• For most of my life, I never imagined living anywhere but New York City.
• Circumstances changed about two years ago, and I decided to move to Portugal with my two kids.
• We've lived here for about a month, and everything is different. Life is so much better.

I made the choice to leave behind everything familiar.

I was born and raised in New York, and for most of my life I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

But about two years ago, I pulled my kids out of public school after multiple safety incidents, opting to homeschool them instead.

I'm a single mom, and my concern for my kids' safety, combined with the rising costs of rent and groceries, made me begin to imagine what I couldn't before: moving away from NYC.

It wasn't just New York, though; it felt as if the US, in general, was moving in a direction I didn't want to follow, so I dived into research about relocating to another country.

My top priorities were safety, quality of life, and cost of living. After months of searching, I landed on Portugal, which is consistently ranked one of the safest countries in the world.

My two sons and I have been living here for a month, and while I doubted myself in the beginning, I know now it was the right choice.

I was surprised by how open my kids were to moving to another country

When I first decided on Portugal, I expected the hardest part to be telling my children, who were then 11 and 16. I knew it would be difficult for them to leave the only home they'd ever known.

We sat down as a family and had an honest talk. Indeed, they were hesitant to leave friends and family behind, but after weighing the pros and cons I was surprised by how open they were to exploring the idea.

So, to test the waters, about a year ago we took two scouting trips: The first was a two-week trip to Porto, a beautiful city in northern Portugal, and the second was a monthlong stay in the Algarve, the southern region known for its beaches and sunny weather.

We treated the trips seriously, as if we were living there, not like vacations. My homeschooled kids continued their schoolwork during our stay, and we explored the neighborhoods, rode public transportation, and shopped at local stores.

After the second trip, we were sure Portugal was the right move — we were ready for a slower pace of life.

It took us over half a year to move

Back in New York, we spent the next six months preparing. I hired an immigration lawyer and a real estate agent. I sold my car, told family and friends, and started packing and donating what we didn't need.

The visa process, with all the forms and financial statements I had to produce, was harder than I expected, but in March we were on a plane with six suitcases, headed toward our new home.

The morning of our flight, I questioned myself: Was I doing the right thing? After living here for a month, though, I know that I was.

Everything about our lives is different now

Instead of sirens and snow, we wake up to the sound of waves.

We've grown closer as a family. We walk along the beach regularly, cook and eat fresh meals together instead of scarfing down takeout in front of the TV, and take weekend trips to other countries.

My boys have also made new friends and spend more time outdoors than on video games.

My spending, so far, is about half of what it was in the US, partly because the cost of living is lower but also because I no longer feel the need to constantly overconsume, like wasting money on fast fashion and bulk shopping.

It's been only about a month, but we feel at home here

The people of Portugal have been kind and welcoming.

Most people where we live speak English, but my kids and I are taking Portuguese lessons because we've found that locals appreciate it when people make an effort to learn the language and integrate into the culture.

We shop locally, and I've become friends with nearby shopkeepers who now greet me by name.

We feel at home here. I get to live across the street from the ocean, something I once only dreamed of. And I finally have the space, time, and peace to enjoy life. My stress has lifted. I can exhale.

My kids still talk to their friends back home and we stay in touch with family. I do not see myself moving back to the US to live, only to visit. We plan on staying in Portugal for the foreseeable future.

• The gig economy might be a tempting option for workers worried about a recession and losing jobs.
• However, many gig work apps are already competitive and at-capacity, though.
• Workers might look to other forms of gig work if the economy goes south.

Delivering food or taking other gig work might be a tempting fallback for workers worried about losing their jobs in a potential recession.

But earning meaningful money through the gig economy might not be so easy, with average earnings falling and competition among gig workers higher than it was a few years ago.

"It's not worth the money," one driver in Colorado who has worked on ride-hailing apps since 2019 told Business Insider.

Gig work provided a source of income for many workers during previous downturns. Apps like Uber and Instacart got their start and recruited lots of independent contractors in the years after the financial crisis of 2008, for instance.

And while the early months of the coronavirus pandemic ground many parts of the economy to a halt, some forms of gig work, especially delivery, became go-to ways of making money.

This time, if an economic downturn arrives, things could be different, gig workers told BI.

During her first year on Uber, the Colorado driver made about $66,000 in gross earnings, according to documents seen by BI. In 2024, she earned half as much despite working a similar number of hours. The driver asked not to be named in this story, citing worries about having her accounts deactivated.

