• A US Navy warship in the Middle East just launched a one-way attack drone for the first time.
• A commander described it as a milestone in the effort to deploy cheap drones.
• The launch comes as the Pentagon tries to keep pace with new technology in modern warfare.

A US Navy warship operating in the Middle East launched a one-way attack drone at sea this week, marking a first for the American military as it pushes to deploy this new technology.

The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara launched the drone, a Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, in the Arabian Gulf on Tuesday, 5th Fleet said in a statement on Wednesday.

Vice Adm. Curt Renshaw, the head of US Naval Forces Central Command, said the "first successful launch of LUCAS from a naval vessel marks a significant milestone in rapidly delivering affordable and effective" drones to American military personnel.

The drone launched from the Santa Barbara belonged to a new squadron based in the Middle East that operates the LUCAS systems, one-way attack drones that resemble the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 widely used by Russia in attacks against Ukraine.

LUCAS, developed by the American engineering firm SpektreWorks, has an "extensive" range, can be launched by catapults and from vehicles and mobile ground stations, and has rocket-assisted takeoff capabilities.

The system's classification as a one-way attack drone, also known as a loitering munition, indicates that LUCAS can remain airborne in a target area for a period before diving down at its target and detonating.

"This platform will undoubtedly enhance regional maritime security and deterrence," said Renshaw, who oversees the American naval presence in the Middle East.

Littoral combat ships, such as the Santa Barbara, are equipped with naval cannons, machine guns, and missiles. The ability to launch attack drones from the flight deck would give the vessels more firepower, though it's unclear whether the LUCAS systems would be used this way during combat operations.

The launch this week, which took place in waters near Iran, comes as the US seeks to rapidly produce and deploy inexpensive drones amid a rise in robotic and autonomous systems in modern warfare.

The Trump administration has made it a priority to boost the production of drones to keep pace with Russia and China. Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared a plan envisioning a substantial $1 billion investment over two years to make and field hundreds of thousands of cheap attack drones.

US Central Command, which oversees US operations in the Middle East, announced on December 3 the establishment of a new task force for the military's first one-way attack drone squadron — using LUCAS drones — in the region.

The delta-wing shape is a popular design for one-way attack drones. Some models, like the LUCAS or Russia's Geran-2, appear to have derived their profiles from the notorious Iranian Shahed.

Russia used Iranian-made Shaheds against Ukraine early in the war, but it has since started manufacturing its own versions. The Gerans carry small warheads and travel much slower than cruise and ballistic missiles, but they are significantly cheaper, allowing Moscow to launch dozens or hundreds in a single night. These weapons augment strike packages and make defense more difficult.

In May, President Donald Trump praised the Shahed for its low cost — estimated to be roughly $35,000 to $40,000 — and speed. He said the drone has proven extremely deadly in Ukraine.

One-way attack drones, like the Shahed, have been used in recent years by Iran-backed militants, who have launched them at American forces in the Middle East, as well as Israel and ships sailing off the coast of Yemen.

• After years of a minimalist life, my wife and I decided to try living without furniture.
• We noticed physical benefits, and we also love that our house often looks clean and uncluttered.
• This lifestyle isn't for everyone and there are downsides, but it's been great for us.

My wife and I live in a pretty garden apartment that's almost entirely devoid of furniture. The closest things we have are a bamboo laptop table and two single camping mattresses.

At our ages — 57 and 60 — we're expected to invest in matching La-Z-Boys and TV trays, but we spend most of our time on the floor on yoga mats. Honestly, we've never been happier.

If you'd told me this was what the future held for us back when we were lounging on our L-shaped couch in 2020, I'd have suggested you reduce the strength of your edibles. As much as we still dream about that comfortable couch, though, we wouldn't take it back.

Life without furniture comes with an array of benefits, both expected and unexpected, and they're not worth trading for modern-day creature comforts.

