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Hello! My last name might end in a vowel, but I still learned something from this Michelin-starred chef pointing out red flags to look for at nice Italian restaurants. (Although, I take issue with calling it "sauce" instead of "gravy.")

In today's big story, we're looking at President Joe Biden showing no signs of giving up his reelection campaign while former President Donald Trump secured a win from the Supreme Court.

What's on deck:

• Markets: One bank strategist downgrades the red-hot tech sector.
• Tech: OpenAI thinks it has a solution to ChatGPT's coding mistakes.
• Business: There's a problem with new homes in America: They are all ugly.

But first, he's not leaving.

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The big story

Biden won't back down

President Joe Biden knew he'd have to put up a fight this year to keep his seat, but he likely didn't realize it'd come before November's election.

Despite a growing chorus of doubters, the president is digging in his heels over his decision to run for reelection, writes Business Insider's John L. Dorman.

Biden's campaign has been in full-blown crisis mode after the president's disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump last week.

Criticism about Biden's age and ability to serve another four years, previously only whispered about by supporters behind closed doors, was loud and public in the immediate aftermath.

Biden's aides have done their best to defend the president's performance, with one report suggesting the debate was held outside the hours when he's usually at his best. But experts said spinning Biden's struggles as a one-off to voters will ultimately backfire.

Still, the president seems intent on staying put. Despite the increased pressure to drop out, Biden's family has reportedly urged him to stay in the race. If he did give up the nomination, it would only be if he was offered a "dignified way out," according to The New York Times.

Biden bowing out wouldn't alleviate Democrats' problems.

Who would fill in for Biden on the Democrats' 2024 presidential ticket comes with its own issues.

A Biden campaign manager reportedly said if the president steps aside his war chest would mostly go to Vice President Kamala Harris. But in some Democratic circles, the VP isn't being pitched as the best substitute for Biden.

Governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer are among the Democrats who have been floated to fill in for Biden. That chatter has reportedly left Harris' camp frustrated that she isn't considered the obvious pick.

Meanwhile, Trump secured a big win in his immunity case. The Supreme Court ruled that former presidents don't get absolute immunity from criminal charges related to actions under the scope of the presidency, but they do get some.

That decision is set to be pivotal in Trump's January 6-related indictment, with the court making clear some areas of the case can't proceed. The president is also looking to use the ruling to throw out his Manhattan conviction.

But the case could have bigger implications than just Trump. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion that the ruling created a "law-free zone around the President" whereby they could order the assassination of a political rival without facing prosecution.

3 things in markets

1. Trump's policies are an "elixir for stagflation," JPMorgan's strategy chief warns. David Kelly sounded the alarm on the potential shocks Trump's trade and immigration policies could have on the economy. Sweeping tariffs and mass deportations could trigger a recession, he said.
2. How a new $1 billion hedge fund is looking to stand out. Former Millennium exec Jonathan Xiong has his work cut out for him with the launch of Arrowpoint. The Asia-based multistrategy fund has big-name backers, like Blackstone and Canada's largest pension, but faces a crowded field where heavyweights like Citadel and Millennium dominate.
3. Truist cools on tech. Keith Lerner, Truist Wealth's chief strategist and co-chief investment officer, downgraded the firm's rating on the tech sector from overweight to neutral. He's still bullish on the space but views valuations as overvalued, seeing value in communication services and utilities instead.

3 things in tech

1. Big Tech gets a big win from the Supreme Court. The court kicked two cases dealing with social media content moderation back down to lower courts. A legal expert explained why the decision is a de facto win for social media companies.
2. Humans need another bot's help to fix ChatGPT's blunders. OpenAI unveiled CriticGPT, a tool designed to help human AI trainers spot errors in code produced by ChatGPT. As the chatbot has grown more sophisticated, its mistakes have become harder for humans to spot.
3. Abnormal Security is set to be valued at $5 billion with new funding round. It's raised $374 million in venture funding, but it's unclear how much it will raise with the new round. The startup, which uses AI to guard users from cyber threats across email and apps, was valued at $4 billion in 2022

