• I tried all the cheeses I could find at Trader Joe's and ranked them from worst to best.
• I didn't like the white Stilton cheese with apricots at all.
• Trader Joe's creamy Toscano cheese soaked in syrah was my favorite.

Trader Joe's has so many cheese options on its shelves that it can be hard to pick just one.

To find out which varieties are worth the money, I purchased 17 different kinds at my New York City location and tasted each one.

Here's how I'd rank them from worst to best — and which I'd definitely buy again.

Trader Joe's white Stilton cheese with apricots was my least-favorite option.

Trader Joe's white Stilton cheese with apricots primarily tasted like the fruit, so it was cloyingly sweet.

I'd only pair the sweet cheese with a breakfast pastry. Still, I'd prefer to use jam or butter instead.

The Comté cheese was too earthy for me.

I didn't like the Comté cheese because I thought it had a deep, unpleasant earthiness.

This option could be a conversation starter on a cheese board, but I'd pair it with fig jam to take the edge off the strong flavor.

The Cotswold double Gloucester cheese with onions and chives reminded me of a baked potato.

The Cotswold double Gloucester cheese had a smooth, almost Velveeta-like texture. The assertive cheese's onion and chive flavors, which reminded me of a loaded baked potato, grew on me after a few bites.

I'd add this cheese to a steaming hot baked potato, with or without sour cream.

The New Zealand sharp cheddar cheese had a unique aftertaste.

Trader Joe's New Zealand sharp cheddar cheese had a subtle, Swiss-like aftertaste that I didn't love.

However, I liked it better when I tried it alongside pepperoni.

The fontina semisoft cheese wasn't memorable.

The fontina was soft, mild, and one of the most forgettable cheeses I tried. Its subtle flavor, milky texture, and red-wax coating reminded me of the Babybel cheeses I pack in my kids' lunches.

I used it to make a particularly creamy mac and cheese, which my family enjoyed.

Trader Joe's Manchego cheese was fine.

The Manchego had a mild, buttery flavor with a hint of sweetness. I'd describe it as a refined Monterey Jack.

It didn't wow me, but it would probably be good on a burger.

The cheddar cheese with scotch bonnet chile and red peppers had a nice kick to it.

The cheddar cheese with scotch bonnet chile and red peppers was one of the strongest options I tried. It was very sweet, fairly spicy, and soft like a classic pimento cheese.

I could see it serving as a great starter for a spicy cheese dip.

The creamy Danish Havarti cheese would be great on sandwiches.

The Havarti had a creamy texture and mild flavor that could work in plenty of dishes.

It would probably be great on sandwiches, especially because Havarti tends to melt well.

Trader Joe's goat milk cheddar-style cheese was tangy.

Trader Joe's goat milk cheddar-style cheese was a great option. It had a sharp, familiar cheddar flavor and a tanginess from the goat milk.

It was surprisingly creamy for a firm cheese. I'd use it on a roasted-turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo.

Trader Joe's Camembert was a smooth, subtle cheese.

Trader Joe's Camembert was silky and mildly earthy. It would be a great mild option on a cheese plate alongside bold flavors like salami or chorizo.

I might also spread some on a fresh baguette.

The Unexpected cheddar was one of the best cheeses I tried.

I didn't expect Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar to be the best cheddar I tried, but its dry, pleasantly grainy texture and sharp, tangy flavor were addictive.

Next time I make chili, I'll be grating this on top.

The Chiave d' Oro raw milk hard cheese was nutty and mild.

Trader Joe's Chiave d' Oro, which translates from Italian to "golden key," was a hard cheese that was surprisingly creamy in texture. It had a mild, nutty flavor and bitter rind.

I'd pair it with honey on a charcuterie board or add it to a salad with a sweet vinaigrette.

Trader Joe's goat's milk Gouda-style cheese was milder than I expected.

I love Gouda-style goat cheese, so I was excited to try this option from Trader Joe's.

I was initially disappointed that the goat's milk Gouda-style cheese tasted milder than expected. Still, it had a subtle earthy flavor and a delicious creamy texture on a cracker. It was especially tasty when paired with a slice of spicy soppressata.

My kids were fans of the Iberico cheese.

This 4-month-old Spanish cheese made with cow, goat, and sheep's milk was hard and sharp, like a buttery Parmesan.

I could see it pairing well with red wine or fruit, like sliced pears. My Parmesan-loving kids liked this cheese the best.

Trader Joe's raw milk cave-aged Le Gruyère was delicious.

The cave-aged Le Gruyère was especially tasty because of its hearty spiciness, earthiness, and delicately granular texture.

It was a powerful cheese that I'd imagine pairing well with whiskey. To serve, it doesn't need much more than a simple cracker.

Trader Joe's bucheron was more flavorful than I expected it to be.

Though Trader Joe's bucheron was the last cheese I tried, it was the one I ate the most of. The soft-ripened goat's milk cheese had an intense flavor that came on slowly.

It had a soft, creamy texture and pleasant tanginess. It would likely make a tasty, indulgent addition to a salad.

The creamy Toscano cheese soaked in syrah was my winner.

The creamy Toscano soaked in syrah was the clear-cut favorite for me and my wife. It was creamy and granular, sharp and sweet, with only a breath of wine flavor.

This cheese paired nicely with a sweet cracker — I'd recommend the Carr's whole-wheat variety or anything with dried fruit.

This story was originally published in April 2024 and most recently updated on March 3, 2025.

• For years, I overpacked to avoid repeating outfits on vacation.
• Now, I've mastered the art of packing, and my biggest tip is to stick to one color.
• It allows for more outfit combinations. Plus, it leaves room in your bag for fun statement pieces. 

Three summers ago, I sat on my unzipped suitcase in the middle of New Zealand's Auckland Airport and attempted to squeeze my carry-on bag shut.

Strangers avoided eye contact when they spotted me: a helpless over-packer. Sweat glistened on my forehead as I forced the zipper closed. I was already wearing a tank top, sweater, and jacket. Next to me was a tote bag with more clothes and souvenirs. Nearby, my backpack was stuffed to the brim. 

I prayed no one would question my three carry-on bags instead of the allotted two. I also vowed to never overpack again. 

Now, after a handful of two-week-plus international trips, I'm convinced I've mastered the skill of packing. My biggest tip: stick to one color.

One color means more outfit options and more space

After living in New York for three years, I fell into the cliché of wearing all black. Initially, I thought it was an NYC uniform and, hence, a requirement to be trendy in the city. Later, I realized it makes life a whole lot easier.

My abundance of black clothes means I can mix and match textures and shapes without doubting whether the color combination will work together.

For years, I didn't follow this rule when packing for trips. An international trip, to me, is a big celebration.

To mark the occasion (and the pictures that would accompany it), I packed with the goal of never repeating an outfit. I'd ditch the fashion lessons I learned from New York and pack fun colors and untouched pieces from the back of my closet.

Then, I'd end up on a trip not liking anything I packed and repeat outfits again and again.

Finally, I realized that if wearing mainly black makes my day-to-day life easier, it'd probably make my vacation life easier.

By focusing on one color, most of the outfits in my suitcase go together. This allows me to mix and match pieces to create new shapes and new fits without repeating an entire outfit. 

Plus, it saves me room in my bag. If more of my items go together, I can pack less while still having options.

One color doesn't mean you can't pack a statement item or two

I learned that this space-saving tip also means I have room for a statement item or two that I'm confident I'll wear.

When I embarked on a two-week trip to Japan, my suitcase was filled with dark clothes, which gave me the confidence to pack my polka-dot coat.  

I knew my all-black outfits would match the coat, so my statement piece could be worn repeatedly. If I had packed other patterns or more colorful clothes, I likely would've worn the coat once or twice and would've needed room for more coats in my suitcase.

For a two-week trip across Italy and Cyprus, I followed a similar rule and mainly stuck to black clothing. 

