In recent years, the 16 states below the Mason-Dixon line have seen significant population and economic growth.
In 2023, the 10 counties in the US with the most people moving in from other parts of the country were mainly in the South, according to the latest regional migration data from the Census Bureau.
Surely you've read the many tales of New Yorkers and Californians moving to the South in search of better job opportunities and, in many cases, a more affordable cost of living. Other reasons movers cite include better weather and more laid-back atmospheres.
Are you considering a move to the South, too?
You're in luck. Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks 150 major cities based on criteria including quality of life, education, crime rates, employment opportunities, and housing affordability to identify the best places to live in the United States.
Business Insider compiled the 15 best cities in the South to live from U.S. News' list. They're all places where jobs are plentiful, home prices and rents are relatively affordable, and the standard of living is high.
North Carolina takes center stage, with multiple spots on the list. While Charlotte, ranked No. 3 on the list, and Raleigh, at No. 4, are well-known, the small city of Hickory, at No. 15, is more of a hidden gem.
Known for its breathtaking mountain scenery and coastal charm, North Carolina offers an appealing cost of living, coupled with a low unemployment rate of 3.6% as of May, according to the latest economic data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
"If you work in the technical sector in any way, this is a very forgiving area," Yuschak said. "You can lose your job today and you can be working somewhere else within a week or two."
Here are the 15 best places to live in the South, according to US News & World Report.
Data sources: Population is from the US Census for 2023, income is from the US Census for 2022, median home price from Realtor.com for May 2024, and median rent from Zillow for July.
15. Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory, North Carolina.
Jeff Yount/Getty Images
Population of the metro area: 44,415
Median home price: $317,500
Median monthly rent: $1,229
Median household income: $58,251
14. Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Population of the metro area: 302,296
Median home price: $290,000
Median monthly rent: $1,600
Median household income: $55,051
13. Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Michael Warren/Getty Images
Population of the metro area: 101,680
Median home price: $365,000
Median monthly rent: $1,695
Median household income: $56,881
12. Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina.
Derek Olson Photography/Shutterstock
Population of the metro area: 95,056
Median home price: $506,250
Median monthly rent: $2,200
Median household income: $63,810
11. Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Population of the metro area: 702,767
Median home price: $270,000
Median monthly rent: $1,375
Median household income: $64,251
10. Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky.
Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock
Population of the metro area: 320,154
Median home price: $329,000
Median monthly rent: $1,600
Median household income: $66,087
The population and income data for Lexington is for Lexington-Fayette Urban County.
Sen. JD Vance at the Republican National Convention on Monday.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
JD Vance wrote in "Hillbilly Elegy" that he once became convinced he was gay when he was a kid.
"The only thing I knew about gay men was that they preferred men to women," he wrote.
His grandmother quickly put that notion to rest, asking him: "JD, do you want to suck dicks?"
According to Sen. JD Vance's best-selling "Hillbilly Elegy," the Ohio senator once told his grandmother that he thought he might be gay.
Vance, now former President Donald Trump's vice presidential nominee, recounted the tale in his 2016 autobiography as he discussed his grandmother's relatively tolerant approach when it came to Christian teachings.
In Vance's telling, the episode occurred when he was just a kid. As he wrote:
"I'll never forget the time I convinced myself that I was gay. I was eight or nine, maybe younger, and I stumbled upon a broadcast by some fire-and-brimstone preacher. The man spoke about the evils of homosexuals, how they had infiltrated our society, and how they were all destined for hell absent some serious repenting. At the time, the only thing I knew about gay men was that they preferred men to women. This described me perfectly: I disliked girls, and my best friend in the world was my buddy Bill. Oh no, I'm going to hell."
When he brought up the issue with his grandmother — known to Vance as "Mamaw" — she replied bluntly: "Don't be a fucking idiot, how would you know that you're gay?"
When Vance explained his reasoning, she laughed.
"JD, do you want to suck dicks?" she said, according to the book.
The young Vance, apparently "flabbergasted," said: "Of course not!"
"Then you're not gay. And even if you did want to suck dicks, that would be okay," she replied. "God would still love you."
Vance wrote that the episode helped him recognize that "gay people, though unfamiliar, threatened nothing about Mamaw's being. There were more important things for a Christian to worry about."
Vance contrasted that approach with the one taken by his biological father, Donald Bowman, who he reconnected with when he was 11. Vance's father was a member of a more religiously conservative church, the ideology of which had "made the world a scary and foreign place," in Vance's recounting.