Today, the driver said that she's looking for alternatives to gig work, including applying to full-time jobs and saving up money to open a food truck.

Many ride-hailing drivers have to cover their own expenses, from gas to car maintenance — costs that have largely risen over the last few years thanks to inflation, the driver said, making many of the trips she is offered through the apps less profitable.

These days, her most profitable rides come during bad weather, when lots of drivers stay home. "We make more when it's snowing," the driver said.

In many cities, getting approved to deliver groceries or drive for a ride-hailing service might take weeks or months.

One gig worker in Washington state told BI that she signed up to deliver for Instacart about a year ago and is still waiting for access. "During the pandemic, a lot of people rushed to sign up on Instacart," the worker said. "I think I'm just stuck behind all of that."

Instacart has acknowledged the wait times. "Our shopper supply is very healthy," CEO Fidji Simo said on an earnings call in February. "In fact, we still continue to have a waitlist in most cities."

Today, gig work in other industries may be more readily available, such as getting paid to stand in line for concert tickets, restaurant reservations, or a celebrity's hot new product.

Robert Padron, chief people and experience officer at Arise, which offers call center and other customer service gig workers to businesses, said that his company continues to hire gig workers.

Gig workers who work for Arise can choose to handle customer service requests from a variety of companies, Padron said.

"If one client doesn't have a need for human capital today, there may be 15 others that do," Padron said.

That's different from many gig delivery and ride-hailing apps, where "the one thing to do is drive for Uber or go shopping for Instacart," he added.

Do you have a story to share about gig work? Contact this reporter at [email protected] or 808-854-4501.

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Rome - A second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks are underway, this time in Rome, with President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi leading the delegations.

Why it matters: The talks are taking place with debate still raging within the Trump administration — and between the U.S. and Israel — over whether diplomacy or military strikes are more likely to prevent Tehran from obtaining a bomb.

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• For now, Trump is holding back the hawks, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and focusing on getting a deal.
• "I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific. But they can't have a nuclear weapon. And if they have a nuclear weapon, you'll all be very unhappy because your life will be in great danger," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday.

State of play: While the first round last weekend in Oman was focused on setting the tone and format of the talks, U.S. officials say their goal for the second round is to produce a framework for how the negotiations will proceed.

On the scene: The talks started shortly before noon local time at the residence of the Omani ambassador in Rome's quiet diplomatic quarter.

• Dozens of reporters gathered in the narrow street in front of the Omani diplomatic compound. Araghchi arrived first after a short drive from the Iranian embassy, which is located 300 feet down the street.
• Witkoff's motorcade which arrived 30 minutes later, missed the driveway and had to reverse and circle back in the narrow street.
• Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi is also attending in the role of chief mediator.

Between the lines: The U.S. had requested the venue shift in part because of the long travel time between Washington and Muscat, but the Iranians wanted Oman — one of the few countries with friendly relations with both sides — to remain as mediator.

• Witkoff traveled to Rome after an undisclosed meeting in Paris on Friday — revealed by Axios — with two senior Israeli officials.
• The officials, strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and Mossad chief David Barnea, slipped into Paris for the low-profile meeting to try to influence the U.S. position ahead of the talks.

Friction point: U.S. officials said their aim is to get a deal that includes the elimination of Iran's uranium enrichment program, but the Iranians made clear that crosses their red line.

What they're saying: Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, laid down Iran's principles for a nuclear deal Saturday on X.

• He stressed the Iranian negotiators have "full authority" to reach a deal based on "seriousness and balance," but that such a deal must include guarantees the U.S. won't walk away again, as Trump did in 2018.
• Shamkhani added that a deal must include the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran, and absolutely will not include the full dismantling of Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Netanyahu has urged the U.S. to only accept a deal
• He added that during the talks the U.S. must contain Israel and stop threatening to attack Iran. "Iran has come for a balanced agreement, not surrender," he concluded.

• Drones have seen widespread use by both sides in Russia's war against Ukraine.
• Different types of drones include aerial, ground, and naval, all with specific models and uses.
• Drone operators have been working adapt to the new technology.

Drones are an emerging technology in modern combat. Evolutions in these remotely piloted uncrewed systems have been radically affecting the way war is fought.

Although drones have been used in past conflicts, Russia's war against Ukraine has been marked by a rise in drone warfare, both the employment of uncrewed systems and the development of countermeasures such as electronic warfare.

What are drones?