Here, my statement pieces were accessories and shoes. I wore colorful earrings, rocked platform sandals, packed trusty button-downs, and found pops of colors in scarves and jewelry I purchased during the trip.

When I look at pictures, I don't think — or care if — it looks like I'm wearing the same thing

One fear I had when I started wearing mainly black on trips was that it might look like I was wearing the same thing in every picture.

I combat that by packing different types of clothes. I might pack a black midi dress that can be worn as a dress, as a skirt, or with long sleeves underneath. Beyond a dress, I'll pack black jeans and black flowy pants. When it comes to shirts, I'll make sure I have tight-fitting tops and loose ones.

By having a variety of styles, I think my outfits vary enough.

Even more importantly, I learned that it doesn't matter if I look similar in pictures.

I care more about the places I visited and the memories I created — regardless of what I was wearing.

• Donald Trump on Monday said tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods are coming.
• The US previously worked out a pause with its neighbors but the time has run out, he said.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 848 points and the S&P 500 was down more than 2%.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the White House will forge ahead with imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

"No room left for Mexico or Canada," Trump told reporters during an unrelated White House event. "The tariffs are all set, they go into effect tomorrow."

Trump's comments deepened a sell-off in the stock market during Monday's trading session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped as much as 848 points and the benchmark S&P 500 was down more than 2%. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 3%, with the tech-heavy index extending its decline after a sharp drop in Nvidia stock during the day.

Earlier in the day, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had left the door open that the president might change his mind. Trump already paused the tariffs for a month based on both countries pledging to do more to stem illegal immigration.

Trump on Monday reiterated his view that the tariffs are punishment for Mexico and Canada for failing to do enough to prevent fentanyl from entering the US.

Both nations have already said how they would retaliate with their own tariffs. Canada published an extensive list of targeted American products, ranging from agricultural products to alcoholic beverages. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously called on his citizens to prepare to forgo American-made goods.

"It might mean checking the labels at the supermarket and picking Canadian made products," Trudeau said last month. "It might mean opting for Canadian rye over Kentucky bourbon, or foregoing Florida orange juice altogether. It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada."

The US imports a range of key goods from the two countries, including crude oil, car parts, and electronics, and trade policy experts previously told BI that new tariffs are likely to increase the prices of those goods.

Trump previously said that Americans would feel "some pain" with tariffs, but the price would be worth it in the end. Still, some companies have started to prepare for price increases caused by the tariffs. Real estate consultants previously told BI that Trump's 25% steel tariff will likely make rent and condo prices surge.

It's unclear how long these tariffs will last. Trump's initial executive order from February said that they would remain in effect until the impacted countries cracked down on their drug and border policy.

This is a breaking news story. Stay with Business Insider.

• Some YouTube creators are adapting their content for TV screens by producing longer videos.
• Longer content on TV can boost revenue with more ad breaks and higher rates.
• YouTubers shared how they're optimizing their videos for the big screen.

YouTube wants to be the new TV, and some content creators are doubling down on it to make more money.

The company said in February that TV had surpassed phones as the main place to watch YouTube in the US. It said that on average, viewers were watching more than 1 billion hours' worth of YouTube on their TVs.

The rising TV viewership is starting to boost ad revenue for some creators.

Jordan Matter, who has 28 million subscribers, makes challenge and skit-based videos featuring his daughter. In the past 28 days, he told Business Insider, 65% of his channel's total ad revenue came from TV, despite TV viewers accounting for 45% of his total audience.

In December, YouTube said creator earnings from TV were up by more than 30% year over year.

Creators including Matter are developing longer videos and compilations as they chase TV viewers and ad dollars. Longer videos can include more ad breaks, thus boosting revenue.

"If you have a 45-minute video, you can have three or four different ad-break segments," Dan Weinstein, a cofounder and co-CEO of Underscore Talent, told BI.

Weinstein said that combining existing videos in compilations was also an easy way for short-form content creators to join the TV trend.

"Really funny, viral short-form stuff actually does tend to do pretty well if sort of strung together," Weinstein said.

Making extra-long videos by piecing together shorter ones

YouTubers don't need highly produced Netflix-style shows to do well on TV. Victor Potrel, a senior vice president of partnerships and creator services at the digital-media company TheSoul Publishing, said he saw YouTube consumption on the TV as an accelerating trend.

"It's more the evolution of people gradually changing their consuming habits but wanting the same content on their TV devices," Potrel said.

TheSoul manages several YouTube channels, including 5-Minute Crafts, Bright Side, and 123 Go. For TV, Potrel said, TheSoul packages videos based on themes such as home decor and builds them into hourslong videos.

"You don't need to radically change the way that you produce content," Potrel said. "Mostly it's been about packaging the content and adapting it for the screen."

The company said TheSoul's share of global views on connected TVs rose to 24% in 2024 from 17% in 2022, and watch time increased to 41% from 28%. Global emerging markets have also shown an increase in TV viewership — for instance, views of TheSoul's content on connected TVs in India doubled from 2022 to 2024, reaching 10%.

Revenue has increased as well. Potrel said longer watch times had led to higher ad rates for TheSoul's creators.

Reaching different audiences on TVs

YouTubers are trying to appeal to both kids and Gen Z viewers on TV. Their viewing behaviors are very different — kids may sit down to watch more engaging pieces of content, while Gen Zers may listen to videos in the background while multitasking.

For Matter, who makes videos for kids, his team has adapted in two ways: They've doubled the length of the videos and elevated production quality with subtitles and video graphics.

Kiana Parker, an executive vice president of programming and content at the sketch-comedy YouTube channel Smosh, said Gen Z and millennial viewers tended to enjoy accessible content on TV that doesn't require a lot of background knowledge.

"What can you put on and be busy folding your laundry to, or go run out of the room to grab something and come back and still feel like you didn't miss the entire thing," Parker said.

Now most of Smosh's content is 30 to 45 minutes long, comparable to a TV series. The Smosh Pit YouTube channel used to frequently upload 12- to 15-minute videos.

"Our current production value splits the difference between quality but also casualness," Parker said. "Our editing style is more free-form, where the editors are inserting jokes into the video or we leave in a blooper."

The Smosh team is continuing to explore new strategies and create content for larger screens — partly because it's reading the tea leaves on where YouTube is headed as a platform.

"Whenever YouTube is really adamant about a product, it's always a quiet indicator to really care about it," Parker said.

• Melania Trump visited the US Capitol Monday to discuss the "Take It Down Act" aimed to help victims of deepfake and revenge porn.
• She arrived wearing a tan suit, matching heels, and a black tie.
• The menswear style is one of a few she's worn so far during Donald Trump's second term in office.

Melania Trump's recent White House fashion can be described in one word: menswear.

The first lady made an appearance at the US Capitol on Monday to support the "Take It Down Act" — a bill that would make posting revenge porn a federal crime.

While entering the discussion via the Senate Carriage hallway, Melania was photographed wearing a three-piece tan suit, black tie, white button-down top, and matching pumps.

The sharp look matches other menswear ensembles she's sported so far during her husband, Donald Trump's second term in office.

Melania wore a similar style almost a week earlier, on February 22, at the 2025 National Governors Association dinner hosted at the White House.

For the occasion, she chose a black suit jacket, skinny, ankle-length dress pants, and a white tuxedo blouse with a sharp collar. The first lady also sported her signature pointed pumps.

Melania's style switch feels significant

The recent masculine shift in Melania's style is significant. Between 2016 and 2020, during her first years in office, the former model more often wore midi dresses, skirt-and-blouse sets, and gowns.

In her first White House portrait, she did wear a suit, though her accessories at the time were feminine. She's seen wearing two diamond rings and a sequined neck scarf in the image.

This time around, however, Melania leaned more strongly into menswear for her official portrait.

Her new portrait shows her wearing a satin suit jacket, a white blouse with buttons left undone, a cummerbund, and pleated pants — all while making a power stance against a table.