3 things in business

1. We just can't stop building these hideous houses. Most people agree America needs more houses, but why are the ones being built so ugly? A mix of soaring development costs, local rules, and changing homeowners' attitudes may be to blame.
2. How much money would you need to feel financially secure? For Gen Z, it's $200,000 a year — more than any other generation. Gen Zers, contending with rising costs, are feeling financially vulnerable. According to a previous BI poll, they're the most stressed generation when it comes to saving money.
3. Kevin Costner's bad real-estate bet. Kevin Costner mortgaged his home to put $38 million of his own money into his latest film venture, the western "Horizon." Box-office numbers suggest this was a terrible idea.

In other news

• 2 managers at the World Economic Forum, which hosts the glitzy Davos conference, said the N-word in front of staff: report.
• How Rak Garg became Bain Capital Ventures' youngest partner at just 27 years old in less than 3 years.
• VidCon 2024 showcased the internet's hottest stars you may never have heard of. Here are 7 top takeaways from the annual creator industry conference.
• Business cards are out. Instead, I use a QR code that directs to my LinkedIn profile when networking.
• Mark Zuckerberg's Meta just got some bad news.
• Ex-Moelis banker arrested on assault charges after viral punching video.
• Hot sector: solar careers are in demand.
• The iPhone 16 is less than 3 months away — here's what to expect.

What's happening today

• Major Hurricane Beryl is forecast to barrel northwest across the Caribbean islands. It's the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record for the Atlantic hurricane season.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• Russia's ambassador to the UN flatly disagreed with Trump's claims he could end the Ukraine war in a day.
• Vassily Nebenzia blamed Ukraine's Western allies for failed cease-fire talks.
• Trump has repeatedly said that he could quickly bring about the end of the war.

It's one of former President Donald Trump's most regular claims on the campaign trail: give him the chance, and he'd make sure Russia's war in Ukraine was over in just a day.

Russia clearly disagrees.

"The Ukrainian crisis cannot be solved in one day," Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said when asked about the claim on Monday.

Nebenzia went on to blame Ukraine's Western allies — naming in particular former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson — for getting in the way of cease-fire talks that took place in Istanbul in April 2022.

Political scientist Samuel Charap and historian Sergey Radchenko, who analyzed those talks closely, have said that the idea that the West forced the negotiations to close is "baseless."

They also noted that a lot more was on the table during those talks than leaders are willing to consider today.

On Monday, Nebenzia called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent statements — in which he called on Russia to withdraw from occupied territories before negotiations could take place — a "joke."

Instead, he said that any negotiations would have to take into account what he called "the new reality that emerged during the period between April 2022 and July 2024" — meaning Russia's territorial gains.

Russia currently controls Crimea and large areas within four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Even if Ukraine were to accept a ceasefire by ceding territory, the negotiations would likely be complex, because Russia does not physically control the entirety of the regions it lays claim to.

In June, Putin also insisted on Ukraine's demilitarization, as well as the end of its ambitions to join NATO, as conditions for ending the war.

Trump has so far revealed little publicly about how he would achieve the peace he claims to be able to broker.

But many believe it would strongly favor Russia's interests.

Those attending a November meeting of the right-wing Heritage Foundation heard from former Trump White House aide Michael Anton that Trump's plan was expected to involve allowing Russia to keep Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine, as well as limiting NATO's expansion, The Washington Post reported.

Anton later told the outlet he knew nothing of Trump's plans for Ukraine.

Critics have slammed the reported plan as emboldening to Putin and highly detrimental to the US and Europe's security interests, the Post reported.

In March, following a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — Putin's closest ally within the EU — claimed that Trump's plan was simply to starve Ukraine of further military aid.

The Post later reported, citing an anonymous source, that Trump had never said this to Orbán.

However, the move would be broadly in line with his own urgings of the MAGA wing of the Republican Party.

Earlier this year, Trump-aligned Republicans held up $61 billion in US military aid for Ukraine, badly straining its ability to hold off Russian attacks.