Adopting a minimalist lifestyle made us open to new and different ways of living

Ever since inadvertently becoming minimalists in 2008, we've made a point of engaging in lifestyle experiments, but it had never occurred to us to eschew furniture.

Then, I listened to a podcast about furniture-free living. I was immediately intrigued, but my wife wasn't as easily convinced.

The idea wasn't one we could entertain anyway, since we were about to move to a fully-furnished cottage in the middle of nowhere. Life has a way of giving you what you need, though, and the country wasn't for us.

Five months later, we were back in Cape Town's city bowl, on the hunt for new digs.

Finding an almost-empty apartment to rent felt like our sign to give furniture-free living a try

When a stunning, affordable, and unfurnished apartment showed up in my inbox, I took it as a sign that it was time to give furniture-free living a try.

The lush, bee-friendly garden with a towering pine tree won my wife over immediately. I didn't even have to say a word; I suspect she'd have agreed even if it meant sleeping outside in a tent.

We made some mistakes at first. Initially, we bought a cheap, low-level futon to sleep on, but it proved a poor choice for our backs, and we soon ditched it in favor of our camping mattresses.

Our intention was always to buy a tatami sleeping mat down the line, but our frugal "if it ain't broke" selves keep deferring the purchase.

Right from the get-go, we both loved hanging out on the floor, and it just felt right.

This lifestyle comes with several benefits

Within about a month, we began to feel physically stronger — probably because we were constantly getting up and down from floor level and forced to work on our posture.

Without a cushy office chair to sink into for hours at a stretch, we're naturally reminded to change position or get up and move.

Plus, our balance has improved because we've trained ourselves to get up and sit down without the help of our hands. We can also sit unsupported for extended periods.

Practically, no furniture makes moving homes — something we've done more than once in the past few years — a breeze. It makes sense for us to live in a way that supports our perpetual desire for change.

With nothing to move, housework is also ridiculously easy. Plus, our apartment always looks neat.

Probably the best benefit, though, is that our quirky rescue kitty seems to love our furniture-free life. He prefers to tunnel under our legs rather than sit on our laps — and being on the floor gives him a lot of chances to do this.

It's not for everyone, and that's OK

When we tell people about our lifestyle, the same concern always comes up: How do you entertain? The truth is, we don't.

This way of life isn't for everyone, and the last thing we'd want is to make our guests feel uncomfortable. So, we've found middle ground by meeting for walks or going out for coffee or a meal. It might not work for everyone, but it works for us.

Ironically, our next lifestyle experiment — which we're tentatively planning for late 2026 — means going back to a bed and couch, but only because you can't do without either when you live in a van.

Well, technically you could … but even we're not up for that level of discomfort.

• Henley & Partners says soaring private healthcare costs now shape where wealthy families move.
• A global index reveals stark healthcare cost gaps that are reshaping millionaire migration.
• Experts say Europe offers strong care value as US and Asian hubs push private costs higher.

A surge in global wealth migration seems to be colliding with an overlooked but increasingly decisive factor: the soaring cost of private healthcare.

Henley & Partners, an investment migration firm, said its client data and new cost comparisons from a global health index show wealthy families are no longer choosing where to live solely on tax or lifestyle, but are increasingly factoring in the long-term cost of private healthcare.

The firm said in a press release this month that it has received applications from 92 nationalities in 2025, supporting clients across more than 50 residence and citizenship programs.

Applications jumped 43% year-over-year in the first three quarters of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, it said.

"Global mobility is becoming a core risk-management strategy for wealthy families," said Christian H. Kaelin, the firm's chairman. Clients "are scrutinizing not only access to residence and citizenship, but also the real cost of sustaining that lifestyle — especially the price of reliable private healthcare."

"Destinations that look attractive on paper can become far less so once true healthcare exposure is understood," he added.

Where healthcare is most — and least — affordable

Henley & Partners cited the SIP Health Cost Index 2025, from the SIP Medical Family Office in Switzerland, a global benchmark released earlier this month, which ranks 50 countries by the true cost of private healthcare using international private medical insurance (IPMI) premiums as of August 2025.