The first lady hasn't yet shared any details about why she's started gravitating toward suits.

Still, just like Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris, she seems to have least realized the impact of power dressing.

• Apple is planning something for "this week," according to CEO Tim Cook.
• His X post was concise, but it's a callback to the launch of the first MacBook Air.
• The announcement is likely for the M4 MacBook Air, Bloomberg reported.

Tim Cook is teasing a new Apple launch coming this week.

The CEO kept his Monday X post brief with a simple caption saying, "this week," and a five-second clip. The post stirred up discussions on whether it's a new iPhone, iPad, or something else.

"There's something in the air," the message in the video said.

A big clue may lie in the five-word sentence Cook chose to post. It's a callback to an ad for the first MacBook Air, which was announced in 2008. Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple, famously pulled the laptop out of an envelope to demonstrate its thinness.

Jobs kicked off the announcement with the phrase, "There's something in the air."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts it's the M4 MacBook Air that'll be announced this week. It would bring a new chip to 13-inch and 15-inch Air models as inventory of the current model winds down, Gurman reported.

As of Monday, Apple lists the M3 and M2 MacBook Air models for $1099 and $999, respectively. The M4 MacBook Pro, which was announced in October, starts at $1599.

If there's a product launch this week, it will follow the February announcement of the iPhone 16E — a more affordable model that's compatible with Apple Intelligence.

• "Anora" director Sean Baker made history at the Oscars on Sunday.
• He won each of his four nominations, including the biggest prize of the night, best picture.
• The indie filmmaker previously told BI he doesn't try to make his films more palatable to studios.

If you didn't know Sean Baker's name before Sunday night, you definitely do now.

The director made history at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, becoming the first filmmaker to win four Oscars in one night for the same film. (Walt Disney won four Oscars in 1953, but for four separate films; Bong Joon Ho won four in 2020 for "Parasite," but one was for best international feature, which is technically awarded to the country, not the filmmaker.)

"Anora," a dramedy about a young stripper who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, snagged Baker statues for best director, best original screenplay, best editing, and best picture. The film's lead, Mikey Madison, also picked up a surprise win, beating out frontrunner Demi Moore in the best actress category.

Though Baker was relatively unknown to the general public until now, the buzzy indie filmmaker didn't come out of nowhere. I spoke to Baker in October, months before "Anora" would sweep the Oscars, about his body of work and the state of moviemaking.

Sean Baker's movies are critically acclaimed, but were largely ignored by major awards bodies before 'Anora'

After graduating from New York University's filmmaking program in 1998, the New Jersey-born Baker quickly found his niche by focusing on marginalized communities. Half of his features, including "Anora," are specifically about sex workers.

But making his work more palatable and marketable to a wider audience was never on the agenda.

"I was always shooting myself in my foot. I was always doing something that would make my film probably not accessible to the mainstream," Baker said, citing his inclusion of an unsimulated sex scene in 2012's "Starlet," a movie about porn stars, as an example.

Before "Anora," Baker's most successful film in terms of awards recognition was "The Florida Project," his 2017 slice-of-life drama about a 6-year-old girl and her unemployed single mom living out of a budget motel in Kissimmee, Florida, just outside Walt Disney World. As with "Anora" and most of his movies, Baker pulled quadruple duty, directing, writing, producing, and editing.

Though largely regarded as Baker's best work to date, outside of awards from critics' organizations, Baker didn't earn any statuettes for it — only star Willem Dafoe clinched an Oscar nomination for his supporting role as the motel's owner.

Given his track record with flying under the radar, Baker told BI last fall that he was stunned that "Anora" had broken through to mainstream acclaim.

"I thought it was going to be extremely divisive, quite honestly," he said.

Baker is an outspoken supporter of independent film and theatrical releases

Baker made four speeches at the Oscars, thanking his team, his cast, the film's distributor Neon, his fellow producers (including his wife, Samantha Quan), and the sex workers who have opened up their world to him over the years. He also took the opportunity during his best director win to zoom out and give an impassioned plea to support the theatrical experience.

"Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, and, in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever," Baker said, adding that the experience is "under threat" with theaters, particularly independently owned ones, closing down at unprecedented rates.

"If we don't reverse this trend, we'll be losing a vital part of our culture," he said.

Amid ever-shrinking theatrical release windows, Baker implored filmmakers to keep making films with the big screen experience in mind and asked distributors to focus on theatrical releases.

It's something he also touched on during his wins at both the Directors and Producers Guild Awards in February, where he asked his fellow filmmakers to demand 90-day windows for their films to play in theaters. (IndieWire reported that in 2024, the average theatrical window was a mere 32 days across 85 wide-released movies, dropping off over 13% from the previous year.)

Baker has openly criticized Hollywood's risk-averse tendency to bet on blockbusters and IP-driven films over original dramas. That criticism hasn't always come across well, as when Baker told the Associated Press last year that he missed "mature films for adults" that didn't have explosions or superheroes or weren't genre films.

Some took his lament to be a dig at superhero movies and horror films. Baker clarified his stance to BI and bemoaned coming across as "snotty" in that soundbite.

"I didn't in any way mean to be slamming those films. I actually love action films — it's why I went to NYU, to make the next 'Die Hard' or 'RoboCop,'" he told BI. "What I was trying to say is I wish studios were still making other films."

Baker pointed out that it makes sense why studios prioritize those films, knowing that they'll perform better financially. "Genre films essentially are the films that are keeping theaters alive, and therefore I cherish them, and I am so happy they're there," he said. "But I just would love more variety — dramas and dramedies and just everyday human stories."

He maintained that these explosion-less films are just as cinematic, and just as important to see on the big screen surrounded by a crowd of fellow film lovers. "Anora" was Baker's proof of concept: "I want 'Anora' to be something that is better in a theater with a crowd on the big screen."

That "Anora" has been embraced in this way is a huge win for indie filmmaking, one that should serve as a clue to studios that these movies are worth the marketing effort — it's the director's most financially successful film to date, netting over $40 million worldwide on a $6 million budget.

"I'm just trying to make the best film possible," Baker told BI. "When something is too commercial, there's a reason why. It's often watered down in order to reach the widest audience possible. And therefore, it is not as perhaps provocative or edgy, because it needs to be pretty vanilla to reach everybody."

The 97th Academy Awards may have been a fairytale ending for Baker as a filmmaker, but perhaps it will also be the fairy godmother the indies need.

Closing out his acceptance speech for best picture, Baker put it plainly.

"I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly independent film. This film was made on the blood, sweat, and tears of incredible indie artists. And long live independent film."

• Elon Musk said he agreed that the US should leave NATO.
• Before he became Secretary of State, Marco Rubio made such a move harder.
• Congress passed a law requiring a vote to approve any US withdrawal.

Elon Musk wants the US to leave NATO. Before he joined President Donald Trump's Cabinet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made such a historic move a lot more difficult.

"I agree," Musk wrote on X on Saturday night when a conservative political commentator suggested the US leave the United Nations and NATO.

Before he joined Trump's cabinet, Rubio co-led a congressional effort to handcuff any potential future president who wanted to leave NATO. Trump's name wasn't always mentioned, but it was clear his then-presidential candidacy worried enough lawmakers from both parties to move to rein him in.

Musk's comments come at a critical moment.

NATO members, led by the United Kingdom and France, are discussing how to continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. Talks between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blew up last week. Zelenskyy has said he wants security guarantees as a backstop to any potential peace deal with Russia. The White House proposed a rare earth minerals deal but has been reluctant to lay out a defense plan if Russia violated a potential cease-fire.

Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism over NATO, particularly the possibility that its mutual defense clause, Article 5, could lead the US into war if a nation like Montenegro was attacked. The president has also threatened to leave the alliance if European nations don't spend more on their own defense.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Musk was speaking in his capacity as a senior advisor to the president. Musk is also the de facto leader of the White House DOGE office.