More recently, Trump has floated the idea of replacing Ukraine aid with loans.

Trump's claim that he could end the war almost overnight is one of the few areas where Russia and Ukraine seem to agree with each other.

A year ago, Zelenskyy called Trump's claim a "beautiful" notion, but said it is not grounded in "real-life experience."

• Hormonal balance is one of the many benefits of having a healthy gut microbiome, a doctor said.
• Dr. Max Nieuwdorp, a hormone specialist, researches how the gut affects our hormones. 
• To look after his gut health, he checks nutritional labels and avoids antibiotics if possible.

A scientist and doctor who researches the role of the gut microbiome in our body's hormonal processes shared three things he avoids for his gut health.

Gut health is a buzzy topic with mounting research finding that a healthy gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes that live in the colon lining, is linked to copious health benefits, from smoother digestion to improved mood and immunity. It's no surprise, then, that the global gut health supplement market has been valued at $12 billion.

In his latest book, "The Power of Hormones," Dr. Max Nieuwdorp, an endocrinologist, internist, and researcher based in the Netherlands, highlights yet another benefit of looking after your gut: hormonal health.

Nieuwdorp writes that gut bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy hormonal balance. They are involved in the release and production of dozens of different hormones and can influence the brain via the central nervous system, according to his book.

"The microbiome can really talk to the body by producing specific substances from the diet that are good or bad for you," Nieuwdorp told Business Insider. Bacteria and the substances they release during the digestive process can affect the function of hormones, he said.

Hormones are sophisticated substances released from glands that act as messengers throughout the body, Nieuwdorp said. They essentially tell parts of the body to do certain jobs. For example, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which allows glucose to enter cells to be used as energy. The adrenal gland, meanwhile, releases cortisol, a stress hormone, to wake us up in the morning.

Other than eating a healthy diet, exercising, easing stress, and sleeping enough, experts don't know what specific lifestyle choices people can make to boost their hormone function yet, Nieuwdorp said.

However, given the strong links between gut health and hormones he has learned of through his research, he's made some lifestyle changes to support his gut health and, in turn, his endocrine system.

Here are three things he avoids for his gut microbiome.

Red meat

Nieuwdorp has cut down on how much red meat he eats. "I try to not eat meat every day," he said.

This is because it changes the composition of the microbiome. When we eat red meat, the bacteria in the gut make "dangerous" metabolites when digesting it, he said.

Experts used to think that the increased cardiovascular disease risk associated with red meat came from the meat's high saturated fat content. But newer evidence suggests it might be linked to this microbiome response, according to 2022 study published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

High blood levels of Trimethylamine N-oxide, or TMAO, a metabolite produced by gut bacteria to help digest red meat, may be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and Type 2 diabetes, the study said.

Ultra-processed foods

After reading some compelling research on the negative health effects of food processing, Nieuwdorp always checks nutritional labels to see how food has been processed. He tries to avoid ultra-processed foods and eat more fresh foods.

A diet high in UPFs has been linked to an increased risk of many health problems including gut diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. However, the way most nutritional research is conducted makes it difficult to pinpoint whether the UPFs themselves are the cause, although the evidence is compelling.

However, food additives commonly added to UPFs, such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, and colors, appeared to affect the gut microbiome, intestinal permeability, and intestinal inflammation in a 2024 article published in Nature.

Antibiotics

Although antibiotics are crucial for treating infection and save millions of lives every year, they also disrupt the gut microbiome.

Taking a course of antibiotics decreases the number of microbes in the colon, and reduces the diversity of those microbes, according to UCLA Health.

"They drive dysbiosis in the gut," Nieuwdorp. For this reason, he tries to avoid taking them unless absolutely necessary.

• Universal basic income is in vogue with many trials underway and people like Elon Musk touting it.
• Personal finance guru Dave Ramsey criticized UBI as "straight out of the Karl Marx playbook."
• He said unconditional cash grants deterred people from working and reaping the benefits of success.