The findings are stark:

• The United States has the most expensive private healthcare market in the world, it found, with an average annual IPMI cost of $17,968 per person.
• Hong Kong and Singapore follow closely, the report said, with $16,175 and $14,231 in average healthcare costs, respectively.
• China, Thailand, and Taiwan now all rank among the top 12 most expensive markets, driven by demand for premium hospitals and rising inpatient costs, the report said.

In Europe, the UK ($11,726) and Greece ($9,654) sit at the pricier end due in part to insurance taxes, it said. while Switzerland ranks mid-table at $8,912. The UAE ranks 10th globally, with an average of $9,680.

Some of the mid-range markets include South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Monaco, which range from roughly $7,100 to $7,600.

Hidden cost shocks

Kevin Bürchler, CEO of SIP Medical Family Office, which is behind the SIP Health Cost Index 2025, said inflation in private healthcare "is rising worldwide, but the pace and pattern differ dramatically."

Speaking to Business Insider, he pointed to "value" destinations such as Italy, Portugal, and Austria, which offer lower costs and proximity to top-tier medical hubs like Switzerland and Germany.

While ultra-high-net-worth individuals can absorb steep premiums, the cost gap matters for affluent families, especially those planning toward retirement, he said.

"It can make a significant difference whether you pay $30,000 plus for private health insurance versus $10,000," or whether "a doctor consultation costs $500 or $50," he added.

Growing demand for healthcare resilience

That pressure, among other factors, is reshaping behavior, especially among Americans.

"US citizens were 5% of our client base in 2018, whereas today they comprise 40%," Basil Mohr-Elzeki, managing partner at Henley & Partners North America, told Business Insider — a shift he described as part of a broader hedge that includes healthcare resilience.

He said healthcare costs are explicitly cited in at least 15% of client decisions, making it a top-five factor behind geopolitical risk, global mobility, legacy planning, and tax optimization.

Interest is rising in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Malta, and in cost-effective Latin American options such as Panama and Costa Rica, he said, adding that Turkey also attracts clients for affordable private medical tourism.

Mohr-Elzeki said many aging clients are increasingly seeking alternative healthcare options abroad — not only because of the cost, but also to access different medical opinions and treatments outside the US system, which he said, while "top-tier," may have a "commercial bias."

Henley & Partners said the SIP Index is helping clients "avoid hidden high-cost traps" as healthcare becomes a central part of global mobility planning.

• TikTok is telling US staff that they will need to return to the office five days a week next year.
• The move is affecting several large teams, including advertising sales, marketing, and product.
• Return-to-office mandates are ramping up across the corporate world.

For many TikTok employees, the days of working from home are numbered.

The company has told US staffers across several large divisions that they will need to return to the office five days a week next year, two affected workers told Business Insider.

The return-to-office push, which kicks off in September, will affect US employees across a wide set of roles, including staffers who work on advertising sales, marketing, and product, the employees said. A third staffer said they expected that much of TikTok's US cohort would be back in the office five days a week next year.

TikTok and its owner, ByteDance, set in-office attendance rules by team. The company's e-commerce division, TikTok Shop, already has a five-day return-to-office requirement that at one point involved tracking the number of hours workers were physically in the office, Business Insider previously reported.

RTO is very much in vogue across corporate America. After easing up on in-office requirements during the pandemic, companies like Dell, JPMorgan, and Amazon have all ramped up in-office mandates over the past couple of years.

TikTok competitor Instagram announced plans to bring US workers back into the office five days a week beginning in February.

"I believe that we are more creative and collaborative when we are together in-person," Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri wrote in a memo explaining the policy.

Other companies like Spotify have been more lenient about RTO. The company's former HR chief said last year that its work-from-anywhere policy was rooted in the idea that "you can't spend a lot of time hiring grown-ups and then treat them like children."