There could be a legal fight on the horizon.

Under the 2023 law championed by Rubio, any NATO withdrawal requires either the approval of 2/3rds of the US Senate or a separate act of Congress. Given that many GOP lawmakers remain staunch NATO backers, it's extremely unlikely Trump could muster such a large majority.

Legal scholars have said that might not be the last word. Trump could simply ignore the law. His White House has suggested that a different congressional restriction related to spending federal funds is unconstitutional.

In such an event, a legal fight could go up to the US Supreme Court. Historically, the judiciary is reticent to get involved in disputes between branches. There are also concerns about whether lawmakers would reach the threshold of standing, the legal ability to bring such a suit in the first place.

Absent a full US withdrawal, there are other ways to undermine NATO.

A recent wargame found that Trump could simply hollow out the alliance by curtailing US support, allowing NATO to whither.

The US holds a powerful perch at both NATO and the United Nations institutions.

It is the largest member of the NATO alliance, and the only country in its 80-year history to invoke its central defense cause, which came after the 9/11 terror attacks. The US is also one of the five permanent members of the powerful UN Security Council, the only UN group that can impose binding resolutions on all 193 member states.

• My expectations of what my life would look like after divorce were very high.
• My real-life experience was nothing like what they show you in rom-coms.
• I'm learning to live on my own, and I have grown and evolved since my divorce.

In the realm of romantic comedy, every ending is also a beginning. This seems to be especially true regarding the ending of a marriage.

In chick flicks and rom-coms, divorce is often portrayed with both tragedy and promise. It's the ending of an era and the beginning of an exciting new chapter filled with self-discovery, spontaneous adventures, wild nights, revenge bodies, and, eventually, a new romance.

It's possible that I have watched too many of these films. My post-marital expectations were very high. Yet, a little over a year after my real-life divorce, I can confirm that reality doesn't follow quite the same script as the movies.

Life after divorce is messy

Real-life healing isn't a quick montage for the screen; it's a messy, sometimes empowering, and sometimes debilitating process. That's not to say that I haven't experienced some of the quirky yet meaningful encounters Hollywood likes to present on screen, with each one contributing to my personal growth.

In the movies, those moments always lead to an inevitable happy ending. After a year on my own, I haven't quite found mine.

I'm not madly in love with someone who I met in a bookstore and who magically heals all the broken parts of me. I haven't even gotten to a second date with any of the few men I deemed worthy of meeting in person. I'm not gainfully employed, either, having left a well-paid full-time job to return to freelance writing just weeks after deciding to leave my now ex-husband.

I did move nearly 2,000 miles across the country, chasing a fresh start in a brand new city (a very main character decision). However, I arrived only to discover that I'd accidentally packed a lot of my hurt and anger in the dozens of boxes that came with me.

Comparing my journey to a movie will lead to disappointment

Hollywood loves exaggerating the ease and romance of this phase of post-divorce reinvention. It's not easy and not terribly romantic most days. There is grief at the end of a relationship, and we all have to grieve in our own way — and in our own time. Comparing my own journey to the ideal I saw in films only led to disappointment.

I have to give the movies credit, though. There is one thing it gets right: the idea that new beginnings are possible.

In the aftermath of my own personal heartbreak, I have experienced unexpected joy, laughter, and, yes, even a revival of self, just as my favorite films promised. At times, these good moments have even felt oddly cinematic — aided, at least once, by using a pair of noise-canceling headphones and a killer Spotify soundtrack.

For the first time in over a decade, I'm learning to live on my own again. My new apartment is filled with carefully selected furniture, artwork, knickknacks, and a bright pink rug that my ex-husband would have hated.

I've evolved as a person

Every short-lived romantic connection I've experienced over the last year has taught me something about myself, whether revealing the parts of me that aren't yet healed or showing me the ways that I truly have grown, evolved, and changed.

On a recent trip to urgent care, a friend's name replaced my ex-husband as my emergency contact. She's one of several friends I've made here, people who have seen me in some of the best and worst moments of the last year despite our relatively short acquaintance.

In a particularly rom-com-esque turn of events, I have also become a steady regular at a bar where all the staff and some of my fellow patrons know me. The regulars who don't yet know my name call me "typewriter girl," thanks to the old manual typewriter I sometimes lug onto the wooden bartop to write.

There are still days that I wish I could summon the powers of Hollywood to script an Oscar-worthy ending to this chapter of my life, days that I'd love to call for the credits with a satisfied flourish.

Real life isn't quite as tidy as a screenplay, and this film won't be wrapping up anytime soon. My life is bigger, more complicated, less predictable, and more nuanced. It can't be contained in a cinema or a neat, 90-minute package. It keeps going, expanding, growing, and changing.

That might be what makes it even better.

• Top hedge funds such as Citadel and Millennium lost money in February, people familiar said.
• Geopolitical tensions brought on by President Donald Trump led to rocky markets last month.
• Some multistrategy rivals, including Balyasny, ExodusPoint, and Verition, still made money.

Some of the biggest hedge funds could not escape unscathed from the volatility brought on by the Trump administration in February.

Managers such as Ken Griffin's Citadel and Izzy Englander's Millennium lost money during the month, which was highlighted by constantly changing trade policy proposals from US leadership and shrinking consumer confidence.

The immediate effect of the geopolitical tensions and potential for a trade war — which research from the asset manager Amundi suggests is a bigger worry for investors than inflation or the deficit — has been a pullback on US equities.

Despite a jump in the last trading day of February, stocks were broadly down last month. The S&P 500 was down by 1.4% for February, bringing the index's 2025 returns to 1.2% through the year's first two months.

Still, several multistrategy funds — which have raised billions in recent years because of their ability to handle volatility — had strong months. Balyasny, which has overhauled its equities team, was up by roughly 0.9%, Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint returned 0.7%, and Verition made 0.6% last month, people close to the firms told Business Insider.

LMR Partners, based in London, was up by 1%, a person close to the firm said, bringing its 2025 returns up to 1.8%. Cliff Asness' $3 billion Apex strategy returned 2.8%, a person close to the manager said.

More firms will be added as returns are learned. The managers below declined to comment or did not immediately return requests for comment.

• Elon Musk will attend Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday night.
• It's similar to a State of the Union address.
• The DOGE leader recently attended Trump's first Cabinet meeting.

Elon Musk is coming back to Capitol Hill on Tuesday night.

The defacto leader of the White House DOGE office will attend President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, a White House spokesman confirmed to BI on Monday.

The speech, expected to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern time, is akin to a State of the Union address, where the president delivers a nationally televised speech before senators and members of Congress in the House chamber.

Trump's address is expected to cover his presidential agenda, and the president could make new announcements on tariffs, taxes, AI, and DOGE.

Musk, a special advisor to Trump, recently attended the president's first Cabinet meeting, standing off to the side in a "tech support" T-shirt while providing an update about DOGE's work.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO last attended a speech in the House chamber in July, when Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress.

• Tariffs are "an act of war, to some degree," Warren Buffett said.
• The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO told CBS, "Over time, they are a tax on goods."
• Trump has threatened tariffs against several countries, which some warn could hurt the US.

Warren Buffett is one of the world's most legendary investors. So, what does he think of tariffs and how they'll affect the economy?

The billionaire chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway says tariffs are "an act of war, to some degree."

"Over time, they are a tax on goods. I mean, the Tooth Fairy doesn't pay 'em!" he said in an interview with "CBS News Sunday Morning" when asked how tariffs would impact inflation. "And then what? You always have to ask that question in economics. You always say, 'And then what?'"

When asked about the current economy, Buffett said: "Well, I think that's the most interesting subject in the world, but I won't talk, I can't talk about it, though. I really can't." He also didn't answer further questions about politics.

The 94-year-old, known as the Oracle of Omaha, added that "a majority of any money I manage will always be in the United States" because "it's the best place."