Universal basic income is having a moment with trials launching across the globe, promising early test results, and the likes of Elon Musk singing its praises.

But others recoil violently at the idea of continually doling out cash to everyone in a society, with no restrictions on how the money's spent and no need for it to be paid back.

"This is straight out of the Karl Marx playbook — this is not out of the Adam Smith playbook," Dave Ramsey said about UBI on "The Ramsey Show" last summer.

The personal-finance guru and radio star was referring to the co-author of "The Communist Manifesto" and the author of "The Wealth of Nations" — two men regarded as the fathers of communism and capitalism, respectively.

"If I thought with my 40 years-plus in the financial world that this was helpful to people, I would be for it even though I'm a staunch capitalist," Ramsey said.

But he ruled out a regular, no-strings-attached paycheck as a solution to people's financial struggles and broader economic inequality.

He argued that it would deter people from working and realizing the personal rewards that come from helping themselves and achieving their own prosperity.

"Your best quality of life is when your character is increased with grit, discipline, callouses. The ability to overcome obstacles gives you much more joy than the dull hum of communism — it puts you to sleep," he said.

Ramsey added: "If the welfare system worked, people would be sprinting out of these government funded ghettos into a wonderful life, and instead they've set up camp there generationally."

Although he emphasizes his compassion for the impoverished, based on his years of helping people with their financial problems and parsing data, he doesn't believe handouts are good for them.

Instead, Ramsey made the case that letting people eat what they kill provides a stronger incentive for them to better their lives — almost certainly an analogy for lowering taxes: "You don't get that with a universal stupid-butt communism stipend."

The Ramsey Solutions founder and CEO pointed to his personal story as an example of how America's capitalist system gives people the best chance of improving their lot in life.

"I know a guy that was so stupid that he filed bankruptcy because he was so bad at handling money, and he's made millions of dollars teaching people to live on less than they make," Ramsey said. "What a country, oh my gosh."

It's worth underscoring that many proponents of UBI disagree that it eliminates the desire or need to work. Instead they see it as a social safety net that allows people to take risks, such as having kids or quitting their jobs to start a business, without having to worry about paying their rent or buying groceries.

• Saudi Arabia is getting a Trump Tower.
• The Trump Organization and Dar Global announced plans to develop a residential project in Jeddah.
• The plans are aimed at the luxury Saudi market and international investors.

It's full steam ahead for Sauda Arabia's Neom megacity, but the kingdom is also giving the green light to other luxury projects too.

Property developer Dar Global, the international arm of Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan, announced a new deal Monday to develop a residential development in Jeddah with the Trump Organization.

The plans include the future launch of a Trump Tower in the Saudi city, which would mark the Trump company's first project in the country.

Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, said in a statement: "The new agreement in Saudi Arabia will leverage the strengths of both organizations to attract more international investors and vacationers. This collaboration underscores our commitment to grow our footprint by elevating the standards of luxury living in the region."

Eric Trump said in a statement that the deal would expand his family company's presence in the Middle East.

The Trump Organization and Dar Global have announced a similar deal in Oman for a $500 million Trump International hotel complex.

The deal permits use of Trump branding under license to developers, but the Trump International Oman is not owned by the Trump Organization.

Saudi Arabia is aiming to woo the luxury international market, in part to differentiate itself from nearby Dubai.

The kingdom has other luxury projects on the boil, including resorts along the Red Sea. Sindalah, one of the island resorts aimed at luxury clientele, is scheduled to open by the end of the year.

Antoni Vives, Neom's chief urban planning and islands officer, said in a press release that Sindalah will be a "new model for luxury travel and living."

Representatives for the Trump Organization and Dar Global did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

• Universal has moved the "Wicked" release date to the same day as "Gladiator 2."
• Fans are saying the two films are the new "Barbenheimer."
• But, they will have to make over $2 billion to compete with the last blockbuster double-bill.

There might be a new "Barbenheimer" in town, as two other highly anticipated blockbusters, "Wicked" and "Gladiator 2," are scheduled to premiere on the same day.

