• The owners of Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Illinois are trying to sell it via private auction.
• The home was listed for $199,900 before the pope's appointment. Now, bids start at $250,000.
• The auction winner may not get to enjoy it because the local government wants to acquire the home.

People bidding to buy Pope Leo XIV's modest childhood home in Illinois could face some stiff competition — from the local government.

The innocuous three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in the Village of Dolton was thrust into the spotlight when Pope Leo XIV became the leader of the Catholic Church.

The current homeowner purchased the property in May 2024 for $66,000, listed it for $219,000 in January, and dropped the price to $199,900 in February.

After the pope's appointment on May 8, the owner, inundated with offers and new options, delisted the home until last week when it was put up for auction through Paramount Realty USA. The reserve price is $250,000, and potential buyers have until June 18 to bid.

"It's like a collectible car they only made one of," Steve Budzik, the homeowner's real estate agent, told BI earlier this month.

Potential buyers, however, will be going up against the Village of Dolton, which has said through its attorney that it plans to acquire the home either through direct purchase or eminent domain laws. Eminent domain laws allow governments to make private property available for public use.

"If a direct purchase from the seller cannot be negotiated, the Village will cause Eminent Domain proceedings to be filed in Court and take the property through the legal process," Burton S. Odelson wrote in an email to BI. "The Village hopes a direct purchase is completed without court action."

Odelson, who's been in contact with the listing broker, said the Village of Dolton is working with the Chicago Archdiocese to determine the best use of the space.

Although relying on local eminent domain laws is an option, Odelson said it's a last resort. That process involves litigation, which means attorney fees, court costs, appraisal costs, and time.

Under eminent domain laws, the Village of Dolton would have to compensate the owners for the home. Negotiations between the Village of Dolton and the current owner are ongoing.

The hype around Pope Leo XIV's childhood home spurred immediate fanfare, prompting news trucks and curious locals to visit. One woman even told a local news outlet that she made the four-hour drive from Louisville, Kentucky, just to visit the impromptu holy site.

Representatives for Paramount Realty USA and the homeowner did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Two House Republicans voted against the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Thursday.
• Now, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump wants them to face primary challenges.
• "I don't think he likes to see grandstanders in Congress," she said.

Four months into his second term, President Donald Trump wants members of his own party thrown out of office over their perceived lack of loyalty to his "Big Beautiful Bill"

That was the message delivered by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt after two Republicans — Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted against Trump's bill as it passed the House on Thursday.

Asked by a reporter at a briefing later on Thursday whether Trump think the duo should be primaried, Leavitt responded: "I believe he does."

"I don't think he likes to see grandstanders in Congress," Leavitt said. "'What's the alternative?' I would ask those members of Congress. Did they want to see a tax hike? Did they want to see our country go bankrupt?"

Both Massie and Davidson are deficit hawks who voted against the bill because, in their view, it did not cut spending enough.

Other Republicans have raised concerns about the bill's effect on the deficit but voted for it anyway. Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, the chairman of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, voted "present."

In response to Leavitt's comments, Massie asked for donations on X.

"For voting on principle, I now have the President AND his press Secretary campaigning against me from the White House podium," Massie wrote. "Can you help me by donating?"

A spokesperson for Davidson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While the Ohio congressman doesn't typically cross Trump, the president has long been critical of Massie — and vice versa. The Kentucky Republican backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the 2024 GOP primary, and Trump previously called for Massie to face a primary challenge in 2020.

Earlier this week, Trump bashed Massie in front of reporters.

"I don't think Thomas Massie understands government. I think he's a grandstander," Trump said on Tuesday. "I think he should be voted out of office."

• Hinge Health just went public in a watershed moment for the digital health industry.
• Its shares popped Thursday, jumping to over $39 a share, up 23% from its IPO price.
• Here's what Hinge Health's major investors' stakes are worth after its IPO.

Physical therapy startup Hinge Health finally went public Thursday in a watershed moment for the digital health market.

Hinge Health's stock price popped after debuting on the New York Stock Exchange, soaring to $39.25 per share, 23% above its initial public offering price of $32 a share.

The $32 IPO share price valued Hinge Health at about $2.6 billion, based on shares outstanding after the IPO. At the market close, however, the company was worth about $3 billion.

It's a strong start for Hinge Health's public market debut, and the first true glimmer of hope for the digital health IPO market in years.

The last wave of healthcare public market exits, in 2021, saw 23 healthcare companies go public via IPO or SPAC. In the following three years, only four healthcare companies went public. Only two of those, Waystar and Tempus AI, are still trading on the stock market.

Hinge Health, founded in 2014 to provide virtual care for musculoskeletal conditions, was forced to consider a delay for its IPO plans in early April after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imported goods from other countries, causing a sharp drop in the stock market. It resumed those efforts publicly this month as the market stabilized.

Hinge Health raised $437 million in the IPO, which included $273 million in proceeds to the company and $164 million to its selling shareholders.

Hinge Health's $2.6 billion IPO valuation is a 52% markdown from its last private valuation of $6.2 billion. It notched that valuation in a 2021 $400 million Series E round co-led by Tiger Global and Coatue Management.

We don't know what Hinge Health's investors paid for their shares, so we can't calculate their profit. However, since Hinge Health's shares opened on the stock market at $39.25, we used that price to determine the worth of their stakes.

Here's what the stakes of all of Hinge Health's major investors and executives are worth after the IPO.

Insight Partners, an investor: $433 million

Venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners owns the largest stake in Hinge Health with about 12.3 million shares, or 13.7% of the company.

The firm led Hinge Health's $26 million Series B fundraise in 2018. Teddie Wardi, a managing director at Insight Partners, has served on Hinge Health's board of directors since the firm's investment.

Insight Partners later participated in Hinge Health's Series C and D rounds in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Insight Partners sold 1.25 million shares in Hinge Health's IPO, which at the $32 IPO price would have brought in $40 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $433 million.

Daniel Perez, cofounder and CEO: $414 million

Daniel Perez's first encounter with physical therapy came after a bike crash when he was 13 years old, which forced him to undergo three surgeries and 12 months of rehabilitation.

He started Hinge Health alongside executive chairman Gabriel Mecklenburg to improve the accessibility of musculoskeletal care and reduce the specialty's reliance on surgeries and opioids.

Hinge Health is Perez and Mecklenburg's third venture, after the Oxbridge Biotech Roundtable, which aimed to bridge the gap between life sciences academia and markets, and Marblar, a platform designed to generate commercial uses for scientific discoveries.

Perez is Hinge Health's largest individual shareholder. He owns about 10.6 million shares, or 13.1% of the company. He didn't sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, his stake is worth about $414 million.

Atomico, an investor: $309 million

Atomico is a London-based venture firm started in 2006 by Skype cofounder Niklas Zennström. The firm led Hinge Health's $8 million Series A in 2017, when the startup was based in London. (Hinge Health moved its headquarters to San Francisco the same year.)

Atomico later participated in Hinge Health's Series B, C, and D funding rounds.

Atomico owns about 7.9 million shares, or 9.8% of the company. The firm sold 1,497,546 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $48 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $309 million.

Tiger Global, an investor: $207 million

Investment firm Tiger Global first backed Hinge Health in 2021, co-leading its $300 million Series D alongside Coatue Management. In October of that year, Tiger Global also co-led the company's $400 million Series E, also alongside Coatue.

The $400 million Series E round boosted Hinge Health to the $6.2 billion valuation that Hinge Health was forced to slash in its IPO. Tiger Global has drawn criticism in recent years for backing startups at extraordinarily high valuations, particularly during 2021's venture investment peak.

Tiger Global owns about 5.3 million shares, or 6.5% of the company. The firm sold 258,183 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $8.3 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $207 million.

Coatue Management, an investor: $185 million

New York-based Coatue Management invests across all private and public fundraising stages, with venture capital, private equity, and hedge fund management units. The firm co-led Hinge Health's $300 million Series D alongside Tiger Global in January 2021, then co-led its $400 million Series E with Tiger Global that October.

Hinge Health's S-1 filing notes that Coatue will sell $50 million in Series E preferred shares back to the company immediately before Hinge's IPO. That agreement was created in February, per the filing. The company didn't share a reason for the stock repurchase.

Coatue owns about 4.7 million shares of common stock, or 5.8% of the company. The firm didn't sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's stake is worth about $185 million.

11.2 Capital, an investor: $169 million

San Francisco-based 11.2 Capital backs early-stage tech startups and wrote one of the first checks into Hinge Health.

The firm led Hinge Health's seed round in 2016, and invested further in its Series A, B, C, and D rounds, according to the firm.

11.2 Capital owns about 4.3 million shares, or 5.4% of Hinge Health. The firm sold 788,691 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $25 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $169 million.

Bessemer Venture Partners, an investor: $161 million

Bessemer Venture Partners backs early-stage and growth-stage startups through venture and private equity investments. The firm has more than 300 companies in its portfolio, according to its website.

Bessemer led Hinge Health's $90 million Series C in February 2020. Bessemer partner Elliott Robinson has served on Hinge Health's board of directors since that round.

The firm also participated in Hinge Health's $300 million Series D round in January 2021.

Bessemer Venture Partners owns about 4.1 million shares, or 5.1% of the company. The firm sold 725,066 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $24 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, its remaining stake is worth about $161 million.

Gabriel Mecklenburg, cofounder and executive chairman: $158 million

Gabriel Mecklenburg cofounded Hinge Health alongside Perez, personally inspired by the months of physical therapy he completed after tearing his ACL in a judo sparring session.