The idea of returning to the office full-time has sparked mixed reactions among workers, both inside and outside TikTok. Young employees who started their careers working from home during the pandemic have begun romanticizing the idea of commuting to work in social-media posts, for example. On the flip side, there's Amazon, which has taken a more aggressive approach to RTO by forcing staffers to relocate to hubs, and has struggled to recruit new hires, Business Insider previously reported.

Some executives view their employees' attitudes toward RTO as a signal of their alignment with the company.

After AT&T instituted a five-day RTO earlier this year, CEO John Stankey said in August that workers who felt virtual or hybrid work was "essential" would have trouble aligning their priorities with the company and its culture.

TikTok's RTO plans, set for the end of 2026, could change if the company winds up selling its US business to a new owner next year. Its current owner, ByteDance, is required to sell most of its US assets to comply with a divestment law passed in 2024.

In September, the Trump administration said it was prepared to approve a $14 billion sale of the US business to a buyer consortium that could include Oracle, its executive chairman Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, and Rupert Murdoch.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.

• A recent WalletHub study ranked the best small cities in America.
• Of the over 1,300 cities and towns in the study, 19 ranked in the top percentile.
• The best small cities strike a balance between affordability and a high quality of life.

While some live for the city hustle, others find the best place to be somewhere quiet, calm, and away from urban chaos.

As more Americans turn to rural towns and suburbs to settle down in, local charm is regaining its luster.

A recent WalletHub study surveyed 1,318 small cities across the US — defined as cities with populations sized between 25,000 and 100,000 people — and compared them across categories including affordability, economy, health, education, and quality of life.

The affordability rank of each city was determined by looking at its average housing cost, homeownership rate, household income, and cost of living, among other metrics, according to the study's methodology section.

Economic health was measured using metrics such as population, income, and job growth rates, as well as unemployment rates, average debt and bankruptcy rates, and median credit scores.

For the education and health rankings, WalletHub examined metrics such as graduation rates, rates of obese and physically inactive adults, insured population, and other health indicators. They also used a school-system quality metric based on previous WalletHub research.

The quality of life ranking took into account factors such as average commute time and work hours, as well as the number of restaurants, bars, clubs, and other attractions per capita. Each city's safety ranking was determined using rates like violent and property crime, car crashes, pedestrian deaths, and drug poisoning deaths.

The study utilized data from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as data from companies such as Areavibes, TransUnion, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and WalletHub.

Of the over 1,000 cities, 19 received scores that ranked in the top percentile across the various categories.

See the places that WalletHub ranked as being the top small cities in the US in 2025.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, had the highest quality of life ranking among the top cities, placing within the top 10 nationwide.

Arlington, Massachusetts

Although Arlington, Massachusetts — located six miles outside Boston — is among the top five most unaffordable cities in the top-performing cities, it ranked second-best in education and health out of all 1,318 cities in the study.

Lexington, Massachusetts

Lexington, Massachusetts, was ranked as having the best education and health in the nation in the study. The city, located 10 miles from Boston, was also ranked among the highest performers in the safety category among top-percentile cities.

Saratoga Springs, New York

Saratoga Springs was ranked as having the second-highest quality of life ranking among the top-performing cities, ranking as 40th highest nationwide

Franklin, Tennessee

Franklin's Economic Health Rank of 134 is stronger than that of more than half of the top-19 cities.

Its Safety Rank of 71 is mid-group.

Affordability (410) and Education & Health (104) place it roughly in the middle.

Holland, Michigan

Holland has the third-best Quality of Life Rank (47) in the top 19 group.

Economic Health Rank 135 is also middle-strong.

Its Education & Health Rank of 556 and Affordability Rank of 296 place it in the lower half of this cohort.

Holland's profile is defined by strong livability and weaker school metrics.

Milton, Massachusetts

Milton's Education & Health Rank of 24 is the fourth-best in the group.

Safety Rank 50 is upper-middle.