Last year, polar opposite movies "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" were coincidentally released on July 21. This created a huge cultural moment dubbed "Barbenheimer," which breathed life into a struggling industry as cinemagoers approached the films as a double bill.

Sources told Business Insider's Jason Guerrasio last July that "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan was upset about the date clash. "Barbie" actor and producer Margot Robbie told Variety's "Actors on Actors" series last December that an "Oppenheimer" producer called her to move the date, but she declined.

Despite worries about the clash, "Barbenheimer" was a huge success. Barbie became Warner Bros' highest-grossing movie ever, and "Oppenheimer" beat the record for the highest-grossing biopic of all time. Both films made over $2 billion combined.

On Monday, Universal announced the release date of "Wicked" would move from November 27 to November 22, clashing with Paramount's "Gladiator 2." Film fans are now dubbing the movies as the new "Barbenheimer."

Other fans complained about the apparent attempt to recreate the Barbenheimer phenomenon.

Last year, some fans tried to make "Saw Patrol" happen after they noticed "Saw X" and "Paw Patrol: The Movie" had the same release date, but it didn't generate a similar buzz as "Barbenheimer."

"Wicked" and "Gladiator 2" would likely fare better.

"Gladiator 2," directed by Ridley Scott ("Alien," "House of Gucci"), is a sequel to one of the biggest movies of the 2000s, so it already has a fan base."Gladiator" won five Oscars and made $465 million at the box office in 2000, according to Box Office Mojo.

Starring buzzy actors including Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington, "Gladiator 2" could be an even bigger success.

Meanwhile, "Wicked," directed by Jon M. Chu ("Crazy Rich Asians," "Step Up 2: The Streets"), is the first of a two-part movie adaptation of one of the world's most famous musicals. Variety reported last year that the musical had made over $5 billion globally since it premiered in 2003.

Non-Disney movie musicals have been a tougher sell in cinemas, but "Wicked" could attract new fans with the star power of Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.

"Wickiator" (or "Gladicked"? "Glicked"?) becoming a cultural moment like "Barbenheimer" would give Paramount, Universal, and movie theatres a welcome boost after a slow summer so far.

Marketing the films as a double-feature could help them compete with "Moana 2," another highly anticipated movie that will release on November 27.

Regardless, the double-bill has a $2 billion bar to clear if it's going ot repeat the success of "Barbenheimer."

• Lucy Lawless told Business Insider there was a "culture of anxiety" on the "Battlestar Galactica" set.
• The actor joined the science fiction show in 2005 during season two.
• Lawless said actors were also under a lot of pressure not to reveal spoilers. 

Lucy Lawless told Business Insider that she found it difficult joining "Battlestar Galactica" because of a "culture of anxiety" among the show's actors who didn't know if they would get killed off.

Lawless joined the show's second season in 2005 as news reporter D'Anna Biers, who was later revealed to be a robotic Cylon named Number Three.

The character faced plenty of twists — including dying and being resurrected several times — and Lawless stayed on "Battlestar Galactica" until it ended in 2009.

Similarly to more modern shows like "Game of Thrones" and "House of the Dragon," "Battlestar Galactica" had shocking cliffhangers, brutal murders, and unexpected deaths throughout its seasons, helping it to garner a cult following.

The ruthless, unpredictable nature of the story made the set a difficult environment for anyone new joining the cast, Lawless said in an interview for BI's Role Play series

"It was difficult coming in, because they felt if I was coming in, then one of them was on the way out," she said. "They were really nice people so I could tell it wasn't because they were awful, but there was a little bit of a culture of fear. And that was a shame."

Lawless described the tense atmosphere among the actors on set, noting that there was intense pressure not to reveal spoilers.

"In my opinion, the actors were kept in a state of insecurity, which I don't agree with as an executive producer. I don't agree with that at all.

"Because they didn't want any spoilers getting out there at the time — people didn't know if they were going to be killed off, and they were extremely nervous. So there was a culture of anxiety on that show," she said.