Mecklenburg served as the company's COO for six years. It was a familiar role for him; he'd held the COO title at the two companies he started with Perez before Hinge Health, Oxbridge Biotech Roundtable and Marblar.

In 2021, he transitioned to his current role of executive chairman. In addition to his work with Hinge Health, he's served on the board of addiction care startup Pelago since 2022.

Mecklenburg owns about 4 million shares, or 4.9% of the company. He did not sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, his stake is worth about $158 million.

IP2IPO, an investor: $42 million

IP2IPO, named IP2IPO Portfolio LP in Hinge Health's S-1, specializes in moving innovative technologies, talent, and intellectual property from academic institutions to commercial industries.

Both Perez and Mecklenburg stepped away from pursuing higher education degrees to build Hinge Health. Perez was taking a leave of absence from a Ph.D. program in biochemistry at the University of Oxford, while Mecklenburg was researching musculoskeletal regenerative medicine at Imperial College London.

IP2IPO is a subsidiary of IP Group, a London-based firm that backs breakthrough science and tech companies. IP Group says it's the founding investor in Hinge Health.

The firm told BI it actually invested in Marblar, Perez and Mecklenburg's previous startup, back in 2012. That investment rolled over into Hinge Health.

"As the UK's leading investor in university spinouts, we met Dan whilst he was in Oxford, working on brilliant ideas and showing real entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity," said Robert Trezona, a partner at IP Group. He said IP Group invested around £1 million, or about $1.12 million at the time, shortly after meeting Perez.

IP2IPO owns about 1.1 million shares, or 1.3% of the company. The firm sold about 47,000 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $1.5 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, its remaining stake would be worth about $42 million.

Heuristic Capital, an investor: $40 million

Early-stage VC firm Heuristic Capital was founded in 2016, and first invested in Hinge Health's seed round that same year.

The Santa Clara, California-based firm then invested in Hinge Health's four subsequent raises, from Hinge Health's Series A to its Series D. Heuristic Capital told BI that the Hinge Health team worked out of the firm's San Francisco office in the startup's early days, moving into an independent office in the Bay Area after successfully closing a Series A round.

The firm owns about 1 million shares of Hinge Health, or 1.3% of the company. It sold 194,305 shares in the IPO, which at the initial share price of $32 would have brought in about $6.2 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, its remaining stake would be worth about $40 million.

Jim Pursley, president: $24 million

Longtime digital health executive Jim Pursley joined Hinge Health as its president in 2021. He'd previously worked with the Hinge Health team as an advisor from 2017 to 2019.

Pursley came to Hinge Health from Livongo, where he spent six years as the diabetes company's chief commercial officer through its 2019 IPO. He left the company shortly after Livongo announced its $18.5 billion acquisition by Teladoc in 2020.

He also held leadership roles at GE Healthcare and Care Innovations, a joint venture between Intel and GE.

In addition to his role at Hinge Health, he serves as an independent board member at digital therapeutics company Bodyport.

Pursley owns about 604,665 shares. He did not sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, his stake is worth about $24 million.

The Vertical Group, an investor: $22 million

The Vertical Group, named in Hinge Health's S-1 as Vertical GP-8, is a Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based firm that invests in healthcare and biotech companies. Vertical invested in Hinge Health's seed and Series A funding rounds, according to the firm.

The firm told BI that it previously sold a portion of its Hinge Health shares in a secondary transaction in 2021, at $77 a share, and another portion in a 2023 secondary sale, at $36 a share.

Vertical is also an investor in diabetes care startup Omada Health, according to the firm's website. Omada is the only other digital health company to file to go public so far this year.

Vertical GP-8 owns 554,919 shares. The firm sold about 106,000 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $3.4 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $22 million.

Jon Reynolds, an angel investor: $14 million

Jon Reynolds is the cofounder and former CEO of SwiftKey, the AI-powered keyboard app acquired by Microsoft in 2016. He told BI he first backed Hinge Health that same year, participating in the startup's seed and seed extension funding rounds.

Reynolds owned about 360,175 shares. He sold 68,605 shares in the IPO, which at the IPO price of $32 would have brought in about $2.2 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, his remaining stake is worth about $14 million.

Industry Ventures, an investor: $12 million

San Francisco-based Industry Ventures makes VC bets using flexible capital structures, including secondary transactions and buyouts.

Hinge Health has never publicly announced a secondary transaction made by Industry Ventures. Hinge Health's S-1 specifies that Industry Ventures invested in the company through its Secondary IX fund, which the firm announced in March 2021. Industry Ventures didn't respond to a request for comment from BI.

Industry Ventures owns 307,259 shares. The firm sold 58,526 shares in the IPO, which at the initial share price of $32 would have brought in about $1.9 million.

At the $39.25 market debut price, its remaining stake is worth about $12 million.

James Budge, CFO: $6.8 million

Serial CFO James Budge joined Hinge Health as its finance chief in 2023.

According to his LinkedIn, he's been the CFO of at least eight other companies, spanning industries from workforce software to entertainment tech.

He's also served on the board of directors of healthtech company Shadowbox since 2022.

Budge owns 172,241 shares. He did not sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, his stake is worth about $6.8 million.

Kristina Leslie, board member: $343,000

Kristina Leslie joined Hinge Health's board of directors in May 2024 as its audit chair.

Leslie, the former CFO of Dreamworks Animation, has spent nearly two decades serving on various company boards, including Glassdoor, CVB Financial Corp., and Rover. According to her LinkedIn, she currently sits on the boards of Sunstone Hotel Investors and Justworks and chairs the board of directors of Blue Shield of California.

Leslie owns 8,750 shares. She did not sell any shares in the IPO.

At the $39.25 market debut price, her stake is worth about $343,000.

• Harvey committed $150 million to Azure cloud services over two years.
• The startup, which builds software for lawyers, has partnered with Microsoft since at least 2024.
• Harvey's expansion includes clients like Comcast and Verizon, and new foundation model integrations.

Legaltech startup Harvey has agreed to a two-year, $150 million commitment to use Azure cloud services, according to an internal email seen by Business Insider.

Jay Parikh, who leads Microsoft's new CoreAI unit, included the deal in an internal memo, writing that his unit "announced expanded partnership with Harvey Al with a 2-year $150M MACC and $3.5M unified expansion." Parikh joined Microsoft in October to lead a new engineering group responsible for building its artificial-intelligence tools.

Microsoft declined to comment, and Harvey declined to comment on the agreement.

MACC, or Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment, is an agreement customers make to spend a specific amount on Azure for a period of time, often for a discount.

Harvey, which builds chatbots and agents tailored for legal and professional services, is scaling up and entering the enterprise market. It's adding legal teams at Comcast and Verizon as clients, while developing bespoke workflow software for large law firm customers.

It has raised more than $500 million from investors, including Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and OpenAI Startup Fund, a Harvey spokesperson told BI.

Harvey has closely partnered with Microsoft since at least early 2024. That year, the company deployed its platform on Microsoft Azure, followed by a Word plug-in designed for lawyers. It also introduced a SharePoint integration, allowing users to securely access files from their Microsoft storage system through Harvey's apps.

For years, Harvey, founded in 2022, ran its platform on OpenAI models, primarily because they're hosted in Microsoft's data centers, Harvey CEO Winston Weinberg told BI last month. Law firms handle highly sensitive information and trusted Microsoft to keep it safe, Weinberg said.

"Law firms refused to use anything that wasn't through Azure," Weinberg said. That's now changing, he said, as vendors like Anthropic build the features enterprises require.

Last week, Harvey expanded its use of foundation models to Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude.

Still, Harvey's $150 million Azure deal signals it's not backing away from Microsoft anytime soon. The company's growing cloud footprint suggests that, while other partners are gaining traction with the legaltech start, Azure remains integral to Harvey's growth for now.

Have a tip? Contact Melia Russell via email at [email protected] or Signal at @MeliaRussell.01. Reach Ashley Stewart via the encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-425-344-8242) or email ([email protected]).. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Jony Ive and Sam Altman are teaming up to make AI hardware.
• They aren't giving many clues about what it would be like, but probably screen-free, and not a phone.
• Please, I beg you, Jony and Sam: Do not make me talk to a device in public.

I'm as curious and excited as any gadget lover to see what newfangled AI thingamabob will come from OpenAI's $6.5 billion purchase of the ex-Apple designer Jony Ive's IO company.

But I have one request: Please, for the love of God, do not make it a voice-controlled device.

Here's what we know about the possible device that Ive and Sam Altman are teasing in a video about their new collaboration. The Wall Street Journal reported that Altman told OpenAI employees a few details:

The product will be capable of being fully aware of a user's surroundings and life, will be unobtrusive, able to rest in one's pocket or on one's desk, and will be a third core device a person would put on a desk after a MacBook Pro and an iPhone.

The Journal earlier reported that the device won't be a phone, and that Ive and Altman's intent is to help wean users from screens. Altman said that the device isn't a pair of glasses, and that Ive had been skeptical about building something to wear on the body.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a supply chain analyst who is often correct about coming hardware, says that the device may be something larger than the Humane AI Pin, and possibly worn around the neck.

I am extremely nervous that this sounds like it might be some sort of voice-controlled device.

Don't get me wrong: I'm an enthusiastic voice user of Alexa (at home) and Siri (in the car). I can see how convenient it is.

But the idea of talking to Siri while walking down the street or at a grocery store gives me hives. The idea of saying, "Hey Meta, take a picture" to activate my Ray-Bans while at a Benson Boone concert makes me want to bite my cyanide capsule. If I ever start using Siri out loud at my desk in the office, I fully accept that HR can fire me on the spot.