Drones are vehicles or systems that operate remotely or autonomously without a human being physically on board to drive them. They come in aerial, ground, maritime surface, and undersea varieties, and they are used for civilian, commercial, and military purposes.

They can be used for photography, videography, delivery, inspection and monitoring, intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as precision strikes.

While drones have received attention for the role they play in Ukraine, they have also gotten a lot of interest in the civilian world. There was, for instance, a drone scare in New Jersey in December 2024 that turned out to be mostly hysteria, but it fueled a very long-overdue conversation about drones, including about the ones routinely flying around US military bases.

Earlier that month, the Pentagon unveiled a new strategy for dealing with the challenge of drones, particularly small aerial drones that can be easily acquired for both benign and malign purposes.

"These cheap systems are increasingly changing the battlefield, threatening US installations, and wounding or killing our troops," the secretary of defense wrote. And they have been becoming increasingly prolific.

These systems have been doing the jobs of snipers, combat aircraft, naval vessels, and even precision-guided munitions. In the Red Sea, the US Navy and its European allies have battled drone attacks accompanying anti-ship missiles. These attacks have come from air and sea, targeting both military and commercial vessels.

These relatively low-cost systems are widely available, lowering the barrier to entry for capabilities that were once reserved for conventional militaries. Now they are being used by non-state actors and nation-states alike.

The future of war is expected to be robotic, with machines outnumbering human warfighters. A wide range of drones are already being employed in battle.

Many militaries are looking into purchasing a lot of drones that are cheap, attritable, and readily available or able to be mass-produced on a budget so that drones are available even for squad-level operations.

There continues to be interest in larger, more sophisticated systems as well, such as uncrewed naval vessels capable of supporting traditional warships and uncrewed combat aircraft to fight alongside piloted planes.

Militaries are also exploring new technologies to drive these assets, such as artificial intelligence.

Aerial drones

Uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are drones capable of flight. They are typically launched by a UAV operator, and the ranges and altitudes at which they can fly depend on the model.

Some of the most well-known military UAVs are the large, fixed-wing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drones and uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, or UCAVs.

Fixed-wing ISR drones include assets like the US military's Globe Hawk or Russia's Orlan drones.

Combat drones include drone platforms like the US military's Predator and Reaper drones. The latter can not only conduct surveillance but is also armed with Hellfire missiles. There are heavy fixed-wing UCAVs like Russia's Okhotnik, and there are several stealth drones like the RQ-170 or emerging Chinese CH-7.

Among these drones are maritime assets. Several countries, such as Iran, China, and Turkey, have actually built drone carriers. Some argue the US military needs drone carriers, too, though the US is looking into launching drones from traditional flattops.

Other fixed-wing drone assets include collaborative combat aircraft, or "loyal wingmen," that fly alongside piloted aircraft. The Air Force has been working on this technology, as well as exploring the potential of AI-piloted fighter aircraft.

While fixed-wing drones take off like airplanes, there are also vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones. These include classic designs like helicopters, tail-sitters, tilt rotors, etc., as well as innovative engineering such as articulating-wing designs.

Quadcopter drones and related hexacopters and octacopters are common VTOL UAV models that have been everything from Christmas presents to combat platforms.

The small combat quadcopters, sometimes called first-person-view, or FPV, drones are usually flown by an operator wearing a headset or using a screen and can be used for scouting enemies, dropping explosives, or flying into targets and detonating.

Some commercially available models, like DJI Mavic drones, have seen extensive use in Ukraine, where operators strap plastic explosives or RPG warheads to the drones.

These drones can be piloted through various means, including radio frequencies, a fiber-optic cable that prevents jamming, and artificial intelligence, although autonomy in drones is still limited to terminal guidance targeting and hasn't seen widespread adoption yet.

Other types of aerial drones include loitering munitions, which fly high above targets before crashing into them. Some common types of loitering munitions include the Switchblade, Lancets, and the Iranian-made Shaheds. All have been used in Ukraine.

Ground drones

Uncrewed, or unmanned, ground vehicles, or UGVs, are drones that operate on land. They're often used for transporting supplies or weapons, clearing dangerous areas of threats, and executing casualty evacuations.

Most military ground drones are wheeled or tracked, resembling more complicated versions of remote-controlled cars. Via a controller, an operator can drive the drone over various terrains. The US military has prioritized using UGVs for urban combat environments and subterranean places like caves and tunnels, as drones can keep personnel and military dogs out of harm's way.