The show mainly takes place on the titular military spaceship as the last remnants of humanity try to survive attacks from the race of sentient robots, the Cylons. According to Lawless, the setting didn't help with morale among the actors.

"You're filming all day in the dark. You get to work in the dark, you are in space all day, and then you come out, and it's dark again," she said. "That isn't conducive to a very joyful, lighthearted environment, because human beings need the green of trees and the blue of the sky and all that stuff to be truly mentally happy and nourished on some level."

Representatives for "Battlestar Galactica" producer Ronald D. Moore did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

• Costco has gradually been switching the packaging for its rotisserie chicken from trays with lids to plastic bags.
• The bags, referred to as "bachelor's handbags" in Australia, are proving divisive among shoppers.
• "There's just something unappealing about picking up a bagged chicken," a Reddit user wrote.

Costco has been rolling out new the packaging for its coveted $4.99 rotisserie chicken, and some loyal customers aren't impressed with the change.

The warehouse chain previously sold the Kirkland Signature chicken on black plastic trays with transparent plastic lids. It has been switching to plastic bags with carry handles instead.

In the June edition of Costco Connection, the retailer's in-house members magazine, Costco estimated that the new packaging would save about 17 million pounds of plastic annually and enable it to use 1,000 fewer freight trucks a year because of the smaller size of the bags.

Many Reddit users speculated that the bags were much cheaper for Costco to buy, too.

The rotisserie chicken is a staple among many of the retailer's superfans. Costco said that it sold 137 million rotisserie chickens globally in the 2023 fiscal year.

'I'd rather pay more than deal with this nonsense'

"Got one yesterday from my local Costco," one Reddit user wrote. "Was not impressed. The other packaging was way better."

"There's just something unappealing about picking up a bagged chicken," another person wrote.

"Hate them," someone else wrote. "I'd rather pay more than deal with this nonsense."

Some Reddit users said that the bags weren't sealed properly. They also expressed annoyance that, unlike when it was sold on trays, they couldn't carve slices of the chicken directly in the bag.

It was easier to find the biggest chickens when they were served on trays, too, some users said. "I've watched chicken man load the chickens and watch for the one so big he struggles to shut the lid," one Reddit user wrote. "That's the one I buy."

The new packaging is proving a pain for staff, too, according to some Reddit users.

One Reddit user who said they worked at Costco said that staff had to use tongs to put the chickens in the bags, which was leading to wrist pain.

Bachelor's handbags

But some people see the benefits of the bag. They said it's easier to carry to their car, means they don't burn their fingers on the container, and takes up less room in their fridge. Some said the bag was also great for storing leftovers in the freezer.

They're also in use at other grocery stores. Walmart, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Fred Meyer, for example, sell rotisserie chicken in plastic bags. In Australia, rotisserie chicken in a bag is sometimes referred to as a "bachelor's handbag."

Reddit users have advised placing the rotisserie bag in another bag from the meat or produce departments to reduce the likelihood of it leaking in the car, though some pointed out that this partly defeats the point of introducing packaging with less plastic.

• After traveling to 50 cities in Europe, I've discovered some beautiful hidden gems.
• Bath, England, is a great place to visit for Roman ruins and beautiful architecture.
• I also loved traveling to Bruges, Belgium, which is both historic and romantic.

I've visited 50 cities in Europe, and while I love popular destinations like London and Paris, I always try to seek out beautiful hidden gems around the world.

With over 13 million Americans predicted to travel to Europe this summer, there's never been a better time to check out the off-the-beaten-path destinations on your travel bucket list.

These are 5 underrated destinations in Europe I recommend visiting.

Bath, England is just a 90-minute train ride from London.

As you probably could have guessed from this city's name, Bath, England, is known for its Roman baths. These baths, dating back to 70 AD, are some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world.

Bath is known for its beautiful Georgian architecture, which can be admired in places like the Royal Crescent, which features a crescent-shaped row of 30 houses.