(Of course, voice-controlled devices are an accessibility issue for some people who are blind, have low vision, or otherwise have trouble using a screen device. I am not talking about this use, which is obviously good and a benefit. Perhaps society would be better if public use of voice devices were more normalized!)

OpenAI does seem to be interested in voice. At a demonstration over a year ago, it showed new voices that could talk to you (this was the demonstration that infamously got them in trouble with Scarlett Johansson for making a voice option suspiciously close to her own).

Meta has also embraced the idea of voice controls. Its stand-alone Meta AI app is meant for natural conversations between you and the app on your phone (though, at the moment, it's laggy and often leads to crosstalk).

It's a long-held sci-fi dream to have a supersmart AI agent you can just talk to naturally. Like Tony Stark's Jarvis, or the ScarJo voice in "Her." But even "Knight Rider" had the basic understanding that it was OK to talk to your car only in your car.

Humane's AI Pin turned out to be a disaster, partly because it just didn't work very well. Let's assume whatever OpenAI/IO is cooking up will be good at doing what it's supposed to.

Based on what the AI Pin could do, and other examples of AI assistants or devices, I can make a few guesses of what it might be able to do: listen to your work meeting and take notes for you, give you information about something you see in front of you ("What building is this?" or, "Which of these two sandwiches at Pret has more protein?"), do personal assistant tasks for you ("How much time until my next meeting?" or, "Text Hayley and tell her I'm running late.")

These all sound great and convenient! But a lot of them require something that I don't think I want to be doing: talking to my device out loud, in public, constantly.

We're at a moment in society where people are already pushing the norms of what is appropriate public device use. People are watching TikTok without headphones on the subway. Texting at the movie theater. Filming themselves at the gym. It was already weird enough when people started talking on the phone with AirPods in, making it unclear whether the person headed toward you on the sidewalk was on a call or experiencing a religious revelation. I don't think we're ready for a world where people are constantly talking to their always-on, always-listening AI devices.

So I eagerly await this device, which Altman says will sell 100 million units and be ready by the end of 2026. But please, please, do not make me talk to it in public.

• Cadillac said it's seeing a rise in Tesla owners switching to its Lyriq EV models.
• Cadillac has expanded its EV lineup, and California registrations have increased by 60% year over year.
• The automaker's growth comes as Tesla had a tough first quarter and experienced declining registrations in multiple markets.

Cadillac appears to be eating into Tesla's customer base.

The automaker told Business Insider it's seen a rise in Tesla owners switching to its EV brand. The company said its EVs have a conquest rate of about 75% — or the percentage of sales coming from customers switching brands — with 10% being former Tesla owners.

Cadillac told BI its first EV model, the Lyriq, launched in 2022 and is seeing a roughly 80% conquest rate, with 25% of buyers coming over from Tesla.

At a recent event showcasing its Vistiq model, Cadillac's director of global marketing, Brad Franz, told CNBC the company has seen "a good jump" in the rate and that General Motors' luxury vehicle division has "always had good interaction with Tesla customers," with the Lyriq conquest rate of Tesla owners ranging from 10% to 15%.

Franz told CNBC that the figure is now on the rise as the car brand expanded its luxury EV lineup, and it sees potential for even greater growth. Cadillac has added three additional EVs to its portfolio in the past 6 months, including the Escalade IQ, Optiq, and Vistiq.

Cadillac told BI it's not targeting any brand specifically and its mission is to "build great Cadillacs" that capture buyers based on the quality of its products and delivery on brand promise. The luxury brand reported a 21% increase in retail sales, with its EV segment up 37% in the first quarter of the year.

In California, a crucial market for EVs that's often seen as a bellwether state for the broader market, industry data shows Cadillac registrations jumped about 60% year over year, rising from 1,000 to 1,609 in the first quarter of 2025.

Tesla, which remains the EV market leader in the US by a large margin, has seen its sales decline recently in several countries.

The same data shows that Tesla registrations decreased 15% year-over-year in California, although its Model Y and Model 3 remain the top two selling EVs in the state, and the Model Y continues to be the best-selling car overall. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The rise in Cadillac EV ownership comes as Tesla faces a rocky start to the year. The EV giant fell short of revenue expectations in the first quarter, reporting a 9% year-over-year decline. Tesla's automotive revenue dropped 20% year over year, and the company backed away from its 2025 "return to growth" forecast for its auto business.

Tesla reported first-quarter deliveries numbers below analyst expectations and 13% lower than the same period last year. Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said in the company's earnings call last month that the assembly line changeover for the refreshed Model Y impacted delivery numbers. Anti-Tesla hostility also "had an impact in certain markets," he added.

Following months of boycott efforts aimed at Tesla, the automaker and SpaceX both saw declines in brand reputation, according to the Axios Harris Poll 100. Tesla dropped to 95th place, a decrease from its ranking in 63rd place last year and eighth place in 2021. Other automakers scored higher on the list compared to Tesla, with Ford landing at 60th and Volkswagen Group at 53rd.

Amid continued political backlash against Elon Musk and a challenging EV landscape, Cox Automotive data from April reveals Tesla's used-car sales volume rose 27% month-over-month, meaning that more Tesla owners are trying to sell their vehicles. The surge boosted its share of the used EV market to 47%, according to Cox Automotive's data.

Musk said in a recent interview at the Qatar Economic Forum that while the company has "lost some sales, perhaps on the left," Tesla also gained sales from the right.

"The sales numbers at this point are strong, and we see no problem with demand," Musk said, adding that the stock price is the best indicator of where the company stands.

Despite Tesla stock plummeting over 50% in March and being down 10% year-to-date, the automaker's share price is up 43% this month as the billionaire has taken a step back from his DOGE involvement.

While Tesla sales continue to drop in Europe, which Musk described in the forum as its weakest market, the automaker has seen some positive momentum. Cox Automotive data shows that Tesla was among the few manufacturers reporting month-over-month growth in EV sales. Tesla's market share increased by over 3% in April, according to the data, driven by 25,231 sales of the Model Y.

• Sergey Brin ditched retirement for Google in 2023 to help out with AI.
• Brin's comeback followed OpenAI's ChatGPT release as tech companies race to dominate in genAI.
• Brin is aiming for Google's Gemini to achieve artificial general intelligence first.

Google cofounder Sergey Brin says now is the time for retired computer scientists to dust off their keyboards.

Six years after leaving Alphabet in 2019, Brin is back working on its most ambitious projects. Reports of Brin helping out at Google began to emerge sometime in 2023 after OpenAI rocked the tech industry with ChatGPT's release in 2022. It's clear that Brin is no longer a retired computer scientist.

And you shouldn't be either, Brin told "Big Technology's" Alex Kantrowitz during a live interview onstage at Google's IO developer conference on Tuesday.

"Honestly, anybody who's a computer scientist should not be retired right now," Brin said alongside Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis.

DeepMind, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is the research lab behind the company's AI projects, including its genAI assistant Gemini. Brin told Kantrowitz that he's at Google "pretty much every day now" to help with training the latest models from Gemini.

With artificial intelligence becoming an increasingly competitive and near-constantly changing tech field, it's a "very unique time in history," according to Brin. When Kantrowitz asked if his return was solely about competing with rivals who are working toward their own artificial general intelligence systems, Brin said it's not just about the AI arms race.

"There's just never been a greater, sort of, problem and opportunity — greater cusp of technology," he responded.

Google DeepMind did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for additional comments from Brin.

Having witnessed tech advancements like the earliest iteration of the internet, Web 1.0, and the phases that followed, Brin said Tuesday AI is "far more exciting" to be immersed in and will have a greater impact on the world.

However the race to reach AGI, a tech milestone of machine intelligence that can solve human tasks, is still on his mind.

"We fully intend that Gemini will be the very first AGI," Brin said.

His retirement included working an airship startup, LTA Research, funding research for Parkinson's, and investing in real estate.

The former Alphabet president led moonshot projects as the head of Google X before his departure in 2019. He notably worked on its failed attempt at smart glasses — Google Glass.

• Airbnb's CEO said he's heard from founders facing a challenging fundraising landscape amid economic uncertainty.
• Brian Chesky said that while a stable economy is needed, there's a "silver lining" to building a business in tough times.
• The Airbnb cofounder said on Michelle Obama's podcast that a tough economy bakes "discipline" into your company culture.

Brian Chesky is no stranger to starting a business in tough economic times.

Chesky cofounded Airbnb in 2007 and built the business during the 2008 financial crisis. In a recent podcast conversation with Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, Chesky said it was challenging to get the business off the ground during a recession, even with some of the advantages and connects he and his founders had that other entrepreneurs might not have.

However, he said there was one "silver lining" to growing the business during tough times, which might resonate with founders facing today's economic uncertainty.

"A lot of great companies have been started in a recession," he said in a Wednesday episode of "IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson."

"And the one, I don't want to say it's a good thing, but what it does is it teaches you a certain type of discipline," he said. "A tough economy teaches you a discipline that gets institutionalized into your culture."

By comparison, a strong economy might give founders more cushioning to "perpetuate bad strategies and be a little less disciplined," Chesky said.

"I think the good news is a lot of great entrepreneurs are incredibly resourceful, and they will find a way to work," the Airbnb cofounder said. "But we absolutely need like a very stable economy."

Chesky said that entrepreneurs he's spoken with recently told him "a lot of fundraising, for all intents and purposes, was kind of on hold."

"A lot of limited partners and investors are just like hunkering down. And what we know about investors, they don't like uncertainty," he said.

He believes investors will "sit this one out until things stabilize."