Now a 39-year-old US senator, Vance has largely opposed LGBTQ rights, including opposing the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill to protect same-sex marriage that passed before he was sworn into office.
The first overall pick in the WNBA Draft has been dating the former University of Iowa basketball player and Indiana Pacers team assistant since April 2023. And while the couple has kept most of their relationship private, they've shared a few glimpses of their romance with fans on social media, most recently celebrating McCaffery's birthday.
Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know about their relationship.
Connor McCaffery played basketball at the University of Iowa and graduated in 2023.
Connor McCaffery started working for the Indiana Pacers after graduating from Iowa.
Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A talented athlete in his own right, McCaffery finished his collegiate basketball career with the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in NCAA history, Hawkeye Sports reported. The five-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree played in 166 games — the second-most appearances in Iowa program history — and won 111, all under the guidance of head coach Fran McCaffery, Connor's father.
After graduating in 2023, McCaffery, now 26, started working for the Indiana Pacers as a team assistant with the ultimate goal of pursuing a career in coaching.
He told the Des Moines Register in May 2023, "I'll play dummy defense, run the scout team, help coaches on film stuff, help on video projects if they need, scouting reports if they need."
"It's a way in. It's an entry-level job. You've got to work hard and work your way up. That's obviously what I want to do," McCaffery added.
Clark and McCaffery started dating in April 2023 and made their relationship Instagram official in August 2023.
Connor McCaffery and Caitlin Clark have been dating for more than a year.
Michael Hickey/Contributor/Getty Images; G Fiume/Contributor/Getty Images
Clark gave fans a small look into the couple's relationship on Instagram, sharing photos of the two looking cozy on a boat with the caption, "Best end to summer [black heart emoji]."
In January 2024, McCaffery posted a heartfelt birthday tribute to Clark on Instagram.
Connor McCaffery calls girlfriend Caitlin Clark "22," a reference to her birthdate and jersey number.
Andy Lyons/Staff/Getty Images
"Happy Birthday 22," he wrote, referencing her jersey number, which is a nod to her birth date: January 22. This year, she turned 22.
He continued, "Wish I was there to celebrate with you – you deserve the best day [red heart emoji] Golden Bday / T Swift year will be the best yet. With all that you've already accomplished, there is so much more in store for you and your special self. I admire you in every way and I love you."
He shared the message alongside multiple photos of the couple throughout their relationship.
The couple, who were long-distance at the time, shared a funny exchange in the comments, with Clark questioning McCaffery's status as a true Taylor Swift fan, writing, "acting like u a T swift fan tho is crazy, but I will let this slide hehe."
"I am for you," McCaffery replied with several laughing emojis and prayer hands.
In February 2024, McCaffery was in the audience when Clark broke the NCAA women's scoring record.
McCaffery was in the audience when Clark broke the NCAA women's scoring record.
Matthew Holst/Contributor/Getty Images
Clark broke the NCAA women's scoring record in the February 15, 2024, game against Michigan, which Iowa won 106-89.
She finished the game with a career total of 3,569 points, surpassing Kelsey Plum's previous record of 3,527 points. The following month, she would break the all-time NCAA scoring record.
In addition to attending the game on February 15, McCaffery shared his support online, writing in an Instagram Story, "So proud" and "Love you 22" with a video of Clark's record-breaking 3-pointer that allowed her to reach the milestone, People reported.
McCaffery continued to support Clark throughout her final year at Iowa.
Caitlin Clark dribbles against South Carolina's Raven Johnson in the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Championship.
Thien-An Truong/ISI Photos/Getty Images
After Iowa's loss in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament championship in April, McCaffery shared a photo of Clark leaving the court in an Instagram Story, calling her "My GOAT."
Clark finished her career at Iowa with 3,951 points and a slew of athletic accolades, including Big Ten Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Player in the Big Ten Tournament, and the NCAA record for most 3-pointers in a single season, ESPN reported.
In April 2024, the couple celebrated one year since they started dating.
Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery both played basketball at the University of Iowa.
Maddie Meyer/Staff/Getty Images; Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Clark posted a black-and-white image of the couple seemingly taken after the WNBA Draft, with the caption, "one year of the best mems w my fav person."
"you make everyday better and I can't wait for many more adventures together… I love you," she added.
McCaffery posted his own anniversary tribute, too, sharing another black-and-white photo of the couple laughing.
"One year w the best [heart hands emoji] doing life w u has been easy, and you never cease to amaze me.. can't wait to watch u live out ur dreams in person," he wrote.