I also loved visiting the Circus, which is made up of townhouses arranged in a circular pattern. These areas showcase Georgian architecture and are what makes walking around Bath feel unique.

If you're a book lover, you can visit during the annual Jane Austen Festival in September, where people dress up, and the city is taken back in time.

The train from London to Bath takes about 90 minutes, making this city the perfect day trip.

Mostar is a beautiful city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostar is a city that really surprised me. It didn't look like anywhere else I'd ever been, with the towering Ottoman Bridge connecting both sides of the city. The 16th-century bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The city also has a well-preserved Ottoman quarter with charming cobblestone streets. During my time in Mostar, I loved drinking Bosnian coffee, taking in the views of the city, and feasting on local dishes like ćevapi.

Bruges, Belgium, is a beautiful and romantic city.

Bruges, Belgium, is a well-preserved medieval town. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and visiting feels like stepping back in time.

The best thing I did was take a boat ride on the canal, admiring the architecture while cruising through Minnewaterpark, commonly referred to as the Lake of Love.

Bruges is a laid-back destination that makes a convenient day trip from nearby Paris and Brussels. In my opinion, the city is perfect for couples looking to indulge in Belgian beer and chocolate.

Heidelberg, Germany, embraces modern life without losing its historic charm.

Heidelberg, Germany, has striking views around every corner. The city is home to a centuries-old castle as well as the oldest university in Germany.

I enjoyed walking along Philosophenweg (also called Philosopher's Way), where professors sought solitude and academic inspiration. The path was especially beautiful during my trip in the fall.

We loved spending time in the city, which had lots of nice restaurants and cool bars. Heidelberg does an amazing job of embracing the new while holding on to its historic charm.

Andorra La Vella is a hidden gem in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Andorra La Vella is the capital of Andorra, which is located in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain.

Every restaurant we dined at featured dishes influenced by the surrounding countries. If you want to try authentic Andorran food, head to a borda — a traditional house once used for agricultural purposes. Now, these buildings are used as charming restaurants.

Andorra la Vella is a great day trip from Barcelona, but in my opinion, the city deserves more than a one-day visit.

• Russian children will be sent to summer camp in North Korea at the end of July, per RIA Novosti.
• The initiative follows a new strategic partnership agreement between Russia and North Korea.
• The camp includes a statue of North Korea's founder, an aquarium, a beach, and an archery range.

A group of Russian school children will go to a summer camp in North Korea at the end of July, Grigory Gurov, the chair of the Movement of the First, told Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti.

According to a RIA Novosti Telegram post, Gurov said a large number of Russian children are expected to attend the camp, where he added the conditions will be "excellent."

Gurov, who leads the youth movement started by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2022, also said the North Korean summer camp will be the equivalent of Artek.

Artek is a youth center in Crimea that was previously a camp for the Young Pioneers — a Communist organization for children during the Soviet era.

Gurov told state-run Russian news agency TASS that Russian children will be sent to Songdowon International Children's Camp, with the trip tentatively set for July 24 to August 2.

According to Songdowon's website, the camp exists to "help North Korea develop relations with foreign countries."

It said that international visitors from Russia, China, Thailand, Mongolia, and Mexico are welcomed each year, with their places subsidized by the state.

The website says the campsite includes a statue of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, surrounded by children, a full-size water park, an archery range, an aquarium, and a beach.

Songdowon did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Gurov also told TASS that Russia would invite North Korean children to attend Russian summer camps, including Artek and others, as part of an exchange program.

He said there are also plans for children to go to other Russia-friendly countries, including Vietnam and China.

Last month, the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement, which North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un said upgraded their relationship to a "new high of alliance."

The new agreement includes a clause requiring the countries to come to each other's aid should there be aggression against either of them.

It also set guidelines for deepening ties on political, trade and investment, cultural, and humanitarian fields, as well as the security sphere, according to TASS.

Russian tourists of all ages will also be able to vacation on North Korean beaches this summer, according to a RIA Novosti Telegram post from April.

It said that tour programs have been developed lasting between eight and 12 days.