"And if they don't stabilize, we're going to be in for a very prolonged kind of dry spell for fundraising," he said. "If you did not go to a prestigious school, if you weren't, like, purely a team of technical engineers, if you're not trying to create an AI company, you're just trying to create a business, that will be more difficult."

Airbnb isn't the only successful business to emerge from the Great Recession. Companies like Uber, WhatsApp, Venmo, and Square also started around the time of the 2008 financial crisis.

"It's always a great time to start a business — and some of the most successful businesses are started during recessions," certified financial planner Cary Carbonaro previously told BI. "Adversity is the mother of invention."

• Nearly 30 M1A1 Abrams tanks will roll down Constitution Ave. in DC for the Army's 250th birthday.
• The service is finalizing plans to prevent the heavy 70-ton tanks from damaging the road.
• Engineers will use steel plates and track pads to protect roads during the parade.

The powerful M1A1 Abrams tank, with its heavy armor and 120mm cannon, is a massive hulk of steel, and dozens are set to hit the streets in the nation's capital next month.

Nearly 30 of the tanks are expected to rumble down Constitution Avenue as part of the US Army's 250th anniversary celebration on June 14, set to coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday.

The street, which runs parallel to the National Mall and serves as a major route for city traffic, isn't built to easily accommodate each tank's nearly 70-ton frame. Most cars weigh only about two tons.

So how is the Army going to keep its tanks from chewing up Constitution Avenue? The service's engineers are putting the finishing touches on plans to protect the busy street's pavement from biting tracks.

Officials aren't too concerned with the straight path down Constitution, which will likely see a single file of tanks. It's turning points that will be the most vulnerable to tears from the heavy tracked vehicles.

"We are targeting those areas that we have concerns," said Army Col. Jesse Curry, Executive Officer for the Army's Chief of Engineers, during a media roundtable with reporters on Wednesday. "Particularly the areas where the surface of the pavement would typically, you know, receive an exaggerated level of stress."

To prevent such stress, military engineers are figuring out which turn points will be layered with steel plates at least one inch thick.

Such large plates are commonly seen on city streets where heavy equipment is used, Curry said, adding that equipment staging areas and the parade route were specially chosen to minimize weight-related damage.

Heavy tracked vehicles like the M1A1 often make turns by using differential steering — one side will roll forward while the other reverses, or the tracks will operate at a different speed. That can cause tracks to "pinch," a problem for asphalt.

Inbound parade tanks will also don new "track pads," rubber components that create some separation between the metal tracks and the pavement, Curry told reporters.

Additional measures to prevent damage are still being examined, with help from DC's Department of Transportation, the National Park Service (which oversees maintenance of the National Mall), and the Federal Highway Administration.

The tanks and other vehicles, such as Bradley fighting vehicles and Strykers, will arrive in the DC area via rail and will then depart to parade staging areas via heavy-duty trailers, similar to those used to move houses down highways.

Troops will not be conducting any full-scale rehearsals for the parade, a notable deviation from typical military planning. Normally, complete rehearsals are an important part of any military mission, including small unit ceremonies.

Officials said Wednesday that while the Army has been planning a major 250th birthday event for two years, the idea to include heavy vehicles like tanks and other armored vehicles in a parade only arrived this year. The officials did not specify how the idea originated.

Even moving at a slow parade pace, any military activity using heavy equipment and vehicles is fraught with concerns that require meticulous planning for safety precautions, especially when it comes to the equipment offloads required to stage for such a parade. Large vehicles must rely on ground guides to ensure no one is inadvertently run over.

Officials said Wednesday that Hercules wreckers will be available to recover any tanks that break down. How roads might handle the behemoth 70-ton M88 Hercules recovery vehicle with a downed tank on its trailer bed is unclear.

• A judge rebuked Sean "Diddy" Combs' attorney for a question he asked witness Kid Cudi.
• Combs' lawyer questioned the rapper about his sex life with star prosecution witness Cassie Ventura.
• "One, the line was crystal clear. And two, the line was crossed," the judge said.

The judge overseeing Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial slammed an attorney for the hip-hop mogul for questioning Kid Cudi about his sex life with R&B singer Cassie Ventura.

US District Judge Arun Subramanian's rebuke followed more than an hour of testimony given by Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.

While under cross-examination in Manhattan federal court, Steel asked Mescudi a series of questions that appeared intended to besmirch the credibility of Ventura, the prosecution's star witness in Combs' sex-trafficking and racketeering trial.

Steel asked if Mescudi had felt "played" by Ventura — and if Combs had been likewise "played" — because she'd told both men that their relationship was exclusive.

"Yes," Mescudi answered.

Mescudi and Ventura briefly dated in 2011 while Ventura was on a break from Combs. Ventura and Combs dated on and off between 2007 and 2018. During that time, prosecutors allege that Ventura was one of two women whom Combs sex-trafficked.

During his line of questioning, Steel asked Mescudi if he and Ventura had been sexually intimate during their romance — a question that sparked a speedy, successful objection from prosecutors.

After Mescudi left the witness stand and the jury was excused from the courtroom, the judge admonished Steel, who has also represented rapper Young Thug.

The judge said that Steel's question was way out of line under federal rules barring the use of prior sexual activity in impugning sex-crime accusers.

"One, the line was crystal clear. And two, the line was crossed," Subramanian said, his voice angry. "Mr. Steel, you knew what you were doing when you did it, and you did it anyway."

When Subramanian asked, "Is it going to happen again?" Steel said it wouldn't. The judge also ordered that the question, which Mescudi never answered, be struck from the record.

While on the witness stand, Mescudi told the jury that Combs broke into his Los Angeles home after the music tycoon found out he was dating Ventura.

Christmas gifts from Chanel that Mescudi had gotten for his family were unwrapped and opened, and his dog was shut in the bathroom during the December 2011 break-in, he testified.

Mescudi told the jury that his Porsche was firebombed weeks later while it was parked in his driveway.

During Ventura's more than 20 hours of testimony in the trial last week, she said her relationship with Mescudi sent Combs into a violent rage. Ventura also testified that Combs threatened to blow up Mescudi's car when they were out of the country.

Prosecutors have alleged that Combs previously ordered his underlings to torch a car using a Molotov cocktail.

• Israel has one of the world's most advanced air defense systems.
• Its air defenses are being tested amid its war against Hamas and Iran's retaliatory attacks.
• President Donald Trump said his plan for a "Golden Dome" was inspired by Israel's missile defenses.

Israel touts one of the most advanced air defenses in the world, systems that have defended Israeli troops and citizens from rocket and missile barrages for over a decade.

These layers of air defenses are essential to Israel's security and include the legendary Iron Dome that downs incoming rockets. Much of its population is within reach of rockets and missiles fired by Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis.

After his return to the White House in January, President Donald Trump proposed a next-generation missile shield inspired by the Israeli missile defense systems — but on a vast scale.

Aptly named the "Golden Dome," the president said the ambitious weapons and sensory system to intercept threats like nuclear-armed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles will cost about $175 billion, with plans to field it by the end of his presidential term, though it could take longer to fully construct.

The system is so vast and its components so new that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated it could cost between $160 billion and $830 billion.

Golden Dome

Earlier this week, Trump detailed his plans to build the "Golden Dome," previously known as the "Iron Dome for America," as defense contractors and tech companies already line up to be considered for development.

"We'll have it done in three years," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 21. "Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world."

While Israel's air defense network is considered one of the most advanced aerial defense systems in the world, the missile shield is responsible for defending a country roughly the size of the state of New Jersey — the second smallest US state — from short-range threats.

Trump aims to make the Golden Dome a space-based missile system to defend the US — about the size of continental Europe — against advanced ballistic and hypersonic missile threats from the world's most powerful countries. Russia has an estimated 4,300 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, each of which a system like Golden Dome must be capable of defeating, necessitating an even larger number of intercept missiles and other weapons.

"I think that this year, we're going to see a different national conversation about space," Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider.

US foreign aid to Israel

About 15% of Israel's defense budget comes from the US. Since its founding in 1948, the US has sent Israel about $300 billion in economic and military aid, making it the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid.

Nearly all of the aid the US has sent in recent months has been allocated to its advanced defense systems and military equipment. But America's involvement in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip has grown controversial. The US is providing limited humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza while also providing military support and weapons to Israel.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Iron Dome

The most well-known of Israel's air defense systems, the Iron Dome, consists of a network of radar detectors and missile launchers used to intercept enemy fire, including short-range rockets and artillery.

Deployed in southern Israel in 2011 following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the US helped and funded the development of the short-range rocket defense system. It contributed at least $1.6 billion to the Iron Dome system from 2011 to 2021, as well as another $1 billion in 2022.

The first layer of defense

The Israel Defense Forces said the objective of the Iron Dome is to "protect Israeli civilians from the constant threat of rockets by intercepting them." The IDF described the Iron Dome with three adjectives: "accuracy, speed, and capacity."

Armed with Tamir interceptor missiles, the multi-mission defense system can shoot down enemy rockets and artillery up to 43.5 miles away. The advanced missile system has a radar station that detects and tracks the course of enemy rockets before launching a missile to intercept them. The missiles track their target with electro-optical sensors and detonate in the air when close.

While the Iron Dome doesn't have a perfect interception record, it has blocked a majority of enemy fire in Israeli airspace, especially at times of intense barrages from Hamas militants.

But the Iron Dome is just one layer of what is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world.

Missiles have a much longer range than shells, but they also have the disadvantage of being expensive. The Tamir missiles fired by Iron Dome are estimated to each cost around $50,000.

David's Sling

The middle layer of Israel's Iron Dome defense system is David's Sling, a medium- to long-range air defense system designed to intercept missiles as far as 185 miles away.