As part of the tribute, he also posted a slow-motion video of Clark rolling her eyes during a game, prompting Clark to reply, "Nice video," and McCaffery responding, "best ever."
In an April interview, Clark credited McCaffery with helping her make the move to Indianapolis.
Caitlin Clark was the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft.
Sarah Stier/Staff/Getty Images
"It's great, obviously it makes the transition a little bit easier," Clark told IndyStar in April about having a support system already waiting for her in Indianapolis.
"You've got people that know the city, and obviously Connor being there is tremendous. I couldn't imagine a better place to start my professional career," she added.
McCaffery's brother, Patrick McCaffery, will also be in the area, having recently announced his transfer to Butler University for basketball.
Clark and Connor McCaffery commented on Patrick's post on Instagram, writing, "Indy takeover" and "I'll let u in on my city," respectively, showing how the two families are familiar with each other.
On April 26, Clark supported McCaffery and the Indiana Pacers at their playoff game.
Caitlin Clark attended the Indiana Pacers' playoff game.
Dylan Buell/Contributor/Getty Images
Just over a week after appearing at her introductory Indiana Fever press conference, Clark was back in Indianapolis to support McCaffery and the Pacers in the team's third playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Before the game, Clark helped excite the crowd by "pumping the accelerator of a replica IndyCar," AP News reported. During the second quarter, she and her Fever teammates threw T-shirts into the stands to a roar of applause from home fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
In May, Clark joked that she was "flying solo" for her WNBA debut after McCaffery couldn't attend.
Caitlin Clark during her WNBA preseason debut with the Indiana Fever in May 2024.
Gregory Shamus/Staff/Getty Images
In an awkward exchange before the Fever's first preseason game against the Dallas Wings on May 3, a reporter asked Clark if her "bae" would be in the stands.
After a moment of confusion, Clark said, "No, he's working," prompting laughs from other reporters. (The Indiana Pacers advanced to the conference semifinals of the NBA playoffs after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 120-98 on May 2.)
"I'm flying solo. I better get used to it, man," she added.
Clark finished the game with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, though the Fever lost 79-76.
Although McCaffery couldn't be there in person, he commented, "Big fan!" on Clark's Instagram post featuring photos from the night.
On July 13, Clark wished McCaffery a happy birthday on Instagram.
Caitlin Clark dribbling against the Las Vegas Aces.
Ethan Miller/Staff/Getty Images
In honor of McCaffery's 26th birthday, Clark shared four black-and-white images of the couple taken throughout their relationship with the caption, "Happy Birthday Con! Celebrating you is easy 🙂 thankful to have someone as selfless and as loving as you in my life [black heart emoji]."
She added, "May this be the year you finally find a way to outshoot me 😉 Love you always."
McCaffery expressed his thanks in the comments, and added, "And I'll keep letting you win those shooting contests!!!!!"
Elon Musk is officially moving more of his company's headquarters to Texas.
Musk announced on X on Tuesday that SpaceX is relocating from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas, citing laws in California that are "attacking both families and companies."
He also said X itself would move its headquarters to Austin.
Musk was behind Tesla's recent move to Texas as well, and previously vowed to move SpaceX's business incorporation to the Lone Star state.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) was the most traded exchange-traded fund (ETF) among investors using the SelfWealth trading platform last month.
This gives VAS investors exposure to major stocks like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX: CBA), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).
ETFs are an increasingly popular investment vehicle for Australian investors.
Value of ASX exchange-traded funds exceeds $200 billion
ASX ETFs now represent more than $200 billion in assets under management, according to ETF provider BetaShares’ half-year review.
Co-founder of Betashares, Ilan Israelstam, said: “The ETF industry continues to go from strength to strength, as investors increasingly adopt ETFs to build their portfolios.”
One of the benefits of exchange-traded funds is they provide instant diversification in a single trade.
Let’s review the top 10 ETFs traded in June, according to SelfWealth.
Top 10 most traded ASX ETFs in June
Here are the top 10 most traded exchange-traded funds in June by volume (thus incorporating both buy and sell orders), according to Selfwealth Ltd (ASX: SWF).
We have also included the percentage of buy orders next to each exchange-traded fund.
The iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF attracted the most buy orders among the top 10 most traded ETFs in June.
The iShares S&P 500 ETF is an index-based ETF that tracks the performance of the 500 largest United States companies comprising the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX).
It appears investors remain confident that US shares will continue to outperform the ASX 200.
In FY24, the S&P 500 rose by 22.7% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted 7.83% (or 12.1% with dividends included).