Some UGVs are referred to as robot dogs. These quadrupedal robots have four legs and resemble a canine. These drones have been developed by the US, China, and Russia. Some robot dogs wield rifles or machine guns, while others feature cameras and sensors for intelligence-gathering. These drones have been employed in combat and security roles.

Other UGVs include things like the Air Force's unusual Throwbot, which is a football-size device that can record video and audio for reconnaissance and intelligence purposes.

Naval drones

Naval drones have a few variations, but they are typically defined as drones that operate in water. They can be used for missions in hard-to-reach areas or waterways that would be difficult to reach via ship, submarine, or divers.

Ones that sail on the surface can vary in size and payload but often look like boats. Ukraine, lacking a proper naval force, has used drone boats to devastate Russia's Black Sea Fleet during the war, sailing them into vessels in one-way explosive attacks.

The US Navy has experimented with drone boats that can conduct surveillance, as well as ones like the Ghost Overlord Fleet that can fire weapons and augment the conventional battle force.

US military leaders have seen these uncrewed naval assets, and others, as critical to building the kind of mass American forces would need against an adversary like China, which has the world's largest navy.

Uncrewed underwater vehicles, or UUVs, are submersible drones that operate underwater. There are a number of different UUVs varying depth, distance, and capability types depending on the model.

One of the larger UUVs being tested is the Manta Ray, built by Northrop Grumman. The drone is effectively submarine-sized and looks like a flat metal manta ray. It has recently completed in-water testing and can act as a torpedo, small submarine, or even work as a naval mine.

UUVs are especially useful for navigating waters with relative stealth to gather information in areas that could be inaccessible or dangerous for people or other maritime assets.

Naval drones are a growing area of interest. The US Navy's Task Force 59, located in Bahrain, is working on naval drones for surveillance around the waters of the Middle East. NATO also has launched a new Task Force X for naval drones aimed at combatting Russian aggression and preventing underwater sabotage.

How the US military uses drones

The US military has long used drones like the Reaper for surveillance operations; it lost one to Russian aggression in the Black Sea and has lost several to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. These platforms have also been key in counterterrorism strike missions.

Some other US military drones serve as unit-level airborne sensor platforms while other products like the pocket-sized Black Hornet drones provide individual and squad-level options.

Developing these uncrewed capabilities has been a priority for the US armed forces, but it's taken on increased urgency. The US military is working quickly to adapt drone technology across its service branches, especially as it takes note of the drones that have been used in the Ukraine war.

Special Operations Forces has been a leader due to its agile acquisition process and close relationships with defense industry partners that allow for faster iterations.

Other elements of the military are pursuing this technology as well. The Marine Corps, for instance, just recently created its new Attack Drone Team focused on drawing lessons from Ukraine.

A Marine general recently said that with the rise of drones, the longstanding adage "every Marine a rifleman" may need to change. It may be that future war demands they be something more, maybe a drone operator.

The US military has been looking at how drones can make operations safer for personnel, how to extend the military's reach, and what future warfare would look like with drones. And it isn't just the US military exploring these capabilities. Drone technology and artificial intelligence are considered critical for future war.

Counter-drone technology

The Pentagon has been pursuing new drone policies and initiatives to quickly adapt drones and counter-drone systems.

Last year, the Department of Defense launched a new strategy for countering drone threats in an effort to create common guidelines for the department amid the growing threat posed by the rise of uncrewed systems.

Earlier in 2024, three US soldiers were killed in a drone attack at a military outpost in Jordan. The Tower 22 attack highlighted the need for a comprehensive and standardized plan for counter-drone capabilities.

The Pentagon also has Replicator initiatives focused on developing and delivering thousands of all-domain attritable autonomous systems. Replicator's goal is to innovate with defense partners on uncrewed systems and integrate those technologies into the services. There is also a counter-drone element as well.

And the US military has its new Joint C-sUAS (Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System) University, or JCU, which opened in late 2023 at Fort Sill in Oklahoma to teach troops how to combat hostile drones.

With the rise of drones, there has been greater interest in the development of countermeasures and anti-drone weapons. Counter-drone technology has been seen across the Ukraine war. Some is as low-tech as shotguns, while others are electronic warfare systems that can jam radio frequencies and disable drones.

Signal jamming and electronic warfare require constant innovation and adaptation for drone operators.

Drone careers

Militaries around the world are actively recruiting people to serve as combat drone operators. Ukraine's drone units have said technological, engineering, and even video gaming skills are useful for pilots, as they can quickly pick up the controls needed to operate a drone. Others have said musicians make good operators because of their fine motor skills.