Also known as the Magic Wand, the versatile missile system carries up to 12 interceptors. Its command and control center, known as the Golden Almond, provides threat assessment and plans and controls interception, complemented by the system's multi-mission radar used to detect and track airborne threats.

The middle layer of defense

Developed in collaboration with the US and Israel, David's Sling is "a central factor in Israel's multi-tiered defense array," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense. It supports other layers of its air defense system by "tackling large-caliber rockets, short-range ballistic missiles," and other types of enemy fire.

Arrow Weapon System

The top layer of Israel's sophisticated air defense system is Arrow-3, which is capable of engaging targets at longer ranges and higher altitudes and more precisely intercepting ballistic missiles.

Arrow-3 interceptor operates with the Arrow Weapon System, the world's first operational, national, stand-alone anti-tactical ballistic missile defense system, according to Israel Aerospace Industries, the primary contractor for the AWS. The system was developed in partnership with Boeing and with significant funding from the United States.

Arrow-3 works in conjunction with its predecessor, Arrow-2, to intercept ballistic missiles and other warheads using a two-stage interceptor.

Arrow-3

Arrow-3's "interceptor is a world-class missile that, together with the Arrow-2, significantly expands the State of Israel's defense capabilities," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense.

In November 2023, Israel confirmed the first operational use of the Arrow-3 to stop an inbound enemy missile launched by Houthi militants from Yemen, marking the first time all three layers of Israel's aerial defense were working simultaneously.

"All of these provide protection in every layer of aerial defense and enable optimal protection of the Israeli home front," the IDF said in a statement at the time.

Countering Iran's retaliatory attacks

Last October, Iran attacked Israel with a large barrage of ballistic missiles — a rare direct attack that came after a White House warning to its ally.

The missile attack came after the IDF killed the head of Hezbollah and then launched a "limited" ground offensive against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. At the time, the US adjusted its force posture in the Middle East, stationing a substantial force of warships and fighter aircraft across the region to defend Israel and its bases.

Israel also deployed Arrow 3 to intercept the drones and missiles Iran fired during its retaliatory attacks in mid-April last year.

Israel's chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters at the time that Arrow 3 had "proved itself against a significant number of ballistic missiles" fired by Iran.

C-Dome

Israel's air defense system isn't just limited to land. The country also has a naval version of its Iron Dome system, mounting it aboard Israeli missile boats.

The naval version of the aerial defense system, known as C-Dome, is deployed aboard Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, four German-made warships ordered for Israel's navy.

In addition to the C-Dome, Sa'ar 6 vessels are also equipped with a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid main gun, which is effective against close aerial threats.

Israeli missile boats

After two years of development, Israel's military announced Monday that the seaborne defense system was used for the first time to intercept a "suspicious aerial target" that entered Israeli airspace near the city of Eilat, which has been frequently targeted by Houthis in Yemen in support of Hamas.

"Overnight, for the first time ever, an IDF Sa'ar 6-class corvette missile ship successfully intercepted a UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) that had approached from the east and had crossed into the area of the Gulf of Eilat," the IDF said.

In addition to the four Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, the Israeli naval fleet includes 11 other warships and five Dolphin-class submarines.

SPYDER

To further bolster its air defenses, Israel is also looking at a new "all-in-one" surface-to-air missile system called SPYDER, manufactured by Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Israel, in collaboration with Rafael, is testing a new configuration for the weapons system, taking the missile launcher, radar, command and control system, and technology for surveillance and target acquisition, and fitting it to an eight-wheel drive vehicle.

"Developed to address the critical operational needs of the modern battlefield, the SPYDER AiO provides an agile, autonomous, air defense asset, capable of rapid deployment within minutes, in challenging terrains, and with short reaction times," according to a fact sheet from Rafael.

'All-in-one' missile system

Designed to carry up to eight canisterised missiles, including I-Derby SR, I-Derby ER, and Python-5 SR, it can engage up to four targets at a time, with a maximum range of up to nearly 25 miles and an altitude of 7.4 miles, according to the fact sheet.

In January 2024, Israel's defense ministry announced a successful test run of the new weapons system configuration, which is capable of intercepting drones, aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and precision-guided munitions.

Rafael's SPYDER air defense system, in its All-In-One configuration, achieved a direct and effective hit during a recent, first of its kind test with the Israeli Ministry of Defense DDR&D. Watch the live fire test here: [YouTube Link] Another milestone in our commitment to… pic.twitter.com/FvU2iS7t5u

— Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (@RAFAELdefense) January 10, 2024

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2024 and has been updated in May 2025.

• The GOP renamed "MAGA accounts" to "Trump accounts."
• If approved, $1,000 will go to any baby born between 2024 and 2028.
• Sen. Ted Cruz — the person who came up with the idea — says he doesn't mind the Trumpified name.

First, they were called "MAGA accounts." Now, they're "Trump accounts."

As part of their "One Big Beautiful Bill," Republicans on Capitol Hill want to establish new investment accounts for American children. Under the plan, babies born after January 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029 — essentially, the last three years of President Donald Trump's term — will receive $1,000 for the account from the federal government.

The original name was an acronym for "Money Account for Growth and Advancement" — the same initials as Trump's political movement. In a last-minute change before the House passed their version of the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Thursday, "MAGA" was replaced with "Trump."

While the president stands to get the credit, it was Sen. Ted Cruz's idea to create "Invest America" accounts. The Texas Republican says he doesn't mind.

"What I care is that they remain in there," Cruz told BI, referring to the provision's inclusion in the larger bill. "I think it doesn't matter what they're called. What it matters is what they do."

In terms of political branding, it's further than other recent presidents have gone. President Joe Biden, for instance, chose not to sign COVID-19 stimulus checks like Trump did — though he later said it was "stupid" not to do so.

Other government-backed programs have taken on the name of their creators. The Affordable Care Act, championed by President Barack Obama, is commonly known as "Obamacare," though that was initially a Republican epithet. And Sens. William Roth and Claiborne Pell have also found their names written into the tax code.

"That is not unusual," Cruz said. "You have things like Roth IRAs that were named after Senator Roth. You have things like Pell Grants that were named after Senator Pell. You have things like Obamacare that were named after President Obama."

It's unclear exactly why the accounts were named after Trump, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Cruz had pitched the idea as a way to give kids a stake in the free market from an early age, allowing them to potentially reap financial benefits down the line while making them less likely to support socialism.

"It enables every newborn child in America to experience the enormous benefits of compounded growth, and to accumulate significant resources with the passage of time," Cruz said. "It creates a generation of new capitalists."

According to the bill, individuals with "Trump accounts" will be able to use the savings for things like higher education and first-time home purchases starting at age 18.

Money taken out of the account for those purposes will be taxed as long-term capital gains, while money withdrawn for other purposes is taxed as regular income.

• I made Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad for my Greek parents. 
• The light and refreshing salad features feta, orzo, chickpeas, kalamata olives, and red bell pepper.
• My parents loved the delicious dish, and now they can't stop making it for dinner. 

I love reviewing Ina Garten's recipes, and often have my parents help test them with me.

When the pandemic hit and the US went into lockdown, Garten inspired me to finally improve my skills in the kitchen. And when I briefly moved back in with my parents, they were more than happy to sample my creations.

It's since become a tradition, and I whip up new "Barefoot Contessa" dishes for my parents every time I come for a visit.

When I saw that Ina Garten had a Greek orzo salad, I knew my Greek parents had to try it.

My parents immigrated to the US from Greece in the 1980s, and they made sure to teach me about Greek culture through food. My dad made his delicious pastitsio (like lasagna, but better) every week, and whipped up avgolemono soup whenever one of us was sick. Every Christmas was celebrated with a big pan of baklava, and youvetsi was a dinner staple. 

But my parents are always willing to try something new — they tested 15 different "Greek" products from Trader Joe's to see which tasted authentic! So, when I told them Garten had a Greek orzo salad, they were super excited. 

Garten's Greek orzo salad is packed with fresh ingredients.

To make Garten's Greek orzo salad, which serves six, you'll need: 

• 1 cup of orzo (about 8 ounces) 
• 1 cup of canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups of baby arugula 
• 4 ounces of Greek feta, ½-inch diced (not crumbled) 
• ½ cup of good olive oil 
• ½ cup of diced red bell pepper (¼-inch) 
• ½ cup of diced red onion (¼-inch) 
• ½ cup of kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise 
• ¼ cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus extra for serving 
• 3 tablespoons of capers in brine, drained 
• 3 tablespoons of minced fresh dill 

Garten's Greek orzo salad appears in her most recent cookbook, "Go-To Dinners," and was inspired by Round Swamp Farm, a third-generation family farm in East Hampton. 

"Their prepared food and baked goods are simply outstanding," she writes. "This recipe was inspired by one of their salads; it has all the Greek ingredients that I love — orzo, olives, feta, lemon, and dill." 

The first step to making Garten's salad is prepping the orzo.

I brought six cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.

I added the orzo and one tablespoon of salt to my saucepan.

Once you've added the orzo, Garten says you should return the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for eight to 10 minutes.

You'll know it's ready when the orzo is al dente. 

While my orzo cooked, I began cutting my veggies.

I diced the red onion and red bell pepper, per Garten's instructions.

I prepped my chickpeas and capers.

I rinsed and drained the chickpeas and made sure to drain my capers.

I also halved my kalamata olives, minced the dill, and diced my feta cheese.

Garten's Greek orzo salad comes together quickly; the only real work is cutting all the veggies and herbs. I had my dad helping me, so it took even less time. 

