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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Whether you celebrate the holiday with your significant other, best friends or yourself, Valentine’s Day is a sweet excuse for showing everyone some love. Now is the best time to gather Valentine’s Day gift ideas, and we’re big fans of gifting jewelry this time of year (even to yourself!).

I know I know — isn’t jewelry for Valentine’s Day a little stereotypical? It may sound cliche, but let’s be real — who wouldn’t want the gift of jewelry? You don’t have to gift diamonds just to show you care. There are plenty of affordable jewelry gifts from Kendra Scott, Baublebar and Pandora for under $100.

From pink heart rings to affordable tennis bracelets (yes, really), we rounded up thoughtful jewelry gifts that won’t break the bank. Scroll on for our top jewelry gift recommendations this Valentine’s Day.

14 Galentine’s Day Gifts to Shower Your Besties With Love — Starting at $6

10 Jewelry Pieces That Make Beautiful Valentine’s Day Gifts

Kendra Scott Ari Heart Gold Delicate Chain Bracelet

 

Anyone who’s always wearing a bracelet stack will be ecstatic to receive this Kendra Scott Ari Heart Gold Bracelet. It features a dainty chain that showcases a pretty red heart in the center. Talk about the perfect gift for all of your gals!

Gorjana Lou Heart Ring

Even though this heart ring serves as an excellent Valentine’s Day gift, it makes a stunning everyday accessory, too. The 18k gold-plated brass ring can be worn with a stack of rings or on its own.

Ana Luisa Lev Puffed Heart Necklace

Some heart necklaces are bulky and big, but that’s not the case with this perfectly sized pendant from Ana Luisa. Available in gold or silver, the necklace makes an adorable layering piece when paired with other dainty necklaces.

Ben Amun 24k Gold Electroplate Chain Necklace with Heart Locket

Looking for something sentimental to gift this Valentine’s Day? Go for Ben Amun’s 24k Gold Electroplate Locket. Featuring intricate details around the heart, the locket opens to reveal a photo of your choosing. How sweet!

Anthropologie Mixed Metal Heart Earrings

For those who are always mixing metals, these earrings are the best gift. The asymmetrical heart earrings feature gold- and silver-plated zinc.

A New Day Valentine’s Day 14K Gold Dipped Pave Pearl Heart Pendant

A memorable Valentine’s Day gift doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Take this open heart pearl pendant necklace — it’s just $20 but looks so much more expensive. This jewelry gift is perfect for daughters, grandkids or girlfriends.

Gem Stone King 925 Sapphire Necklace and Bracelet Jewelry Set

Looking to splurge a little? This sapphire jewelry gift set is just under $100 and comes with a heart pendant necklace and matching bracelet. Talk about a sweet deal!

Pandora Pink Chakra Heart Ring

Embodying the spirit of love, this Pandora Pink Chakra Heart Ring is anything but ordinary. It’s perfect for anyone who prefers thoughtful yet dainty jewelry, and it’s extra sentimental considering it’s coming from someone they love — aka you!

Baublebar Metallic Custom Woven Friendship Bracelet

If you’re looking for a customizable jewlery gift, head to Baublebar. The brand offers fun pieces for any style and budget. Our pick? The Metallic Custom Woven Friendship Bracelet. It’s available in multiple colors and can be customized with a name, initials or sweet phrase.

Baublebar Kali Tennis Bracelet

This heart-shaped tennis bracelet is affordable and stunning. Choose from five colors including clear, gold and a too cute to pass up pink.

Indulge in Love: 10 Luxurious Valentine’s Day Gifts That are Totally Worth The Splurge

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Out of the 142 episodes he shot for Party of Five, Scott Wolf says one episode in particular stands out to him.

“‘The Intervention’ [season 3, episode 20] — where the family confronts Bailey about his drinking — is my favorite Party of Five episode,” Wolf, 56, reveals exclusively in his 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me feature in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “It was the most demanding and gratifying. It was written perfectly and the culmination of Bailey’s experience up until that point.”

Party of Five, which aired on Fox from 1994 to 2000, follows five siblings navigating young adulthood together after the loss of their parents. Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert and Jennifer Love Hewitt costarred along with Wolf. The siblings face various struggles throughout the series, including Wolf’s character Bailey’s struggle with alcoholism.

While the show dealt with some difficult subject matter, Wolf says his latest series, Doc, has been his most challenging project thus far: “Dr. Richard Miller is an incredibly complex character,” he told Us.

Scott Wolf Jokingly Diagnoses Family After Playing 4 Different TV Doctors

Doc — which airs on Fox on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET — follows the fictional Westside Hospital in Minneapolis, where the chief of internal medicine attempts to resume her medical career after a car accident, with the help of her colleagues, including Wolf as Miller.

For more fun facts from Wolf — including his first celebrity crush — keep scrolling:

1. My first car was a 1978 Volkswagen Dasher Wagon. My friends called it The Family Truckster from the Vacation movies. I had just gotten my license and was so eager to drive anything that I bought that piece of crap car and it was almost the end of me. I learned how to be a quasi-auto mechanic because it needed fixing all the time. It was a disaster, [but] I like to think it built character.