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has announced or threatened tariffs against several countries. Economists have warned that the US imposing tariffs would likely hurt the domestic economy and that additional costs would likely be passed on to the American consumer rather than to foreign exporters.

Trump proposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada that were initially supposed to take effect in February but were postponed. They are now expected to start Tuesday, though Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said they may not be at a 25% rate.

After placing a 10% tariff on goods from China last month, Trump announced on Thursday he'd impose another 10% tariff on the country, saying it hasn't done enough to stop fentanyl from entering the US.

Trump also announced a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to the US, which is set to take effect on March 12.

He said last month that he'd charge "a reciprocal tariff" on countries that have such taxes on American goods.

He's also threatened to impose a 25% tariff on European Union countries and said he'd slap a 100% tariff on BRICS nations if they replaced the US dollar as their reserve currency.

Buffett has supported presidential candidates in the past, including backing Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, but he declined to make an endorsement in the 2024 election.

"I'm worried about people impersonating me and that's why we put that on the Berkshire website," Buffett told CNBC about his decision not to endorse last year. "Nobody should believe anybody saying I'm telling them how to invest or how to vote."

• Diane Warren is tied for the longest losing streak in Academy Awards history.
• At the 2025 Oscars, Warren lost her 16th bid for best original song.
• Her nominations include songs performed by Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Lady Gaga, and Becky G.

Diane Warren went home empty-handed from the 2025 Oscars on Sunday, marking her 16th straight loss for best original song.

"I'm consistent as fuck," Warren told Variety on the after-party red carpet. "I'm the Terminator of the Oscars — I'll be back. That's in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice. I'm coming back. You can't get rid of me."

Warren, who has also written pop hits with stars like Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, and Cher, is the most-nominated woman in the category's history. She is tied with Paul Francis Webster and trails just two others for the all-time record: Johnny Mercer (18) and Sammy Cahn (26). However, of those four legendary songwriters, only Warren has never won the award.

In fact, only one other person has been nominated for 16 Oscars without a single win: sound mixer Greg P. Russell, whose last nomination (and loss) was in 2013 for his work on the James Bond film "Skyfall." (Russell should have been up for his 17th sound mixing award in 2017, but his nomination was rescinded for "violation of Academy campaign regulations," Deadline reported.)

As of Sunday, Warren is tied with Russell for the longest losing streak in Oscar history. All 16 of her nominated songs are listed below in chronological order.

"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" from "Mannequin" (1987)

Performed by: Starship

What beat it: "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from "Dirty Dancing"

"Because You Loved Me" from "Up Close & Personal" (1996)

Performed by: Celine Dion

What beat it: "You Must Love Me" from "Evita"

"How Do I Live" from "Con Air" (1997)

Performed by: Trisha Yearwood

What beat it: "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic"

"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from "Armageddon" (1998)

Performed by: Aerosmith

What beat it: "When You Believe" from "The Prince of Egypt"

"Music of My Heart" from "Music of the Heart" (1999)

Performed by: Gloria Estefan and *NSYNC

What beat it: "You'll Be in My Heart" from "Tarzan"

"There You'll Be" from "Pearl Harbor" (2001)

Performed by: Faith Hill

What beat it: "If I Didn't Have You" from "Monsters, Inc."

"Grateful" from "Beyond the Lights" (2014)

Performed by: Rita Ora

What beat it: "Glory" from "Selma"

"Til It Happens to You" from "The Hunting Ground" (2015)

Performed by: Lady Gaga

What beat it: "Writing's on the Wall" from "Spectre"

"Stand Up for Something" from "Marshall" (2017)

Performed by: Andra Day and Common

What beat it: "Remember Me" from "Coco"

"I'll Fight" from "RBG" (2018)

Performed by: Jennifer Hudson

What beat it: "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born"

"I'm Standing With You" from "Breakthrough" (2019)

Performed by: Chrissy Metz

What beat it: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from "Rocketman"

"Lo Sì (Seen)" from "The Life Ahead" (2020)

Performed by: Laura Pausini

What beat it: "Fight for You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah"

"Somehow You Do" from "Four Good Days" (2021)

Performed by: Reba McEntire

What beat it: "No Time to Die" from "No Time to Die"

"Applause" from "Tell It Like a Woman" (2022)

Performed by: Sofia Carson

What beat it: "Naatu Naatu" from "RRR"

"The Fire Inside" from "Flamin' Hot" (2023)

Performed by: Becky G

What beat it: "What Was I Made For?" from "Barbie"

"The Journey" from "The Six Triple Eight" (2024)

Performed by: H.E.R.

What beat it: "El Mal" from "Emilia Pérez"

• I tried and ranked five fish sandwiches from McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Popeyes.
• I was impressed by McDonald's classic Filet-O-Fish and tartar sauce.
• However, Popeyes had my favorite sandwich.

Fish sandwiches are popular spring offerings at many fast-food chains, but which chain has the best one?

Every year, fast-food chains release fish sandwiches to coincide with Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. During that time, Catholics abstain from eating meat but can eat fish on Fridays. This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5.

McDonald's has been selling fish sandwiches since the 1960s. The chain's Filet-O-Fish was born after a franchisee in a highly Catholic area of Ohio noticed his restaurant's sales suffered on Fridays.

The franchisee brought the idea of selling a fish sandwich to McDonald's then-CEO Ray Kroc, who was appalled at the idea of adding a fish sandwich to his hamburger empire's lineup.

"I don't care if the Pope himself comes to Cincinnati. He can eat hamburgers like everybody else. We are not going to stink up our restaurants with any of your damned old fish," Kroc recalled in his 1977 memoir, "Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's."

However, customers couldn't get enough, and by 1965, the Filet-O-Fish became a permanent fixture on McDonald's menus nationwide.

Since the Filet-O-Fish was introduced, nearly every fast-food chain has added a seasonal fish sandwich to their menus during the Lent season.

Popeyes introduced its first flounder fish sandwich in 2021 and added a spicy fish sandwich to its menu the following year, perhaps aiming to capitalize on the incredible success of its spicy chicken sandwich in 2019.

But which sandwich is the tastiest and offers the best value?

For a definitive ranking, I tried all the fish sandwiches I could from McDonald's, Burger King, Popeyes, and Wendy's.

Here's every fast-food fish sandwich ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite fish sandwich was the crispy panko fish sandwich from Wendy's.

The sandwich cost $9.36 from my local Wendy's in Brooklyn, New York, excluding tax and fees.

It was supposed to come topped with lettuce, a slice of American cheese, pickles, and tartar sauce. Strangely, my sandwich came with tomato instead of lettuce.

This was obviously just an error made by the employees at my specific Wendy's. However, I decided to go ahead and try it anyway.

I enjoyed the crispy fish patty, and the tartar sauce had a subtle flavor.

I couldn't quite get past the tomato, though. It added a strange flavor to an overall OK sandwich. After removing the tomato, I liked the sandwich a bit more.

If you order this yourself, you'll probably have a better experience than I did, with the correct toppings.

My fourth favorite sandwich was the Big Fish sandwich from Burger King.

It cost $7.39 from my local Burger King in Brooklyn, New York, excluding tax and fees.

The Alaskan pollock patty came topped with tartar sauce, lettuce, and crunchy pickles on a toasted potato bun.

I thought the sandwich could have used a touch more tartar sauce, and the lettuce could have been spread out more to ensure an evenly distributed bite of all the ingredients.

The pickles were very crispy and I loved the texture of the potato bun.

However, I thought the fish patty could have been just a touch flakier on the inside. The texture was more chewy than some of the other sandwiches I tried.

My third favorite was the classic flounder fish sandwich from Popeyes.

It cost $5.99 from my local Popeyes in Brooklyn, New York, excluding tax and fees.

The top of the sandwich had a smattering of tartar sauce, and underneath the flounder patty were layers of pickles and more tartar sauce.

It came on a brioche bun, just like Popeyes' other sandwiches.

