was nominated for best spoken-word recording at the 17th Grammy Awards in 1975.

In 1965, John F. Kennedy received a posthumous Grammy nomination.

Editor Bill Adler's book "The Kennedy Wit," a compilation of the former president's quotes and humorous quips, became a bestseller in 1964, the year after his assassination, according to Goodreads.

On the recorded version, Kennedy was listed as an artist along with narrator David Brinkley and Adlai Stevenson, who provided an introduction. The album was nominated for best documentary, spoken word, or drama recording.

Ultimately, the cast of the BBC show "That Was The Week That Was" won the category for its tribute to Kennedy.

Former presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson received two Grammy nominations.

Stevenson served as governor of Illinois and ran twice for president as the Democratic nominee in 1952 and 1956.

He was nominated for his first Grammy in 1965 for his contribution to "The Kennedy Wit." He was nominated again in 1967 for "The Stevenson Wit," a similar album featuring selections from his "speeches, press conferences, and off-the-cuff remarks," according to the album cover.

• Stephen and Joanna Vargha moved to Ecuador from North Carolina after retiring early.
• The moved to Cuenca for its lower cost of living, vibrant culture, and welcoming expat community.
• They recommend retiring abroad but said anyone thinking about it should do a lot of research.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen and Joanna Vargha, a married couple who moved from North Carolina to Cuenca, Ecuador, in 2020 after retiring early. Cuenca is located in the Andes mountains and has a population of about 600,000 people. Their interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Stephen: I heard about Cuenca, Ecuador, as a place to retire way back in 2010. I checked it out for a week in 2011 and visited some people I knew there. But I was only 53. So I put it in the back of my head.

In early 2019, my work was taking a toll on me physically and mentally. I had worked at a television station in North Carolina for over 37 years. We already had a retirement house in a small mountain town in North Carolina, so we decided to move there. The plan was to leave my job and look for a one at half the pay because we could afford it. But after several months I couldn't get a job.

We also realized the Affordable Care Act coverage was going to cost around $1,900 a month for the two of us and we were too young for Medicare. I didn't work my butt off for four decades to give my hard-earned money to the insurance companies.

Then Joanna goes, "Let's move to Cuenca." This is a woman who had never been there, doesn't like big cities, grew up in a town of maybe 75,000 people when she left. I was like, "Are you sure?" But that's what we did. So I decided to retire at 61 when we moved to Ecuador.

Joanna: I retired around the same time at 56, and before that worked for an auto insurance website.

We started talking about moving to Cuenca in May of 2019. We visited in September and looked at places. We moved in January 2020 and just barely missed the pandemic lockdown.

Cuenca is a great city with a lot of expats

Stephen: You make friends so easily here. I've visited 29 countries, and I can emphatically say that the people in Cuenca are the friendliest people I have ever met.

Joanna: We have made so many dear friends here that we would never have back home. We would've had to stay working and been too busy. Now we do three-hour lunches here just catching up and having fun.

There are so many things to do here, including art events and going to restaurants. There are lots of musical events. We have a free symphony and it's fabulous.

Stephen: Cuenca is becoming more of an international city. It's considered the arts capital of Ecuador and is called the "Athens of Ecuador" because of its culture and education.

We speak a little Spanish, so we try to respect their culture and speak Spanish when we can, but some people here also speak English.

Stephen: There are an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 foreigners living in Cuenca, mostly from the US and Canada, with Europe at a distant number three. Facebook groups are a great way to meet people and the expat community is very helpful.

Joanna: You rely on each other.

The cost of living is so much lower

Stephen: It's a fraction of the cost of living compared to a good portion of the US, like with housing and food. Our electric and water bills are much lower. Healthcare here is very affordable and good.

Joanna: There are some health things that you can't get done here. You have to go to Quito, about one hour away, or back to the states. But there's a lot of things here that you can get.

A pallet of 30 farm-fresh eggs is like $4.25 here. Fresh produce at the market is also affordable. To ride a bus is 31 cents. A taxi across the city could cost you $6 including tip.

A lot of expats don't even own cars because it's very walkable. We walk everywhere. It's the healthiest we've ever been.

Stephen: We average 35 miles a week. It didn't take long for me to lose my American weight, as I call it. I went from 192 to 168 — just by the fresher food, better food, and walking all around.

There is also a great respect for older folks, and it's not just a cultural thing, it's part of the country's laws. There are discounts for older people, including on taxes, and even separate lines at the bank.

Stephen: One drawback about Cuenca is there's not an international airport. We usually have to fly to Quito.

Communication can be terrible with vendors and government entities. Finding real estate listings is a little more difficult here, but we went to a real estate agent and she found our place for us.

There are certain things you just can't buy here.

Joanna: When we go back to the US to visit we load up our suitcases with stuff to bring back with us. But that's changing literally every day. They're offering more stuff here.

We recommend retiring abroad but do your research

Stephen: For people thinking about moving abroad, research is the most important thing. Facebook, blogs, get more than one source and make sure they're reliable. Definitely visit here.

Joanna: Try to make some local contacts who you can talk to because they'll help you ease into local life.

And we would never suggest doing the visa process on your own. You need a visa lawyer or a facilitator to help you because the rules can change quickly. It wasn't hard to do with the help. We used a group in Ecuador called Visa Angels.

Joanna: We don't plan to leave Ecuador soon, but we are researching end-of-life continuous care right now.

Stephen: We may eventually have to move back to the US despite the high healthcare costs because they just don't have the same assisted living facility options here. But right now, we're very happy here.

Joanna: In the five years we've been here, we've had a pandemic, national protests, and one of the worst droughts in Ecuador's history.

There's good and there's bad in any place that you live, but I like to say that when we knew we had to leave our home, we didn't make lemonade out of lemons. We made Limoncello and lemon pound cake.

It's been such a wonderful adventure. I would've never dreamed that we would be able to do this.

Have a news tip or a story to share? Are you an American who has moved abroad? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Costco and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative deal to avoid a strike.
• Costco Teamsters represents 18,000 workers nationwide who were ready to walk off the job.
• The deal will now be presented to the union's membership for a vote, a Teamsters spokesperson told BI.

Costco and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative agreement to avoid a strike, the union told Business Insider.

The union said the deal would now go to its membership for a vote and that further details would follow.

Costco Teamsters represents 18,000 workers nationwide who were ready to walk off the job after their contract expired at 11:59 p.m. PT Friday.

On January 19, Costco's unionized workers "overwhelmingly" voted in favor of a strike in their strike authorization vote, which received 85% support among those who voted. In a press release at the time, Costco Teamsters accused the company of failing to "bargain constructively" and propose a contract that "reflects the company's record-breaking profits."

"The Costco Teamsters National Negotiating Committee has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract. Additional details will be shared soon. The tentative agreement will be presented to the membership for a vote," the union, Teamsters, said in a statement.

Matt McQuaid, a Teamsters spokesperson, told BI on Friday morning that the outstanding issues at the bargaining table were wages, pensions, and increased protections of union rights.

"The Teamsters are committed to securing a fair and reasonable agreement but are prepared to take action if the wholesale giant fails to deliver," the union previously said in a social media post.

Ahead of Friday's strike deadline, Costco announced in a memo that its next Employee Agreement, which is set to go into effect in March and covers nonunion workers for three years, would include successive pay raises that push compensation to over $30 an hour for workers at the top of its pay scale.

Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was made outside regular working hours.