2. My favorite book I’ve ever read is One Hundred Years of Solitude. It really felt like you traveled through time with those characters.

3. Math was my best subject in school. I have a decent mind for math. I never loved it, but it came easier to me than most other subjects.

4. My favorite comfort meal is my wife’s chicken noodle soup. It’s homemade, delicious and arrives when you need it most.

5. “The Intervention” [season 3, episode 20] — where the family confronts Bailey about his drinking — is my favorite Party of Five episode. It was the most demanding and gratifying. It was written perfectly and the culmination of Bailey’s experience up until that point.

6. Doc is the most challenging project I’ve been a part of. Dr. Richard Miller is an incredibly complex character.

7. The trend I miss the most from the ’90s is boy bands.

8. My wedding ring is my most valuable possession — though I can’t find it. My wife knows I take it on and off for work. Anytime I’ve played a married character, I’ve worn it, and then invariably I’ll wear it on the set and someone’s like, “Go get Scott’s ring,” and it’s in someone’s pocket. So I can’t find it, but it’s 100 percent invaluable.

9. I play drums and guitar.

10. I’m really good at those puzzle books where you have to find the hidden objects.

11. My most starstruck moment was when Paul Newman came to see a play I was in at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Thank God nobody told me he was there when we did the show, but in the dressing room after, someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Paul Newman would like to say hello,” and I don’t remember the next few seconds. He and his wife, Joanne Woodward, were there and they were the most lovely, gracious humans and said how much they enjoyed the play and my performance, and I couldn’t put real words together. He was that kind of genius human who just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable or starstruck, even though everyone that ever said hello to him probably was.

12. I make a mean French toast.

Scott Wolf Would '100 Percent Consider' Doing a 'Party of Five' Reboot

13. My go-to takeout order is a McDonald’s Big Mac meal [with] large fries and a Coke.

14. I love every place I’ve gone to in Mexico. I love the food, the people and the beaches.

15. My first job was as a busboy at a pizza restaurant in my hometown. People would put their cigarettes out [on] the plates and I was picking those up. I lasted one night. Thankfully, other jobs have lasted longer.

16. I’m from New Jersey, and my reality-TV guilty pleasure show is The Real Housewives of New Jersey. It’s like going to a reunion.

17. I collect objects from places I’ve gone with my family. I love having a bowl of random shells, stones and things that you may not remember where they’re from, but they tell a story.

18. One of the most meaningful moments in my career was winning the Golden Globe [for Best Television Series — Drama] with the Party
of Five cast. I was so proud to be part of that special group of people and getting that honor was really meaningful.

19. My bucket list isn’t about outside things — it’s become about being more present.

20. To unwind, I have a glass of bourbon and find someone in the house to laugh with.

21. I really looked up to Johnny Carson growing up. He was quick-witted and funny, but also heartfelt. He seemed like the consummate entertainer.

'Party of Five' Cast: Where Are They Now?

22. My first celebrity crush was Marcia Brady [Maureen McCormick]. I met her and told her that, and she was lovely and kind.

23. I was lucky enough to work with Jeff Bridges on White Squall, and he was as cool, funny and generous as anybody I’ve ever worked with. I would work with him again every day.

24. My alternate profession would be a lawyer or politician. I love a good argument and I suppose I have a bit of a justice bent in me. Something about the law has always intrigued me.

25. The one movie I could watch for the rest of my life is The Matrix. It feels like an experience more than a movie. It’s like a sensory world. Everytime I see it anywhere, I watch it to the end.

© Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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To stay the No. 1 syndicated court show, the Hot Bench judges know that everyone has to keep it real.

“These are real cases filed across the country in real courthouses,” Judge Yodit Tewolde exclusively shared with Us Weekly while celebrating the 2,000th episode of Hot Bench. “It’s so unbelievable these cases that we get that I don’t blame [people] for thinking it’s scripted, but these are real people with these real issues.”

Whether it’s litigants asking the court to resolve their drama surrounding rent, car accidents or even a $5 latte, Tewolde along with Michael Corriero and Rachel Juarez are determined to rule fairly and justly.

“The uniqueness about the show is that it’s just not one judge rendering a verdict,” Corriero explained to Us. “You’re getting to hear why we come to a conclusion and whether we can have a consensus together. …It gives us an opportunity perhaps to educate and test our views with each other and entertain.

Which TV Shows Are Canceled in 2025-2026?

As Hot Bench continues to air weekdays — check your local listings online — Us asked the judges to answer some burning questions about the show:

What Are the ‘Hot Bench’ Judges Favorite Cases to Try

Juarez loves when a car accident case approaches her docket. “I like piecing them together,” she said. “I like when the three of us get to put on our detective hats and say, ‘Well, wait a second! Why isn’t there any white paint if he hit you in the back?’ I feel like it’s a way to kind of be a mini detective — but within only 20 minutes.”

While Tewolde doesn’t love a case involving kids who are bullied, Corriero tries to use it as a learning opportunity.

“We can try to remedy the situation,” he explained to Us. “A kid’s bully? We try to deal with that and demonstrate that the person who did the bullying was wrong and why. I like when we have very young people who come in as witnesses for their parents or the elders because it gives us an opportunity to talk to them, to reach them and to show them what a real courtroom is about, what justice is about.”