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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group, CSL, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia, Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF, Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF, and Vanguard Us Total Market Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, CSL, Wesfarmers, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL, Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Former President Donald Trump's VP pick, JD Vance, has worked with progressives on some key issues.
Mark Peterson/Getty Images
JD Vance, Trump's VP pick, has not always entirely aligned with the GOP on key issues.
He worked with Elizabeth Warren on banking regulation and supported Lina Khan's antitrust policies.
Still, Vance has largely supported conservative stances and stands behind Trump's policies.
JD Vance is now a vice presidential candidate — but he might not entirely align with the former president's policies, especially when it comes to Corporate America.
On Monday, former President Donald Trump selected the Republican senator from Ohio to serve as his running mate. While Vance was among a list of contenders for the past few months, this pick would have been a surprise in 2016 when Vance referred to Trump as "America's Hitler" and "a total fraud."
However, when Vance took office in January 2023, his rhetoric shifted to supporting Trump — but some of his actions as a senator split from those of his GOP colleagues. For example, he worked with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown on railroad safety and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren on banking regulation, displaying bipartisanship early in his tenure.
"One of the things I've learned here is that it's very easy to disagree with people so long as you're not an asshole, and still get things done," Vance said last year.
To be sure, Vance has proven he's capable of flipping. He went from a "Never Trump Republican" to Trump's pick for vice president, and he supports a range of conservative issues, from increased tariffs to opposing abortion rights. He's also broken from his party to support the Biden administration's antitrust policy, increased corporatetaxes, and more, showing how he might not be thetraditional, business-friendlypick many thought Trump would go for.
That doesn't mean the Democrats he worked with support him. Shortly after Vance was announced as Trump's pick, Warren joined a campaign call for Biden and said that "billionaires on Wall Street and Silicon Valley are cheering, but there is no joy for working people."
Where Vance stands on key issues
Cracking down on big banks has always been a major issue for Warren. Following the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, Vance joined her fight last year in pushing for legislation that would claw back compensation for bank executives whose banks fail.
"The executives responsible for running their banks into the ground are sitting on millions of dollars in compensation and bonuses," Vance said at the time. "Meanwhile, the American people are bearing the financial burden for their excessive risk-taking and gross mismanagement."
Vance has also expressed support for the antitrust policies of Lina Khan, commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, as his GOP colleagues have criticized Khan for overstepping her authority when it comes to issues like breaking up Big Tech monopolies. He said in February that she's "one of the few people in the Biden administration that I think is doing a pretty good job."
When it comes to raising taxes, Vance also hasn't ruled out that possibility. In 2021, after corporate executives discussed halting donations to fight state voting bills,Vance wrote on X: "Raise their taxes and do whatever else is necessary to fight these goons."
Still, on other issues like trade, abortion, and education, Vance has stayed behind Trump's policies. He supports aggressive increases in tariffs for Chinese imports, and he has opposed abortion, having previously compared it to murder. He also aligns with his party on issues like gun control, rejecting Democratic efforts for stricter gun laws.
While it's unclear how much of an influence Vance will have on Trump's agenda, it's likely he will fall in line with his running mate's policies. But his record could still concern some traditional conservatives who disagree with Vance's partnerships with some progressive lawmakers.
An E/A-18G Growler aircraft, attached to Electronic Attack Squadron 130, takes off from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.
US Navy photo
The EA-18G Growler got its first air-to-air kill during the US Navy's counter-Houthi mission.
The electronic warfare aircraft was deployed for months aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
It would have used an AIM-120 air-to-air missile to intercept the unspecified threat.
A US Navy electronic warfare aircraft scored its first-ever air-to-air kill battling the Houthis, the sea service revealed.
The EA-18G Growler pilot that took the kill shot spent months aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130, or VAQ-130. The carrier just returned to its homeport in Washington state after a lengthy combat deployment to the Middle East.
In the volatile region, the squadron worked alongside other elements of the carrier air wing, providing the Navy with crucial airborne capabilities as it tirelessly defended commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from relentless Houthi attacks.
The squadron conducted multiple strikes targeting the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen and carried out hundreds of combat missions to degrade their capabilities, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group said in a statement on Sunday. VAQ-130 also became "the first Growler squadron in Navy history to score an air-to-air kill," it said.
An E/A-18G Growler takes off from the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf on Nov. 29.
US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mo Bourdi
The Growler is a modified variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet that includes sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities. It is armed with tactical jamming pods and AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface missiles that are designed to home in on electronic transmissions that come from radar systems.
The aircraft is also equipped with AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, a beyond-visual-range weapon that would have been used to score the kill acknowledged by the Navy.