It didn't take long to make the dressing.

I just whisked together the lemon juice and olive oil with two teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper, and voilà! It was ready. 

When the orzo was ready, I drained it and transferred my pasta to a large bowl.

It was time to build the salad!

First, I poured the vinaigrette over the warm pasta.

I made sure to stir it well so the orzo would absorb all that delicious flavor. 

Then, I added the chickpeas, onion, and bell pepper.

Everything was already looking so colorful.

I topped it off with the capers, dill, olives, and feta and gave everything a big stir.

I used two spoons to help me carefully combine all the ingredients. 

I stirred in the arugula just before serving.

Garten says you can enjoy her salad either warm or at room temperature, but hold off on adding the arugula if you're making it the day before — no one likes soggy leaves in their salad. Once you're ready to serve, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and taste for seasoning. 

I should also note that Garten advises serving this with sliced lemon. My parents didn't love the idea of whole lemon pieces in the salad, so we decided to nix them. 

Garten's Greek orzo salad looked fresh and vibrant.

I always love serving a salad full of color, and Garten's Greek orzo salad has plenty. 

The pop of red from the bell pepper, the fresh green from the arugula, and the bright purple from the onion all worked together to make a beautiful plate. 

My parents looked impressed as I brought the salad to the dinner table. But would it taste as good as it looked? 

Garten's Greek orzo salad was super delicious — and now my parents can't stop making it.

The orzo soaks up so many delicious Mediterranean flavors that are familiar to any Greek — salty chunks of feta intertwining with the rich kalamata olives, the texture of crisp bell pepper and red onion dancing together, that pop of fresh lemon brightening every bite. Even though there were so many different components to the salad, everything was perfectly balanced. 

The light and refreshing dish is also easy to make and still tastes great the next day. It's perfect as a barbecue side dish or a main dish on a hot summer night. My dad recommends pairing it with some grilled meats or fish.

My parents now love whipping up Garten's Greek orzo salad, and I'm not surprised. The dish tastes like something we would've eaten while watching the turquoise waves of the Aegean Sea during our summer trips to Greece. 

"Ina must've been Greek in one of her previous lives," my mom declared. 

• I made both Gordon Ramsay's and Guy Fieri's 10-minute burger recipes. 
• Fieri's recipe is simpler than Ramsay's, which features far more ingredients and steps. 
• I loved both recipes, but Fieri's burger took the top spot in my celebrity-chef showdown.

Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay both have 10-minute burger recipes, so I decided it was time for a little showdown in honor of the holiday weekend. 

I discovered Ramsay's bacon cheeseburger recipe in his cookbook "Ramsay in 10," which includes 100 recipes that only take 10 minutes. And it was Fieri himself who gave me his burger recipe when I asked for his top burger tips. 

"This may be a more complicated answer than you bargained for, because it's not just about a burger recipe," Fieri told me. "It's about the execution of the whole deal. You can get down with whatever toppings you want, but the basics have to be covered." 

I whipped up Ramsay's and Fieri's recipes at home to decide who truly had the best — and quickest — burger. Here's how it all went down.

Fieri's burger is all about the classic ingredients.

To make Fieri's perfect burger at home, you'll need: 

• Ground beef (Fieri recommends 80% lean, 20% fat)
• American cheese slices 
• Brioche buns 
• Lettuce
• Tomato 
• Onion 
• Pickles

And there's very little prep.

All you have to do is get the veggies ready. Fieri told me it's important to shred the lettuce, slice your tomato, and "cut those white onions so thin that they only have one side." 

Per Fieri's recommendation, I also buttered the buns and popped them into the oven so they could get nice and toasty. 

Then, I made my patties.

I seasoned my ground beef with salt and pepper, then shaped it into balls. 

Once my patties were ready, I threw one on the griddle and smashed it with a spatula.

Fieri said it was essential that I cook my burgers "on the hottest griddle or cast iron pan you can get." 

"You smash it down hard, we're talking a half-inch thick," he added.

The Mayor of Flavortown also told me it was important to let my patty crisp up to "get all that delicious caramelization going." I waited until the sides of my patty got crunchy before I flipped it over.

After flipping my patty, I added the cheese.

Fieri loves using American cheese slices on burgers because "they melt really well," he told me. 

Then, it was time for Fieri's special cheese-melting trick.

First, I sprayed some water around my burger. Then, per Fieri's instructions, I had to place "some sort of dome or metal bowl" over my patty. 

"That steam will melt your cheese before you overcook your burger," he told me. 

I didn't have a metal bowl on hand, so I used an old Marie Callender's pie tin I found in my parents' kitchen. 

My cheese looked perfect.

Less than 10 minutes had gone by, and it was already time to build my burger. 

Constructing my burger was super easy.

I placed my patty on the bottom bun, then added the tomato, onion slices, and pickles. I placed the shredded lettuce on the top bun and voilà — I was done! 

Fieri's burger tasted just as good as it looked.

What impressed me most about Fieri's burger was how juicy it tasted, even without a single condiment. The patty, which was perfectly cooked, truly stood on its own. It had just the right amount of crispiness and was packed with flavor. 

The brioche bun added a nice hint of sweetness to the overall taste, and the beautifully melted cheese tasted almost buttery. The burger was pure perfection. 

Read my full review of Guy Fieri's perfect burger here. 

Ramsay's burger has quite a few more ingredients than Fieri's.

To make Ramsay's cheeseburgers at home, you'll need: 

• Ground beef
• Brioche buns 
• Bacon 
• Cheddar cheese 
• Egg yolks 
• Frozen red chile
• Tomato 
• Onion 
• Little Gem lettuce 
• Mayonnaise 
• Sriracha 

First, I prepped my burgers.

I added 16 ounces of ground beef into a bowl — enough to make four burgers — along with two egg yolks. I then sprinkled salt and freshly ground black pepper on top, along with one grated frozen chile. 

I used my hands to mix everything together and made four patties that were each around 1 inch thick. 

"Remember that the thicker you make the patties, the longer they will take to cook," Ramsay writes in his book. "So if you want these on the table in under 10, press your burgers until they are a little thinner for a quicker cooking time."

I drizzled some vegetable oil on my griddle and threw my patties on top.

I let my patties cook for four minutes over medium-high heat, seasoning them with some more salt and pepper.  

Then, I added my bacon and onion slices, increased the heat to high, and let everything cook together.  

As my burgers cooked, I prepped Ramsay's special sauce.

I mixed four tablespoons of mayonnaise with two teaspoons of Sriracha and some salt and pepper. 

I also toasted my buns and prepped my veggies.

I sliced one tomato and washed some Gem Lettuce leaves for the bottom of my burgers. I also toasted my buns in the oven for about two minutes. 

Then, I flipped the burgers, bacon, and onions.

I let them cook for another five minutes. Since my bacon and onion slices were ready before my burgers, I took them off the griddle and placed them on a plate lined with a paper towel. 

It was time to add the cheese — and Ramsay uses the same trick as Fieri.

Ramsay also recommends covering the patties with something to help the cheese melt. But, unlike the Mayor of Flavortown, he doesn't spray the burger with water first. 

Instead, Ramsay's recipe instructed me to first add some butter to the griddle and place the cheese slices on top of my burgers. Then, he recommends covering the patties with a lid or an upturned saucepan. I used a metal bowl, which perfectly covered two of my patties. 

The cheese looked absolutely beautiful.

This is such an easy trick, and clearly worked well for both Fieri's and Ramsay's burgers. I now consider it an essential step to make a great cheeseburger at home. 

Once my patties were ready, I built my burgers.

First, I spread some of Ramsay's Sriracha mayonnaise on my bottom buns. Then, I added the lettuce, tomato, and onion slices, plus my cheeseburger and bacon. 

After I threw a few more onion slices on top and spread more sauce on my top buns, my burger was ready to go. 

Ramsay's burger looked straight out of a restaurant.

There's no denying how impressive this burger looks, and it tasted great, too. The patty was plump and juicy, and I loved the kick of heat from the Sriracha mayonnaise and grated chile. 

The bacon and onion also gave some nice crunch and savoriness, while the tomato and lettuce added a dose of freshness. 

Read my full review of Gordon Ramsay's perfect burger here.

Both Fieri and Ramsay have fantastic burgers, but the Mayor of Flavortown takes my top spot.

While you've got to keep track of quite a few different steps to make Ramsay's burger happen in 10 minutes, Fieri's recipe is far simpler — and still delivers fantastic results. 

Plus, I couldn't believe Fieri's burger tasted so good without any sauce or condiments. I've found his burger to outshine those I've had from places like Five Guys, and it's comparable to the gourmet burgers I've tried all over New York — for a fraction of the cost. 

But at the end of the day, you really can't go wrong with Ramsay or Fieri. Either way, you're going to have one very delicious burger. 

• A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's plan to dismantle the Department of Education.
• The judge ruled that the department has to reinstate workers it fired and stop further cuts.
• It also halted plans to transfer student loans out of the Department of Education.

President Donald Trump's plan to shut down the Department of Education is officially on pause.

A federal judge on Thursday issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration from carrying out its executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. The ruling also blocked the department's plan to fire additional employees and its intent to transfer student loans out of the department to another agency.

The judge also directed the department to "restore the Department to the status quo such that it is able to carry out its statutory functions" by reinstating all federal employees who were terminated from the department in March.

Shutting down a federal agency requires congressional approval. While Linda McMahon, Trump's education secretary, has repeatedly said that she intends to work with Congress to shut down the department and improve efficiency at the agency, the judge wrote that there is "nothing in the record" to back up those points.