How Do the Judges Know Litigants Are Lying?

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Corriero never likes it when plaintiffs or defendants have “inconsistencies” within their case.

Juarez raises her eyebrows when people start overexplaining their actions. “If you just come out defensively, like, ‘I had dinner at 7 but the reason I had dinner…’” she said. “The minute you start overexplaining and defending, we’re kind of like [hmmm.]”

It’s also important to come prepared with your evidence. “They’re always losing the cell phone with the text message proof,” Tewolde joked. “That is notorious.”

What Do the Judges Wear Below Their Robes?

The cameras showcase the judges in their signature black robes, but some prefer to get a little more casual with their footwear.

“We’re always wearing sneakers because under the robe, why do you care?” Tewolde joked before showcasing her Nikes.

While Juarez sometimes shows up to work in tracksuits, Corriero always comes dressed. “Ever since high school, I had to wear a suit,” he said. “I don’t feel dressed unless I’m in a suit.”

How Many Cases Do the ‘Hot Bench’ Judges Cover Every Day?

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According to Juarez, Hot Bench is able to tape two or three days a week. Each day of filming includes six or seven cases.

“We have a lot of time to prepare,” she assured Us. “We really get to dive into each case, dig into the evidence for each case and then by the time that we’re actually there hearing them, we’ve seen almost everything.”

How Long Does It Take for the Judges to Reach Their Verdict? 

While some viewers may assume the Hot Bench judges already know their ruling within minutes of meeting the plaintiff and defendant, Tewolde said it’s not always the case.

“Sometimes it’s fairly obvious,” she told Us. “A lot are not and we just have to wait and see what the litigants testify to and the evidence.”

Juarez added, “We often will read it and think one thing and then the people will present so differently before us. Nothing this person says makes sense or this person is clearly not credible and it completely changes.”

Taylor Swift put her creative skills to work in celebration of Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes’ newest addition to the family, Us Weekly can confirm.

According to a source, the Grammy winner made the Mahomes’ new baby girl, Golden, a blanket following her birth on January 12. (The couple, both 29, also share daughter Sterling, 3, and son Bronze, 2.)

“She makes a lot of things for the people she loves and cares about,” the source exclusively tells Us of Swift, 35. “She makes sentimental gifts that are more of value to her than expensive gifts.”

The source notes Swift loves to create one-of-a-kind keepsakes behind the scenes.

All the Stars Who Congratulated Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on Baby Golden

“She has always been someone who makes arts and crafts. She makes a lot of personal things herself,” the source continues, noting that Swift is “always thinking about her friends and values those gifts more than anything expensive.”

The homemade presents from Swift “have more meaning,” the insider says, adding that even when it comes to buying a present the pop star will “hunt for something special, personal and meaningful for people.” The source says, “She’s not the type to have her assistant just buy something.”

Gigi Hadid previously revealed in September 2020 that “auntie” Swift made her and ex Zayn Malik’s 4-year-old daughter, Khai, a pink blanket after she was born.

Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes and Lyndsay Bell Recreate Game Day Pic

Chiefs WAG Chariah Gordon told Glamour in November 2024 that Swift sent her and Mecole Hardman Jr.’s baby girl a gift as well — even while she was still on tour. “It’s so freaking cute and so thoughtful,” Chariah said at the time.

Swift initially became friends with Patrick and Brittany once she started dating Kansa City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in summer 2023. After the singer attended her first Chiefs game in September 2023, she soon became a fixture at Arrowhead Stadium, often cheering alongside Brittany from one of the suites.

“Brittany is thrilled to be building a genuine friendship with Taylor. They’ve hung out a couple of times and have grown fairly close in a short period of time,” a source exclusively told Us in October 2023. “Brittany thinks Taylor is so sweet, and down to earth, and they get along really great.”

The following month, Brittany joined Swift for a girls’ night out in New York City alongside the musician’s famous pals Selena Gomez, Sophie Turner and Hadid, 29.

The girls’ friendship continued to grow throughout 2024. In September of that year, the Mahomes were spotted hanging out with Swift and Kelce, 35, at the US Open in New York. (Patrick has played on the Chiefs with Kelce since 2017.)

The Mahomes were also on hand in December 2024 to celebrate the end of Swift’s Eras Tour with a concert-themed bash. “My people,” Brittany captioned a series of photos from the soiree, posing with Swift and fellow Chiefs WAG Lyndsay Bell.

Taylor Swift Hugs Pregnant Brittany Mahomes on US Open Double Date

Earlier this month, Swift showed her subtle support for Brittany and Patrick when they announced the arrival of their third baby.

“•Golden Raye Mahomes• 1/12/25,” the couple wrote via Instagram on January 13, sharing a black-and-white photo of their daughter’s feet as they held onto her.

Swift dropped a “like” on the social media post. Less than a week later both Brittany and Swift were spotted cheering on the Chiefs during the divisional playoff against the Houston Texans. The Chiefs won, advancing to the NFL Conference Championship game on Sunday, January 26.

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