The Navy didn't specify what Houthi threat the Growler eliminated; however, a video shared by the Eisenhower's commanding officer appeared to show a drone kill marking on the side of a Growler sitting on the Ike's flight deck, as the defense outlet The War Zone pointed out. Other aircraft have been spotted with similar silhouettes painted on them during the deployment.
Beyond the Growlers and Super Hornets, the Eisenhower's carrier air wing also consisted of an E-2 Hawkeye early-warning aircraft and helicopters.
E/A-18G Growlers participate in flight operations above the Arabian Gulf.
US Navy photo
As of May, the Eisenhower's carrier air wing had been involved in the release of over 350 air-to-surface weapons and over 50 air-to-air missiles, according to Navy officials, and by the time the strike group left the region in late-June, the air wing had logged more than 30,000 hours of flight time across thousands of sorties.
The Navy said VAQ-130 aviators saw "malicious, indiscriminate use" of Houthi anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles and one-way attack drones and supported the launch of over 120 Standard Missiles and dozens of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.
The squadron's commanding officer on Sunday praised his aviators for their combat work after facing what the Navy described as a "historic" deployment of "nine months of operations in a persistent weapons engagement zone."
"I can't remember the last time the Navy had a more challenging deployment with a combination of multiple extensions, severely limited opportunities for R&R, and true combat," said Cmdr. Carl Ellsworth. "Not just for aviators, but the crew of the whole strike group as well, in the most kinetic action at sea since World War II."
President Ronald Reagan moments before being shot by John Hinckley Jr.
CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
The Secret Service is under scrutiny after a would-be assassin got in close range of Donald Trump.
After Ronald Reagan was the target of an assassination attempt, the agency faced a lesser reckoning.
In recent years, the Secret Service has been plagued by scandal.
As a gunman fired shots at former President Donald Trump at a rally Saturday, nicking his right ear, US Secret Service agents instantly sprung into action.
The agents surrounding Trump dove on top of him, covering his body to protect him from any more bullets. Another agent, his eye looking through the lens of a sniper rifle, shot the would-be assassin in the head, killing him.
A major question remained: How did the Secret Service let a guy with a rifle get so close to Trump in the first place?
The last time a president or presidential candidate was the subject of a similar assassination attempt was Ronald Reagan.
Back then, the Secret Service faced less of a reckoning.
On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. got within a few feet of Reagan outside a Washington, DC, hotel where the president gave a speech to union representatives.
Hinckley Jr. fired six times with his pistol. As Secret Service members shoved Reagan into his limousine, one bullet ricocheted off the side of the vehicle, went through the one-inch gap between the limo's body and open door, and penetrated Reagan's left side, breaking a rib and puncturing a lung, according to government records from the time.
The Secret Service came under some scrutiny at that time, too. The US Senate and US House of Representatives each held hearingsthe following month to evaluate how well the agency did its job. But members of Congress mostly praised agents for their performance and mused on the nature of protecting politicians in open societies. Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy advocated for gun control legislation.
The Treasury Department, which housed the Secret Service at the time, prepared its own report. The 100-page document, completed in less than a month, reviewed its own procedures and was full of praise for itself, writing that the agents protecting Reagan "reacted in precisely the manner required by their training and the applicable procedures," and recommending awards for the four agents who protected him. The report, prepared by Treasury Department General Counsel Peter J. Wallison, offered a few recommendations for the future, including better ways for the Secret Service to communicate with other federal agencies and having a paramedic travel with the presidential detail.
"In many ways, that transfixing encounter with fate was an easy case: the gunman acted alone; on a weekday; with a low-caliber weapon; in Washington, D.C.; while the President was at the door of his limousine; within a mile or two of a fully equipped and staffed metropolitan hospital; above all, the President's wound was not mortal," the report read. "Anyone can imagine less favorable circumstances, and it is for these that Treasury and other agencies must be prepared."
The Secret Service has been plagued by scandal
Reagan was seriously injured in the shooting, as were a Secret Service agent and DC police officer on the scene. James Brady, his press secretary, suffered the worst injuries, with a bullet to the head that caused lifelong neurological issues.
On Saturday, Thomas Matthew Crooks shot and killed Corey Comperatore, an attendee of the Trump rally in Pennsylvania, and injured two other bystanders, even as he failed at his attempt to kill Trump himself.
By 2024, the Secret Service's longstanding reputation as an elite force has been damaged by controversies in recent years.