I really liked how crispy the fried fish patty was, and it had a lot of savory flavor.

The tartar sauce was tart without being too overpowering. The pickles were thickly cut, which impressed me. Overall, I really enjoyed this sandwich and would definitely order it again.

My second favorite was the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish.

It cost $5.99 at my local McDonald's in Brooklyn, New York, excluding tax and fees.

The sandwich came with a very generous serving of tartar sauce and a half-slice of American cheese.

The cheese slice was slightly hanging off the burger, so I moved it more to the center before diving in.

In 2023, a TikTok user claimed the size of the Filet-O-Fish patty appeared to have shrunken over the years, citing "shrinkflation," a tactic reportedly used by chains in which they reduce the size of their menu items in response to rising costs.

However, McDonald's responded that the "size and build of the Filet-O-Fish, including a half slice of American cheese, has not changed in decades." I didn't notice anything surprising about the size — I thought it seemed average for a burger.

This sandwich had the flakiest fish patty, in my opinion.

The layers of fish flaked off with each bite, which I didn't find with any other sandwich.

I also loved the amount of tartar sauce included on this sandwich — it added a lot of flavor and moisture, without being overpowering. I didn't really taste the cheese, and think the sandwich would have been just as good or better without that addition.

My favorite fish sandwich was the spicy flounder fish sandwich from Popeyes.

It cost $5.99 from my local Popeyes in Brooklyn, New York, excluding tax and fees.

Instead of tartar sauce, the sandwich came topped with spicy spread and pickles.

I was interested to see if I would miss the tartar sauce, since I liked it on the classic Popeyes fish sandwich.

I loved the spicy flavor of the mayo with the fish and crunchy pickles.

I thought this sandwich was the most flavorful, and also a great value at $5.99. I loved how the spicy mayo added not only a delicious amount of flavor but also added moisture to the fish patty.

The crinkle-cut pickles tasted fresh, and I didn't feel weighed down by the ingredients. I would definitely order this sandwich again.

• I bought five frozen meals at Trader Joe's and made them all in my air fryer.
• The store's shrimp burgers and carne-asada burritos were pretty much made for the air fryer.
• Sadly, I couldn't get a perfectly crisp and bubbly cup of French onion soup in the air fryer.

I'm a chef and love using my air fryer to whip together quick, easy meals.

Some of Trader Joe's frozen items seem designed for the countertop appliance. However, it can be hard to tell which ones are better off in the microwave or on the stove.

As a test, I made five of Trader Joe's popular frozen meals — shrimp burgers, chicken fried rice, chiles rellenos con queso, carne-asada burritos, and French onion soup — in my air fryer.

Here's how they turned out.

Trader Joe's shrimp seafood burgers are made for air-frying.

I air-fried a couple of frozen shrimp seafood burgers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

They came out plump and juicy with a lovely golden crust on the outside.

Because the burgers were so juicy, they made a bit of a mess in my air-fryer basket. However, it was quick and easy to clean it out.

Chicken fried rice was a bit of a dark horse.

I don't like making frozen fried rice in the microwave because it stays soft and mushy, but I don't always have the energy to stand over a frying pan.

The air fryer seems like a smart alternative to enhance crispiness.

I dumped about half the bag of Trader Joe's chicken fried rice directly into my air-fryer drawer and cooked it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

The chicken cooked nicely without drying out, and the veggies turned bright and crisp, not overcooked or mushy. My one disappointment was that the rice didn't get quite as crispy as I'd hoped.

The chiles rellenos con queso came with air-frying instructions.

Trader Joe's box of frozen chiles rellenos includes two batter-covered, cheese-stuffed peppers.

I followed the box's specified air-fryer instructions to heat the peppers at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping halfway.

They came out beautifully golden — the crust was crunchy and light, and there was no shortage of delicious cheese inside. However, perhaps because of this, the poblanos themselves almost became more of an afterthought flavor-wise.

The carne-asada burritos were another air-frying win.

Trader Joe's carne-asada burritos feature thinly sliced grilled beef and onions wrapped in a thick flour tortilla.

I air-fried a single frozen burrito at 350 degrees for 13 minutes.

The tortilla came out stiffer and darker than if I'd microwaved it, and the interior was still nice and moist. I find the microwave can dry things out sometimes.

The meat was juicy, and there was a good amount of it, but the burrito still benefited from a dunk in spicy salsa for more flavor.

It might sound silly, but I wanted to test the frozen French onion soup.

That's right, soup in the air fryer.

According to the instructions on the box, you're supposed to microwave the soup for five minutes. However, I wanted to maximize the crispy, cheesy top to imitate a restaurant-style crock of French onion soup.

I placed the frozen soup puck in an oven-safe glass container and put it in my air fryer at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

When the timer went off, I got the crispy crown I was after, but the center of the soup wasn't totally defrosted. I was forced to stir until it was fully melted, which scattered the cheese.

Even though I didn't have the top I wanted, once the soup was heated through, it was delicious. The cheese found its way into nearly every bite.

I'm excited to keep cooking most of these in my air fryer.

Overall, the air fryer seems to be a good match for many of Trader Joe's frozen offerings.

I'd choose the appliance every time for the shrimp burgers since it's hands-off. I think it cooks them a little more evenly and reliably than the stove.

I also loved the texture and cheesiness of the air-fried chiles rellenos, and I'm excited to liven them up in the future with extra salsa or taco sauce.

If you like a crispy burrito, the air fryer is definitely the way to go for Trader Joe's frozen offerings.

Although it wasn't absolutely perfect, when I'm in a rush and can't pan-fry the chicken fried rice, I much prefer the air fryer to the microwave.

All that said — and this may not come as a surprise — there's no clear advantage to cooking the French onion soup in an air fryer. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the perfect, crispy topping for that one.

• Cisu Capital, run by Mark Wills, launched its commingled fund on Monday.
• The firm began trading with an SMA with roughly $200 million from Squarepoint in August.
• The commingled fund has more than $100 million, thanks in part to a large endowment's backing.

The Elliott Management spinout Cisu Capital has started trading in its first commingled fund, seven months after it began managing money for a single outside investor.

Cisu, run by the former Elliott portfolio manager Mark Wills, began trading with capital from the hedge fund Squarepoint in August, running $200 million in a separate account. Its commingled fund raised more than $100 million, two people familiar with the firm told Business Insider, with a large endowment among the new investor base.

Cisu, based in London, declined to comment.

Wills spent more than a decade at the billionaire Paul Singer's firm, with a stop at King Street Capital before that. His new firm, which focuses on the financial services sector, has been able to do what many new launches have struggled to do: raise a commingled fund.

Commingled funds have large pools of investors and are what investors have typically signed on to when investing into a hedge fund, while separately managed accounts, or SMAs, offer a tailored investment strategy. This often allows LPs to customize risk limits, liquidity terms, and fees.

A ripple effect of the growth of big-name platforms such as Millennium has been an increase in the number of new managers being launched via SMAs. Large allocators often prefer SMAs because they give them more transparency on a manager's holdings and they can negotiate on fees.

A recent Goldman Sachs report noted that capital in SMAs grew by 27% year over year, with nearly one out of every five allocators using the structure. Allocators are using young managers' lack of scale to their advantage, pushing for new launches and emerging funds to adopt the structure if they want capital.

The Goldman report said more than half of the capital in firms with less than $500 million in assets was held in SMAs, up from 41% at the end of 2020.

Cisu is one of several launches from former Elliott investors in recent years.

• After a monthlong delay, Trump said he'll place new tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday.
• Trump already placed a 10% tariff on China, and more could be coming.
• Here are the goods imported into the US the most from these three countries.

When evaluating how President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China could impact Americans, start by looking at the goods imported most from those countries.

The biggest categories are oil, electronics, and vehicles.