"Not only is there no evidence that Defendants are pursuing a 'legislative goal' or otherwise working with Congress to reach a resolution, but there is also no evidence that the RIF has actually made the Department more efficient," the ruling said, referring to the reduction-in-force orders. "Rather, the record is replete with evidence of the opposite."

Madi Biedermann, the deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Department of Education, told Business Insider in a statement that "a far-left Judge has dramatically overstepped his authority, based on a complaint from biased plaintiffs, and issued an injunction against the obviously lawful efforts to make the Department of Education more efficient and functional for the American people."

"This ruling is not in the best interest of American students or families," Biedermann said. "We will immediately challenge this on an emergency basis."

Thursday's ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of professors and teachers unions. The group argued that attempts to dismantle the Department of Education would harm students and families who rely on federal aid and grants.

On March 11, the department announced it was terminating more than 1,300 workers. McMahon said this was part of the department's "commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers."

The judge said that the cuts "paint a stark picture of the irreparable harm that will result from financial uncertainty and delay, impeded access to vital knowledge on which students and educators rely, and loss of essential services for America's most vulnerable student populations."

"Indeed, prior to the RIF, the Department was already struggling to meet its goals, so it is only reasonable to expect that an RIF of this magnitude will likely cripple the Department," the judge said.

Student loan borrowers are navigating a changing landscape. On May 5, the Trump administration restarted collections on defaulted student loans after a five-year pause. It is also looking into redefining eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Meanwhile, 2 million student-loan borrowers are still waiting for their income-driven repayment plan applications to be processed while the SAVE plan remains blocked.

• There are no Costco stores in Wyoming, so I drive 130 miles out of state to shop there every month.
• Bulk shopping helps keep my grocery bill in check.
• I always stock up on items like toilet paper, Greek yogurt, and gluten-free snacks.

I didn't know just how vital Costco was to my household until we moved from Denver to Sheridan, Wyoming.

Alongside Rhode Island and West Virginia, Wyoming is one of three states without any Costco locations.

Despite my husband and I being DINKWADs (dual income, no kids, with a dog), we're accustomed to shopping in bulk, in part because we grew up in rural areas where it's common to do so. It also helps us stretch our grocery budget.

Now, when I make my monthly two-hour drive to Costco in Billings, Montana, I never leave the store without these 10 items.

Kirkland Signature plain Greek yogurt is the most versatile ingredient in my fridge.

Plain Greek yogurt is my superstar ingredient for adding protein to recipes. I like to use it in place of sour cream, add protein powder to it for a quick breakfast, and use it in place of oil when baking gluten-free brownies.

This 48-ounce tub lasts me about two weeks.

Better Than Bouillon roasted beef base is my secret sauce.

In my opinion, the Better Than Bouillon roasted beef base tastes much richer than boxed broths, so it's great for making stews and soups.

I also like to use it for gravies, marinades, and slow-cooked meats.

I make sure 80% of my cart is filled with produce.

I like to buy organic produce, like the Josie's Organics baby spinach, at Costco because I can get more for my money than I do at my local grocery store.

The Simple Mills almond flour crackers are a great gluten-free snack.

I've noticed that gluten-free snacks can be hard to find in my local grocery store.

So, I like purchasing a double-bag box of Simple Mills almond flour crackers at Costco. They usually last me a month and are always a hit at family gatherings.

Liquid IV is my not-so-guilty pleasure.

When I can fit it into my grocery budget, Liquid IV is one of my splurge items.

Having these hydration packets on hand, especially in the hotter months living at higher elevations, is a game changer for me. I've noticed that when I use them, I get fewer headaches and cramps post-workout.

I also like to pour them over ice with a lime wedge for a dinnertime mocktail.

This bag of Kirkland Signature frozen shrimp will be thawed in time for dinner.

In my experience, it can be hard to find good seafood that won't bust my grocery budget. That's why I always grab a bag of Kirkland Signature frozen shrimp.

Plus, it's thawed by the time I get home, so I can make dinner quickly.

Kirkland Signature eggs are a great value.

A dozen eggs can cost nearly $6 at my local grocery store. So, I love that I can get a 24-pack of Kirkland Signature eggs at Costco for $8.20.

Pure Protein Bars make the perfect road trip snack.

I always snag a box of these Pure Protein bars at Costco as part of my high-protein diet. They're a great road trip snack for my drive home, too.

I will never stop buying Charmin toilet paper in bulk.

For me, buying toilet paper in bulk isn't just about saving money. It's also about my irrational fear of running out — fueled by the shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Periodically, Costco will run a sale, and I'll buy two packages of Charmin at a time.

Before heading home, I always remember to fuel up.

As a Costco member, I get access to its gas stations, so my final purchase is always getting gas for the 130-mile drive home.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

• A&O Shearman says its deal with Trump includes nothing beyond the president's brief Truth Social post.
• Trump's posts don't explain how his deals with Big Law firms are supposed to be enforced.
• For A&O Shearman, at least, the terms remain vague.

For one of the Big Law firms that made a deal with President Donald Trump, it's the Truth Social, the whole Truth Social, and nothing but the Truth Social.

In a letter to Congress, A&O Shearman said Trump's 364-word Truth Social post constituted "the complete terms" of the deal. A&O Shearman and three other firms pledged $125 million each in free legal work toward Trump's political priorities, according to the post.

"The complete terms of the Agreement are as set forth in the four numbered paragraphs of the President's April 11, 2025 social media post," William E. White and William J.F. Roll III, the firm's co-general counsels, wrote in the May 8 letter.

Prior to A&O Shearman's letter to Congress, it was unclear whether any law firm had a written agreement spelling out the terms of the deals. A Justice Department lawyer, in litigation related to Trump's executive orders targeting law firms that didn't strike deals with Trump, has said in court that he didn't know whether any such agreements existed.

Several unresolved questions remain about the deals between the law firms and the White House, each of which Trump announced on his social media platform.

Do they have any enforcement mechanisms? How much time do the law firms have to fulfill their pledges? Who would decide whether a particular case counted toward the pro bono hours? Which "outside counsel" would the firms be required to retain to advise on employment practices, as the agreements require? And do the deals actually constrain Trump from issuing an executive order targeting the firms?

In the letter to Congress, A&O Shearman said that an underlying agreement spelling out these details does not exist. It said it also resolved separate inquiries from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, whose Trump-appointed acting chairman had asked 20 Big Law firms about their diversity initiatives.

"Our Firm has no other agreements other than the EEOC settlement agreement," A&O Shearman's letter said. "Neither the Agreement nor the EEOC settlement agreement (which focuses only on employment law related matters) contains any limitations whatsoever on the Firm's ability to represent any existing or future client in any matter."

Victor Chen, a spokesperson for the EEOC, declined to provide Business Insider with copies of the agency's agreements with the law firms.

The nine law firms that made deals with Trump agreed to provide pro bono work for the administration, among other concessions.

A&O Shearman's letter came alongside correspondence from the other eight firms in response to questions from lawmakers about whether those deals are legal and ethical.

A&O Shearman jointly struck a deal with three other law firms — Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Latham & Watkins — to commit a total of $500 million in pro bono services, according to Trump's post.

Trump's Truth Social post said the law firms were expected to devote pro bono work toward combating antisemitism; "ensuring fairness in our Justice System"; and helping law enforcement, veterans, relatives of military members who have died in combat, and first responders.

"Our lawyers already do pro bono work in each of these areas — indeed, much of our lawyers' current and historical pro bono work centers on fairness in the justice system, and we have long represented veterans and victims of religious discrimination," A&O Shearman wrote in its letter.

The firm added that "no lawyer is required or expected to work on a pro bono matter they do not believe in."

Rep. Dave Min, a Democratic lawmaker who asked the Big Law firms about their deals with Trump, told Business Insider that such an agreement wouldn't be enforceable anyway.

Because Trump seems to have a different impression of what the deals provide, "these firms are all basically claiming that there was no meeting of the minds," meaning they can't be enforced, said Min, a former law professor who has lectured on the limits of settlements.

Spokespeople for each of the nine firms that made deals with Trump, which collectively pledged nearly $1 billion worth of free work, didn't respond to requests for comment.

In a statement, a White House spokesperson said the deals "could usher in a new era of merit and fairness in our justice system." The spokesperson did not respond to questions about the terms of the deals.

The May 8 letter from A&O Shearman came the same day a lawyer for the Justice Department said he wasn't aware of any written agreements between Trump and Big Law firms.

"I know of nothing beyond the generally publicly available information," Richard Lawson told US District Judge Loren AliKhan in a hearing for a lawsuit the firm Susman Godfrey brought against the Trump administration.

Susman Godfrey is among the four law firms that have not made a deal with Trump and were targeted by his executive orders that would strip employees of security clearances and ban them from federally owned buildings.

Each of the four firms sued the administration and won court orders blocking the implementation of Trump's orders.

• Kid Cudi testified at Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial on Thursday.
• Kid Cudi dated Cassie Ventura, Diddy's now ex, in 2011.
• Cassie alleged that Diddy reacted violently after discovering their fling.

Kid Cudi is the latest celebrity to take the witness stand in Sean "Diddy" Combs' bombshell-filled sex-trafficking trial, following allegations that the hip-hop mogul threatened to "hurt" the rapper and blow up his car.

In the first two weeks of the trial, both Cassie Ventura, an R&B singer and Diddy's ex-girlfriend and her mother mentioned Kid Cudi when testifying about Diddy's behavior, which they alleged was abusive. Diddy has denied the claims.

Here's what to know about how the three are linked.

2010: Kid Cudi supported Diddy on the "Last Train to Paris" album.