Members of the agency deleted text messages from January 6, 2021, making them unavailable for a congressional panel investigating the pro-Trump insurrection attempt. Earlier this year, an agent was removed from Vice President Kamala Harris's detail after reportedly assaulting a superior officer. In 2022, two agents were placed on leave after reportedly getting into a fight with a cab driver in Seoul. A 2015 House panel report faulted the Secret Service for numerous security breaches, which more recent agency leaders have tried to clean up.
Donald Trump being escorted by Secret Service agents after he was shot in the ear.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Already, congressional oversight is more intense after the Trump shooting than it was after the Reagan shooting. Six committees have demanded answers from the Secret Service, according to Politico: the House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee, House Homeland Security Committee, House Intelligence Committee, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senate Judiciary Committee.
Members of each committee received briefings from law enforcement Monday or were scheduled to receive them Tuesday, Politico reported. Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, is scheduled to testify in front of the House Oversight Committee on July 22. Some members of Congress are considering whether to create an independent commission to examine the Trump shooting in the same mold as the Warren Commission that investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, according to The New York Times.
The Department of Homeland Security — which took over control of the Secret Service from the Treasury Department when it was created in 2003 — has already announced a beefed-up security detail for Trump. President Joe Biden also ordered a Secret Service detail for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose father was killed in a political assassination in 1968 and whose previous requests for Secret Service protection had been denied.
The Reagan assassination attempt investigations focused on Hinckley
The main difference in the government agency reactions in 1981 compared to now is that Reagan's would-be killer was still alive.
Hinckley Jr. was arrested immediately. His motives were readily apparent: He wanted to impress actor Jodie Foster by killing a US president.
At trial, a jury found him not guilty, agreeing with his insanity defense. Hinckley Jr. was placed in a mental health institution and ultimately released in 2016.
The FBI is investigating the Trump shooting, and it isn't clear what actions they'll ultimately take. The motive of Crooks, a registered Republican and reported gun enthusiast, is much less evident.
Representatives for the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment on whether they'd publish reports about the Trump shooting.
Secret Service and police diving to protect President Ronald Reagan during his attempted assassination in 1981.
Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The FBI investigation into Hinckley Jr. was overseen by then-Assistant Attorney General Rudy Giuliani. That investigation focused on building the criminal case against Hinckley Jr. A 1,000-page report — completed just two months after the Reagan shooting — featured interviews with eyewitnesses, medical records, forensic evidence, and a deep dive into Hinckley's past.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, members of Congress and the media focused on an earlier incident with Hinckley. He was arrested in Nashville the prior October on weapons charges, possessing guns and handcuffs, when then-President Jimmy Carter visited the city.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms played a role in the investigation, too, tracing the purchase of Hinckley's handgun to a pawnshop in Dallas.
The Justice Department also prepared a memorandum on presidential succession after then-Secretary of State Alexander Haig falsely claimed he was "in charge" at the White House until then-Vice President George HW Bush arrived (the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate were in line before him).
Congress later passed two significant laws following the shooting. After Hinckley's acquittal, Reagan signed a law in 1984 restricting the use of the insanity defense — shifting the burden from prosecution to the defense in criminal cases. In 1993, with support from Brady and his family, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Brady Act, which regulated handgun purchases, after versions of the law floated through Congress in the aftermath of the shooting.
The Reagan shooting took place in a period of history when attempted and successful assassinations were not uncommon. John Lennon was killed just a few months earlier, and Pope John Paul II was shot a couple of months later. In the Treasury Department report, Wallison wrote that violence struck at the heart of democracy itself.
"What is already clear is that a democratic system which values an orderly transfer of authority through free elections cannot allow the results of these processes to be redirected or reversed by violence," he wrote.
Some people are hiring two surrogates at the same time to carry their babies.
Concurrent surrogacy can be complicated and costly, with prices reaching up to $500,000 or more.
Many people who do it are in their 40s and trying to build out their family quickly.
Bill Houghton still vividly remembers the moment he met his son.
He was sitting in the hospital waiting room, right outside the birthing room, when a nurse appeared carrying a little green bundle.
"I just held him in my arms and just started crying. It was so overwhelming. My husband was like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe that this is it. We're a family,'" Houghton told Business Insider. "This is my son."
Just one week later, Houghton and his husband would have the same experience all over again when their second child, another son, was delivered.
"And it has been like that ever since," he said. "To this day, I still look at them and I think, 'Oh my God, these are my sons.' My father had sons. I never thought that I would have a son."
Houghton and his husband opted to become parents via concurrent surrogacy — a process in which two surrogates are hired to carry two babies at the same, or overlapping, time.