Trump reached a deal with the leaders of both Canada and Mexico to delay tariffs by a month in early February, and with the delay coming to an end, new tariffs are set to go into effect on Tuesday. It's unclear if Trump will stick with the 25% level, his commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said on Fox News on Sunday.

"There are going to be tariffs on Tuesday on Mexico and Canada," Lutnick said. "Exactly what they are, we're going to leave that for the president and his team to negotiate."

The president has already hit China with a 10% tariff, and Lutnick confirmed that more is coming unless the country cracks down on its drug policies, particularly to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US.

While details surrounding the implementation of the tariffs are still unclear, the proposed tariffs could affect a wide variety of goods Americans use daily. The Census Bureau reported that in 2024, the US imported over $1.3 trillion in goods from China, Mexico, and Canada combined.

From Canada, the top 2024 imports included over $98 billion worth of crude oil and about $28 billion in passenger cars.

The US imported nearly $67 billion worth of car parts from Mexico in 2024, along with $43 billion in computers, $14 billion in medicinal equipment, and $12 billion in crude oil.

China, meanwhile, is a major supplier of electronics to the US. The census data showed that in 2024, the US imported $64 billion in cell phones and other household goods from China, $34 billion in computers, and about $31 billion in games, toys, and sporting goods.

Some companies have already been preparing to increase prices as a result of Trump's tariff plans on the campaign trail. Real estate consultants previously told BI that Trump's trade plans, particularly his 25% tariffs on steel, are set to make rent and condo prices more expensive.

Walmart CFO John David Rainey also told CNBC on November 19 that price hikes are likely on the horizon if Trump implements his tariffs: "We never want to raise prices. Our model is everyday low prices. But there probably will be cases where prices will go up for consumers."

Additionally, Trump's plans could amplify economic strains between the US and its trading partners. Both Canada and Mexico threatened retaliatory tariffs in early February to push back against Trump's tariffs. Trudeau said in a statement at the time that if 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."

Companies and economists have said that Trump's tariff plans would increase consumer prices. BI previously reported that Trump's broad tariff proposals were likely to increase prices across the board, from clothes and footwear to computers and video games.

Trump has previously denied that would be the case. "I am going to put tariffs on other countries coming into our country, and that has nothing to do with taxes to us. That is a tax on another country," Trump said in an August speech. However, he told reporters in early February that Americans will experience "some pain" as a result of the tariffs, but he said they will overall be beneficial for the country.

The tariffs implemented during Trump's first term did not significantly influence inflation, but his recently announced tariffs are broader and could have a larger impact on prices.

At this point, however, Trump's proposals could still change. During his first term in 2019, Trump announced new tariffs on Mexico with the aim of strengthening the border, but following criticism from lawmakers — including some Republicans — he withdrew the plan.

• Celebrities flocked to the Vanity Fair Oscar party in Los Angeles on Sunday.
• The red carpet had plenty of high-fashion looks, but some stars didn't wear their best outfits.
• Kim Kardashian's gown looked out of place, and Megan Thee Stallion's dress was a little too daring.

The 2025 Academy Awards came and went on Sunday, and A-list stars closed out the night at Vanity Fair's annual Oscar after-party in Los Angeles.

Celebrities arrived at the event in red-carpet attire, and many Oscars attendees changed into second looks for the evening.

There were plenty of stylish outfits at the event, but there were also stars who didn't nail their looks, from poorly tailored outfits to dresses that didn't suit the occasion.

Take a look at the outfits that missed the mark at the Vanity Fair after-party.

Kim Kardashian

Kardashian went bridal for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a custom Balenciaga gown. The white, strapless look had a corset bodice, a full skirt, and ruching from top to bottom.

That said, it looked far more like a wedding dress than a fun, after-party frock. The same gown in a different color could have been more interesting, and accessorizing with statement jewels would have been fun.

John Legend

Legend sported an all-black ensemble consisting of baggy trousers, a thick skirt, and a high-necked, long-sleeved poncho.

Unfortunately, the outfit wore him — it was too oversized and overwhelming in shape.

Zoe Saldaña

Saint Laurent designed the Oscar winner's after-party look. It featured a black long-sleeved top that Saldana wore without a bra, a peach high-low skirt with thick ruffles and a train, and sheer black tights.

Though the color combination looked sharp on Saldaña, the top half of the outfit was too casual for the Oscars-related event. A black halter top or strapless bodice would have been a better match.

Jeremy Pope

Jeremy Pope looked dapper at the Oscars in a simple black Balmain suit decorated with bowties. His after-party look, however, wasn't as strong.

He arrived wearing a wide-legged leather catsuit and platform boots. Though the bottom half of his outfit had potential, its bodice only covered half of Pope's chest before extending into a scarf that covered his mouth. The outfit was ultimately more odd than fashionable.

Taraji P. Henson

Henson was one of the few stars to wear a minidress after the Oscars.

But the asymmetrical piece looked more messy than daring. Its sparkling embellishment attached at the dress' waistline looked especially out of place.

Julianne Hough

From the front, Hough's black-and-white gown was eye-catching. It had a leotard-like top with sheer panels showing her arms and waist, and a ruched, cream-colored skirt that added elegance.

It was the other side of the gown, however, that ruined the look. Its backless design extended so low — all the way to Hough's backside — that it was more distracting than interesting.

Matt Bomer

Bomer's Valentino tuxedo had a classic silhouette, and his relaxed tie and decorative brooch paired well with the look.

However, his patterned scarf was distracting, particularly because he wore it tucked under the tuxedo jacket. The look would have been better if Bomer ditched the superfluous accessory.

Lily-Rose Depp

Depp took a unique approach to Chanel, wearing two pieces that were more daring than usual for the fashion house.

Her bralette-style top was sheer and had a sequined bow pattern, and her low-waisted skirt was pleated and made from green tulle. But because the garments sat so far apart on Depp's body, it looked like she was missing a chunk of her outfit.

Megan Thee Stallion

Stallion isn't a stranger to taking risks on the red carpet, but the green gown she wore to the after-party was a bit too daring for the setting.

The green, mermaid-style dress hugged her figure, and feathers on the bodice floated out from the dress like a peacock's plume. The neckline was so low that the rapper's chest was completely exposed, with only green nipple pasties providing her with coverage.

The dress would have been great if the neckline was a bit higher or if Meg had worn a statement bralette with the garment instead of pasties.

Michael Urie

While it was fun that Urie didn't just wear a traditional suit, there was too much going on in his sheer, lace-embellished set. The beading and lace on his jacket and pants were so intricate that they were hard to look at when they overlapped, and the wide leg of his pants didn't help.

Urie may have had a more balanced look if he paired the statement jacket with simpler pants.

Sarah Paulson

You couldn't miss Paulson's Marc Jacobs dress, both because of the red color and the massive bubbles of fabric that adorned the hem, backside, and neckline of the dress.

The play on volume could have been fun, but the bubbles were so big that not even Paulson's simple black clutch or heels could detract from them. Slightly less fabric would have made the look stronger.

Anna Kendrick

The black cocktail dress Kendrick wore from Ashi Studio was pretty — its fabric had a fun sheen and a bubble skirt hit above her knee.

However, flower-shaped sequin embroidery on the hemline and one sleeve took the dress from sleek to clunky. The look would have stood out more if it didn't have so many embellishments.

Ice Spice

Ice Spice wore a floor-length mustard skirt and coordinating cardigan, without a shirt.

The cardigan made the whole look feel casual for the red carpet, though, and Ice may have looked more red-carpet-ready if she paired the skirt with a formal top.

Laverne Cox

Cox's black dress looked more like a costume than a red-carpet outfit, particularly because of the way it was styled.

The archival Manfred Thierry Mugler dress formed a scalloped, halter neckline that looked like a spiderweb. Cox paired the dress with black gloves, and her dramatic hair and makeup included a short, black hairstyle, no eyebrows, and red lips.

The outfit would have been perfect for a chic Halloween party or themed event, but it didn't quite work for the after-party.