Drone operators in the Army's special forces are working on how to make learning different types of drones easier, such as using similar controllers for multiple systems.

There are many drone operator positions in the US military. The Army is hiring tactical UAS operators for reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting missions, and the Air Force is looking for trained remotely piloted aircraft pilots for systems like the MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk. The Marine Corps, too, is looking for small UAS operators. And the Navy has a relatively new Robotic Warfare Specialist position.

To take on one of these roles, an understanding of what capabilities a drone can bring to a fight and what countermeasures an operator will face is crucial.

• When I adopted my third child at 47, I didn't realize I could experience post-adoption depression.
• It took time for me to settle in as a new mom again.
• Getting back into my routine and seeing a therapist helped me deal with my emotions.

"I'm afraid I can't do this," I sobbed on the phone to my caseworker. "What if I made a terrible mistake?"

As a 47-year-old single mom of teens, when I decided to adopt a little girl, I'd assumed that as an experienced parent, I would be fine.

After all, there would be no hormonal changes after an adoption, unlike when I gave birth to my first daughter. I'd had trouble breastfeeding, couldn't soothe her crying, and the days blurred. I felt unmoored and despondent. Slowly, with my husband on night bottle duty, my gloom subsided. And then, when my son was born two years later, I was happy from the moment I brought him home.

By the time the kids were heading off to college, I was divorced and nostalgic for those precious days of swim classes and school plays. My heart longed for another little one, and after two years of home studies and red tape, I was matched with a baby from Vietnam. In mid-September of 2001, the adoption was finalized, and I brought her home.

Yet somehow, during all those visits and checklists, no one had warned me that post-adoption depression was a thing.

When I first came home with Isabella, I was exhausted

The first days with 5-month-old Isabella were a whirlwind of travel to the orphanage, government offices, and doctors. Coming home involved four flights over 12,000 miles and 11 time zones. All were delayed, and I ran out of formula. I thought it would be a relief to be back in my own house. Instead, exhausted and alone, my strength vanished, and I was overcome with sadness.

Maybe I'd gotten my comeuppance: Who was I to think I could handle an infant 24/7 without a partner? Weeping on the sofa, I called my agency caseworker.

"Give yourself time to bond," she advised, "You'll be OK." I wasn't convinced.

Isolated, scared, and helpless, I tried to push away my doubts. Was sleep deprivation playing tricks on my mind?

In time, I started to feel better, and we settled in together

After 72 hours without a shower, change of clothes, a good meal, or adult conversation, I arranged for a babysitter and met a friend at a diner. My stomach was still in knots, but I managed a few bites of French toast. To my surprise, as we chatted, the queasiness subsided. I even smiled. Was it a sugar high from the maple syrup, I wondered?

Still shaky, I resolved to get back to work and arranged to see a therapist. Seeing how getting outside lifted my mood, I forced myself out of my bathrobe, taking Isabella grocery shopping and to the playground.

Two weeks later, my father, an amateur woodworker, came by to install some shutters. To keep Isabella occupied, I sat on the floor and sang silly rhymes to her as she jumped in her bouncer seat. When I first met her, she'd barely managed to hold up her head.

Dad put his tools down, looked at her, and said, "Boy, oh boy, isn't she adorable?" I was filled with love, and it was the beginning of my confidence returning.

It was gradual — about a month — until I truly felt better. Returning to work sooner helped me feel like life was more in control, as was going out with baby and girlfriends for dinner. But it took weeks after I came home to stabilize Isabella's sleeping and eating. Meanwhile, I was sleep-deprived, anxious, and could not eat. I was frightened and ashamed that I felt so inept when I got home.

The caseworker kept in contact with me, assuring me that I'd been through a lot and that I would be OK. She told me not to be hard on myself and that it would take time.Talking to both her and my therapist helped me regain my confidence. When a big group of friends threw me a surprise baby shower Oct 21, filled with so much love and smiles, I knew I was well on my way. As every mother knows, there are ups and downs on every parenting journey, and I was ready to be the mother Isabella needed.

Last year, I opened Instagram and saw that Isabella, now a college student, had posted a photo of us at the orphanage. In the caption, she wrote: "Happy birthday to the most wonderful mother anyone could ask for," with a heart emoji. My spirit soared, and it wasn't because of maple syrup. I was grateful to be the forever parent she deserved.

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