The resulting children can be born anywhere from one week apart, like Houghton's, to nine months apart, and have been referred to by some people in the industry as "tandem siblings" or "twiblings."
Surrogacy agencies told BI that concurrent surrogacy journeys are not uncommon, with some saying it's a rising trend in a growing industry that was valued at $14 billion in 2022 by Global Market Insights and has attracted the investments of private equity firms.
All kinds of people — couples or singles, straight or gay, young or old — have opted to build out their family two at a time via concurrent surrogacy. But there is one thing that most parents of twiblings have in common: the ability to afford them.
While Houghton hired surrogates abroad, couples who choose to go through US-based agencies can easily spend $300,000 to half a million dollars or more on concurrent surrogates, according to five surrogacy agencies that spoke to BI.
"It is a luxury, absolutely," Brooke Kimbrough, cofounder and CEO of Roots Surrogacy, told BI. "Most American families don't have $200,000 in cash to go through surrogacy generally, and then $400,000-plus in cash to be able to go through that twice at the same time."
Still, the use of concurrent surrogates could grow as surrogacy generally grows in the US, in part because celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen have started opening up about using surrogates, as well as depictions in film and TV that have made the practice more mainstream. Teigen was even pregnant at the same time as her surrogate.
Surrogacy is also becoming increasingly relevant as more and more people are opting to have kids and start building their families later in life.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have opened up about using a surrogate.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
Concurrent surrogacy can help build a family quickly
Concurrent journeys typically look like regular surrogacy journeys, just times two. Gestational surrogacy, when IVF is used to place a fertilized embryo into a surrogate, is the most common form of surrogacy in the US today. Parents can use their own egg and sperm or that of donors.
Like many gay couples, Houghton and his husband each used their sperm for one of the babies, as well as the same egg donor, so their sons are technically half brothers.
While there has been increased awareness around what some call "social surrogacy" — using a surrogate when it's not medically or biologically necessary — the majority of people who conceive via surrogacy do so because they have to.
"Typically, when people come to us, they've been through a lot. This is not their plan A, it's often not plan B, maybe it's plan C," Kim Bergman, a psychologist and senior partner at Growing Generations, told BI. "They've had a lot of disappointment, and they've had a lot of trials and tribulations."
Many hopeful parents are in their 40s and are simply eager to build their families, the agencies said. A surrogacy journey can easily take one and a half to two years, so for intended parents who know they want multiple kids, concurrent surrogates can be appealing.
Certainly, some people who opt for concurrent surrogates do not fit the definition of medically necessary, at least according to the standards laid out by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
Some people have mental health reasons or a fear of giving birth. Others are actors or brain surgeons who spend 12 hours a day on their feet and who can't get pregnant and continue to do their jobs. All the surrogacy agencies BI spoke with said it's essentially never the case that someone opts for surrogacy simply for vanity reasons.
David Sher, founder and CEO of Elite IVF, told BI they've helped coordinate surrogates for celebrities, politicians, and people in demanding careers like finance or tech. He said he currently has a client who serves on the cabinet of a Western country and is trying to have a baby via surrogate in part due to her demanding schedule.
Sher said he thinks concurrent surrogacy has long been an option for intended parents but that there does seem to be an uptick in people who are opting to do it.
Part of the reason for that could be because fewer and fewer agencies are willing to do double embryo transfers, which were previously more common and could result in a twin pregnancy. The ASRM recommends against them, as twin pregnancies come with heightened risks for both the surrogate and the babies. So concurrent surrogacy is a safer option for intended parents who want to have two kids at the same time or in close succession.
Costly and complicated
Though it's viewed as a safer option, concurrent surrogacy is controversial. The ASRM guidelines actually recommend against concurrent surrogacy, as well as against social, or not medically necessary, surrogacy. But all five surrogacy agencies that BI spoke to will facilitate concurrent surrogacies.
The agencies said they've seen many concurrent surrogacy journeys be successful and that a lot of care and prior planning goes into making them happen.
"It's not taken lightly," Bergman said, adding that concurrent journeys are rarely chosen by 30-year-olds who have plenty of time to build their families, though that does occasionally happen.
Surrogacy, in general, is expensive — commonly ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 for one child. The costs go toward surrogate compensation, agency fees, legal fees for contracts, and clinical bills.
The agencies BI spoke with said a concurrent surrogacy journey would essentially cost twice that. Meaning there's no two-for-one special.
But cost isn't the only factor to consider. Perhaps the primary drawback to pursuing concurrent surrogacy (that is, besides the high price tag) is the logistics of it.