• The Nissan Rogue Rock Creek is a new, off-road-focused version of the brand's popular compact SUV.
• I was impressed by the Rogue Rock Creek's peppy engine, comfortable cabin, and fun off-road looks.
• I was disappointed by the lack of skid plates and powertrain to back up the rugged looks.

The Rogue compact SUV has been Nissan's best-selling model in the US over the past decade.

I drove a well-equipped Nissan Rogue SL last year and was impressed by its peppy performance, comfortable cabin, and good fuel economy.

This year, Nissan introduced a new off-road-focused variant called the Rogue Rock Creek, comparable to Toyota's RAV4 Woodland Edition and Subaru's Forester Wilderness. It's the second Nissan model to receive the Rock Creek treatment, following the larger, midsize Pathfinder Rock Creek.

Even though it doesn't quite have the off-road hardware and beefed-up drivetrain to back up the rugged looks, the Rogue Rock Creek remains a capable compact crossover.

I recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek.

The base front-wheel-drive 2025 Rogue S starts at $29,230, while the fully-loaded all-wheel-drive Rogue Platinum starts at $40,920.

The middle-level Rock Creek trim starts at $35,420, but premium paint, luxury options, and freight fees push the as-tested price to $38,025.

The Rock Creek edition comes with special styling that sets the trim apart.

The Rock Creek trim comes with a black front grille with Lava Red accents and triple air vents that evoke Nissan's rugged Hardbody pickup trucks of the late 1980s and 1990s.

The Rock Creek also includes special extras like 17-inch all-terrain tires and a heavy-duty roof rack.

Frustratingly, the Rock Creek edition has the same 8.2 inches of ground clearance as all other Rogues. It's also missing the underbody skid plates needed for rough terrain, like those found on Nissan's off-roading-focused PRO4X trim Frontier pickup.

Unlike the Pathfinder Rock Creek, which received a brawnier V6, the Rogue Rock Creek is powered by the same 3-cylinder engine found across all trims.

Nissan's KR15DDT turbocharged variable compression engine produces a solid 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. The gutsy three-cylinder engine also emits a surprisingly robust sound.

The three-cylinder engine is equipped with Nissan's unique variable compression technology, which can vary the compression ratio for hard acceleration or more efficient operation while cruising.

The transmision remains the weak point in the Rogue's drivetrain and doesn't fully exploit the punchy turbocharged engine's performance. The transmission feels inconsistent, and its artificial shift points feel a bit rubbery.

My test car boasted EPA fuel economy figures of 27 miles-per-gallon city, 32 highway, and 29 combined. The Rock Creek, with its bulky all-terrain tires, gets two miles per gallon less than other all-wheel-drive Rogues.

The Rock Creek is the only trim that comes standard with all-wheel-drive.

My test car came with the same five different drive modes (Eco, Snow, Sport, and Off-road) as all AWD-equipped Rogues. However, the Rock Creek edition is the only trim to get Hill Descent Control, which helps maintain traction down steep slopes.

The Rogue delivers peppy performance with a soft, comfortable ride.

Just like the Rogue SL I drove a few months ago, the Rock Creek delivers a friendly and pleasant driving experience. The chunky all-terrain tires have not hindered the Rogue's on-road performance or contributed to any appreciable road noise. In fact, its more substantial sidewalls contribute to a softer, more comfortable ride.

The Rogue's turbocharged engine produces strong power throughout the rev range, and it remains remarkably quiet and smooth even under the strain of hard acceleration.

The Rock Creek's cabin is attractive and logically designed

The cabin's ergonomics and build quality are excellent. All of the controls and buttons are intuitively placed, making button hunting minimal. There are also plenty of storage nooks and a variety of USB, 12V, and wireless charging options.

Atop the center console is a small eight-inch infotainment touchscreen. Higher trim models get a sleek 12.3-inch unit. The NissanConnect infotainment system is pretty simple and easy to use but feels dated.

Fortunately, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

My test car came standard with a 360-degree camera system.

Exclusive to the Rock Creek trim is a special Off-Road View feature that gives the driver a visual of what's immediately in front of and on the side of the vehicle, allowing for more precise tire placement when off-roading.

My test car's front seats came with attractive lava red accent stitching and badging.

The seats, which are upholstered in black leatherette and waterproof nylon, were incredibly comfortable.

The Rogue's second-row split-folding bench seat offers plenty of room for two adults or a fairly cramped experience for three.

Its 38.5 inches of legroom is on par for the segment.

Open the motion-activated rear liftgate, and you'll find 31.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

Fold down the rear seat to expand cargo capacity to 74.1 cubic feet, smaller than competitors like the Hyundai Tucson and Honda CR-V

The Rock Creek comes standard with Nissan ProPilot Assist.

The adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist worked well on straight roads.

My verdict: See past the rugged styling, and you'll find a thoroughly sensible and capable compact SUV.

Despite the rugged styling, the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek is not a true off-roader, thanks to its funky transmission and the lack of skid plates to prevent damage to the underbody.

Thus, it's neither a pavement princess nor a rock-crawling beast. It lives somewhere in the middle. Perhaps as a helpful tool for the weekend adventurer who needs to drive on dirt roads to reach a campsite.

The reality is that most Rogue Rock Creeks will never leave the pavement and will be destined to spend their lives shuttling about suburbia. And that's OK because, at its core, the Rogue is an excellent compact crossover with a peppy performance, good fuel economy, and a comfortable cabin.

• Google's "ask for me" tool uses AI to call businesses for service details and availability.
• The tool is limited to nail salons and auto shops and requires users to opt in.
• If the tool expands to medical offices and customer service lines, it could be a game changer.

Google launched its "ask for me" tool on Search Labs a little over a month ago, and it's good news for those who find picking up the phone to call local businesses daunting or time-consuming.

The experimental tool uses artificial intelligence to call businesses near you to find out how much a service costs and when it's available. For now, it works only for nail salons and auto shops, and you have to opt in to try it. If Google expands this tool, though, it could become an everyday application of agentic AI for consumers.

The experiment is available on desktop and mobile, though I had some trouble getting the tool to work on my desktop for nail salons. The "ask for me" banner shows up when you search terms like "oil change" or "nail salons near me."

Once the banner shows up, you can click on "get started" to fill out details about the type of service you're looking for. If you're looking for an auto service, it will give you 25 service options. You'll also have the option to enter your car model and year.

For nail salon requests, Google asks what kind of nail service you want. Then it provides nine manicure options, including dip powder or nail art, and four for pedicures. It will also ask if you want extra services like a massage, nail extensions, or dip removal. For both categories, it will ask whether you want the soonest availability or if you're looking specifically for a week or weekend slot.

Google will confirm it received your request over text or email, depending on your choice. Then, assuming businesses are open, you'll get a full report on local services offered within about 30 minutes. For those who picked up the call from Google, you'll see details from the conversation, like the pricing and soonest availability. It will also give you a list of businesses that didn't pick up the phone.

I sent multiple requests over the past few weeks to test out the tool's functionality and accuracy. To verify the results, I also contacted the businesses directly to confirm prices, availability, and whether they had actually received a call.

I heard from one of the salon workers that it didn't sound like a human called — and they were left a little confused. Another salon worker asked whether the Google call was spam, though they still picked up and provided the information it asked for.

There are multiple nail salons in my area, so Google was able to get about five businesses on the line in a 30-minute span. But if you're in a more rural area, you might not get as thorough of a report.

For now, I don't see myself needing to use this service given I rarely go to the nail salon and don't use a car. That said, I would use this on a regular basis if it expanded its capabilities to call medical offices, insurance companies, customer service lines for store brands, and mailing centers.

If the service expands, some form of identity verification may be needed, along with clearer boundaries about what the AI can inquire about. That said, I'm looking forward to a future where I can hopefully spend less time on the phone asking for basic information.