Kid Cudi and Diddy have never officially collaborated on a track. But in 2020, Diddy revealed that Kid Cudi was in the booth while he recored his 2010 album, "Last Train To Paris."

Through Revolt, a media organization Diddy co-founded, the he shared multiple behind-the-scenes videos of the studio sessions for the 2010 album. One showed Kid Cudi rapping "Now or Never" over a beat.

2011: Kid Cudi dated Cassie during her relationship with Diddy.

In 2023, Cassie filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of rape, physical abuse, and controlling her throughout their relationship, which lasted from 2006 to 2018.

Diddy denied the allegations in the lawsuit.

The suit was settled a day later, but Cassie repeated many of the allegations during her testimony in the first week of Diddy's trial.

In the filing seen by Business Insider, Cassie said she dated Kid Cudi in 2011 during a "rough patch" in her relationship with Diddy.

Cassie said Diddy looked through the her phone and emails during a "freak off" and became "enraged" after finding messages between her and Kid Cudi. Cassie said he lunged at her with a corkscrew between her fingers, and she fled to Kid Cudi's home.

She said that when she returned to reconcile with Diddy he hit her several times and kicked her in the back as she tried to run out the door.

Cassie said she later went to her parents' home in Connecticut where her mother took pictures of the bruises.

Cassie also testified that Diddy threatened to hurt her and Kid Cudi.

On Tuesday, Regina Ventura, Cassie's mother, testified that her daughter texted her in 2011 that Diddy had threatened to release porn featuring Cassie and physically harm her because of the fling with Kid Cudi.

Regina Ventura also testified that she had to borrow against their home to pay for $20,000 Diddy demanded for Cassie's unpaid "expenses."

"He was going to need $20,000 to recoup money that he had spent on her because he was angry that she had a relationship with Scott Mescudi," Ventura said, adding that she paid because she was worried about her daughter.

Regina Ventura said the money was sent to Bad Boy Records, the record label Diddy founded, but the company returned it four or five days later without any explanation.

2012: Diddy threatened to blow up Kid Cudi's car, Cassie alleged.

Cassie claimed in her lawsuit that Diddy told her in February 2012, while they were at Paris Fashion Week, that he wanted to blow up Kid Cudi's car while he and his friends were home.

Cassie said in the lawsuit that Kid Cudi's car exploded in his driveway around this time, but she does not accuse Diddy of carrying it out.

In November 2023, a spokesperson for Kid Cudi told The New York Times that his car did explode, saying, "This is all true."

Kid Cudi may explain how and why the car exploded in his testimony.

Diddy's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

• Kid Cudi testified in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking trial on Thursday.
• The rapper once dated Combs' ex, Cassie Ventura.
• Ventura previously testified that her 2012 romance with Kid Cudi made Combs "irate."

Rapper Kid Cudi told a Manhattan federal jury on Thursday that Sean "Diddy" Combs broke into his Los Angeles home after the hip-hop mogul found out he was dating R&B singer Cassie Ventura.

Christmas gifts from Chanel that Kid Cudi had gotten for his family were unwrapped and opened, and his dog was shut in the bathroom during the December 2011 break-in, he testified at Combs' sex-trafficking and racketeering trial.

Kid Cudi, whose given name is Scott Mescudi, was called as a government witness in the trial, which is in its second week.

Earlier that day, Mescudi found out Combs was outside his home after Mescudi had spent a night with Ventura at the Sunset Marquis hotel, he testified.

One of Combs' trusted employees, Capricorn Clark, called Mescudi to tell him that she was outside his house — and that Combs was inside, Mescudi testified. Clark told Mescudi that Combs had "forced her physically" to drive there with him, Mescudi said.

"Motherfucker, you in my house?" Mescudi recalled telling Combs over the phone as he rushed over to his home in the Hollywood Hills.

"He said he wants to talk to me," Mescudi said of Combs. "I said I'm on my way over right now."

"And he said I'm over here waiting for you," Mescudi told the jury, adding that Combs sounded "calm."

Mescudi added, "I wanted to confront him, I wanted to fight him," but he wondered whether Combs would be alone for any actual confrontation.

Once he got home, Combs was nowhere to be found, Mescudi said.

"Some gifts that I had brought for my family had been opened," Mescudi testified. "And then my dog was in my bathroom."

He said his dog was acting "very jittery."

Mescudi told the jury he reported the break-in to the police.

Mescudi and Ventura — the prosecution's star witness in Combs' trial — briefly dated while Ventura was on a break from Combs. Ventura and Combs dated on and off between 2007 and 2018.

After the ordeal, Mescudi told jurors that Combs reached out to him a couple of times.

"I guess he was in the dark about things and wanted to talk," Mescudi said.

But Mescudi said he told Combs, "You broke into my house, you messed with my dog, I don't want to talk to you."

During Ventura's more than 20 hours of testimony last week, she told the eight-man, four-woman jury how her 2011 romance with Mescudi enraged Combs — and that he wanted to set fire to his car.

Mescudi said his Porsche was torched while parked in his driveway

Mescudi testified on Thursday that his Porsche had been firebombed in February 2012 while it was parked in his driveway.

"Looks like the top of my Porsche was cut open. That's where they inserted the Molotov cocktail," Mescudi told jurors as they were shown photos of his torched vehicle.

Mescudi said that during a later meeting at the Soho House West Hollywood, Combs denied having torched his car.

"What are we going to do about my car?" Mescudi told the jury he asked Combs. "I made sure to ask him while our hands were clasped so I could look him straight in the eye."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Combs answered, Mescudi testified.

"That's your word?" Mescudi said he then asked. "He said, yeah."

"And I said, that's it," Mescudi said.

Ventura's 2023 now-settled lawsuit against Combs first suggested that Combs was responsible for the 2012 firebombing.

Prosecutors have alleged that Combs previously ordered his underlings to torch a car using a Molotov cocktail.

Combs faces life in prison if the jury convicts him on sex trafficking charges tied to Ventura and another woman.

During his testimony, Mescudi told the jury that he had strong feelings for Ventura, but that they broke it off because "the drama was just getting out of hand."

"Kind of wanted to give her some space. The break-in and everything," Mescudi testified. "Just felt like things were getting out of hand. For my safety, for her safety."

"I knew Sean Combs was violent," Mescudi said.

Mescudi said he saw Combs a couple of years later at the Soho House.

"He pulled me to the side and basically said, 'Man I just want to apologize for everything and all that bullshit,'" Mescudi said.

"I found peace with it — that was the last thing I was expecting of him," said Mescudi.

• I used to shop at Costco weekly for my family of four for everything on our grocery list.
• Recently, their parking lot transitioned from merely chaotic to downright impossible to find a spot.
• I've resorted to buying my previous Costco finds elsewhere at places like Aldi.

The Costco in my town has the unique appeal of being both a warehouse and an ethnic grocer.

While I can count a dozen Asian markets within a five-mile radius of my house, none of them — not even my beloved HMart — can boast the inventory and ethnic diversity of my favorite membership club.

While shopping at Costco, I found Japanese Suntory whiskey, custard-filled taiyakis, Taiwanese moon cakes, Chinese sausage, Philippine dried mangos, Vietnamese bottled coffee, Korean kimbap, fresh mangosteens, and my family's favorite pork dumplings. During the same shopping trip, I can also grab pupusas and birria tacos.

For these reasons, as a mother who shops weekly for my household of four, Costco used to be our weekly go-to destination. But the store has become so busy that I can barely get in the door anymore.

With two hangry children in the car whose patience for grocery shopping can only be coaxed with promises (or bribes) of getting to pick their own weekly snacks, I've had to rethink my grocery shopping.

My local Costco has become too popular

I live in Torrance, Calif., which has a large Costco. It's known to be one of the busier locations.

It routinely appears on rankings and lists like the "most Asian" Costco in SoCal, simply one of the best in the state, or the most "elite" in the country.

Those rankings have ultimately become both a blessing and a curse. The parking lot there has always been a chaotic mess, but lately, it's become impossible to maneuver.

My last three attempts to visit have failed because I could not find a single parking spot in the lot. I had to leave completely and ended up buying none of my favorite items.

I've been forced to replace my favorite Costco items with food from other stores.

I've been on the hunt for Costco alternatives at Aldi

I used to buy all our organic, free-range, and "natural" dairy products from Costco, especially the milk, eggs, and coffee creamer our family couldn't live without. These days, whenever I can't find a space in their parking lot, I buy the Aldi versions. Recently, the eggs at Aldi cost me less than $7.

Getting my kids (and husband) to eat vegetables is an ongoing battle. I used to fight this battle by buying a giant bag of organic spinach at Costco once a week and challenging us as a family to finish before any of the leaves wilted. Now, I try to do the same with the bulk-sized organic salad mixes, also courtesy of Aldi, which costs less than $5.

We don't live solely on white meat, so while I used to get our rib-eye steaks and marinated bulgogi from the butcher's section of Costco, now I get seasoned pork pastor and carne asada from Aldi for around $5 and steaks from whatever is on sale at Amazon Fresh.

Admittedly, there are a few things I've had a harder time finding the dupes for. No Costco trip is complete without their iconic $5 rotisserie chicken, and this remains one of their hardest products to replace.

Costco's individually wrapped bags of organic edamame also remain elusive. While I can easily find smaller bags of frozen young soybeans in any Asian grocer, none of them have the convenience and bulk of the membership warehouse I used to love but am now learning to live without.

I won't give up on Costco, though. I still periodically drive into the parking lot to see if I can snag a spot. If I can't, I leave knowing I can get some of my favorite items elsewhere.