All the agencies emphasized that concurrent surrogacy should only be pursued with full transparency and the fully informed consent of every person involved. That means matching intended parents to surrogates who are fully aware and OK with the fact that they will not be the only surrogate.
Gestational surrogacy, in which a fertilized embryo is implanted in a surrogate, is most common in the US.
Jay L. Clendenin/for The Washington Post/Getty Images
There's also tons of planning and talking through hypotheticals. Are the surrogates based in the same area? Can the parents attend both births? Are we staggering expected delivery times enough? What's the plan if one surrogate gets pregnant on the first try but the other doesn't?
There's also a psychological aspect. Will both surrogates feel fully supported? How will one feel if she doesn't get pregnant right away and the other does?
"All of these conversations are front-loaded. Anytime in the conversation, the surrogate can say, 'I'm not comfortable doing this,'" Bergman said, adding that sometimes, after thinking through the logistics, some parents will change their minds and plan to space the deliveries out further than they initially wanted, like to six or nine months.
Most agencies recommended staggering the planned deliveries by at least three months. But at the end of the day, parents need to be ready for the timeline to not go exactly as planned.
Houghton and his husband had actually planned to have their babies six weeks apart, but when one of the babies was born five weeks premature, they ended up with birthdays one week apart.
Concurrent surrogacy may not be for everyone — even if you can afford it
Although the cost of concurrent surrogacy makes it prohibitive for most people, that could change in the future as more and more companies expand their fertility benefits.
There are also more nonprofits popping up that will provide grants or partial funds to people who want to build their families via surrogacy but may not have the means to.
Jarret Zafran, founder and executive director at Brownstone Surrogacy, told BI that it's not necessarily only the ultrawealthy who pursue concurrent surrogacy. He said he currently has clients who are lifelong educators on the older side who are getting ready to start the surrogacy process. They recently asked about what it would look like for them to do a concurrent journey.
"I guess it is still a luxury in the sense that most Americans would not even be in a financial position to afford it the first time," Zafran, who also had a child with his husband through surrogacy, said. "But for them, this is not a frivolous decision, and they're scraping together every single little penny that they have, all of their savings, their retirement funds, and I get it."
By using surrogates abroad over a decade ago, Houghton and his husband, who are based in Spain, spent much less on their concurrent surrogates than they would have in the US. But he's still not totally sure why they chose to do concurrent journeys rather than space the children out a bit more.
"We just liked the idea of having two kids that were about the same age that would sort of grow up together," he said, adding, "I didn't realize at the time the challenges that would come with having two kids."
In reality, he said having the two boys grow up so close together in age, not twins but in the same class in school, ended up leading to a lot of conflict and constant competition as they were growing up. He said it has gotten better now that the boys are facing their teen years and developing their own identities.
Still, if he could do it over again, he thinks he would stagger them more.
"They're unbelievable young men, and I'm so proud of everything about them," he said. "But having the two together has been a challenge."
Have a news tip or a story to share about concurrent surrogacy? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.
Tesla's Berlin factory has ordered 65,000 mugs over the last two years, according to a report in a German newspaper.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Tesla's Berlin factory has a missing coffee mugs problem, a German newspaper reported.
A factory manager said he would remove all breakroom cutlery until the thefts end, Handelsblatt reported.
The manager reportedly said they had ordered 65,000 mugs since the factory opened two years ago.
Tesla's Berlin factory has a coffee mug problem. They apparently keep going missing.
While Tesla's Berlin factory has generated plenty of headlines over the past two years, this is the first time we've read about any concerns over coffee cup thefts.
Tesla plant manager Andre Thierig addressed the issue during a staff meeting last week, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported.
"I'm just going to give you a figure," Thierig said, according to German outlet DW's translation of the report. "We've bought 65,000 coffee mugs since we started production here. 65,000! Statistically speaking, each of you already has five Ikea coffee cups at home."
While the factory's 12,000 employees may be keen to take the cups home, Thierig assured that there would be no more cutlery in breakrooms until the mug thefts stopped, according to the newspaper's report.
"I'm really tired of approving orders to buy more coffee cups," he said, which got some laughter and clapping from employees, according to DW's translation.
The apparently somewhat lighthearted ribbing may have come as a light palette cleanser after any heavier discussions on the tensions between Tesla and IG Metall, a German union representing workers at Tesla's Gigafactory in Germany.
Workers have reportedly criticized the carmaker's working conditions, including long work hours and alleged there have been numerous work accidents.