Its Quality of Life Rank of 751 is the second-worst in the entire top-19.

High academic strength paired with weak livability sets its profile.

Appleton, Wisconsin

Appleton's Quality of Life Rank of 60 ranks fourth-best among the 19 cities.

Its Economic Health Rank of 210 places it in the middle group.

Safety (263) is the fourth-weakest safety score among the top-19.

Appleton mixes strong livability with weaker safety.

Brentwood, Tennessee

Brentwood's Economic Health Rank of 99 is the sixth-best among the top 19.

Safety Rank 49 also places it in the top half.

Its Quality of Life Rank of 377 is near the median of the group.

Brentwood performs above average across categories without hitting extremes.

Leesburg, Virginia

Leesburg's Education & Health Rank of 15 is the third-best among the top 19 cities.

Its Safety Rank of 86 is mid-tier.

Affordability Rank 125 places it in the top half of the cost spectrum.

Leesburg is one of the strongest education-focused cities in the dataset.

Brookfield, Wisconsin

Brookfield's Economic Health Rank of 40 is the third-best among the top 19, behind Apex and Lehi.

Its Education & Health Rank of 39 is also top-tier.

Affordability Rank 93 is mid-high for the group.

Brookfield is one of the most consistently strong cities across categories.

Castle Rock, Colorado

Castle Rock's Economic Health Rank of 97 is the seventh-best in the group.

Its Safety Rank of 44 places it in the top third.

Quality of Life Rank 436 sits near the group midpoint.

A generally strong, balanced performer.

Lehi, Utah

Lehi's Economic Health Rank of 5 is the second-best in the top 19 and nationally.

Its Safety Rank of 10 makes it the second-safest city in this cohort.

Quality of Life Rank 890 is the third-worst in the group.

Lehi is an economic powerhouse with lifestyle trade-offs.

Noblesville, Indiana

Noblesville's Education & Health Rank of 47 is the sixth-best in the group.

Its Safety Rank of 38 places it within the top five safest cities here.

Quality of Life Rank 595 sits in the lower half.

Affordability Rank 89 is mid-pack.

Carmel, Indiana

Carmel's Education & Health Rank of 32 places it fifth-best in the group.

Safety Rank 37 places it fourth-best.

Its Affordability Rank of 32 is the third-best among the 19 cities.

Carmel is one of the most consistently strong performers in the dataset.

Kaysville, Utah

Kaysville's Safety Rank of 9 is the best in the group.

Its Economic Health Rank of 44 is the fifth-best.

Quality of Life Rank 1086 is the worst among the top 19.

Kaysville tops the group in safety, but ranks last in livability.

Fishers, Indiana

Fishers' Affordability Rank of 26 is the third-best, behind Apex and Westfield.

Its Education & Health Rank of 33 ranks seventh-best among the 19.

Quality of Life Rank 609 sits near the lower-middle of the group.

Safety is also a strength at Rank 36.

Westfield, Indiana

Westfield's Affordability Rank of 25 is the second-best among the top 19.

Its Economic Health Rank of 29 is the third-best, trailing only Apex and Lehi.

Quality of Life Rank 1048 is the second-worst.

Westfield excels economically while lagging in livability.

Apex, North Carolina

Apex's Economic Health Rank of 1 is the best in the national study and the highest among the top 19.

Its Affordability Rank of 20 is also the best in the group.

Safety Rank 146 and Education & Health Rank 244 position it in the lower-middle tier.

Apex wins on the basis of pure economic strength and cost advantages.

• An Alaska Airlines passenger tried to open a plane's door midflight, an affidavit says.
• Other passengers said they had heard the man talking to himself and moved away from him.
• After the plane landed safely, the man apologized to the crew, the affidavit said.

An Alaska Airlines flight descended into chaos as passengers restrained a man who was trying to open an emergency exit, an affidavit says.

The incident occurred on last Wednesday's Flight 87 from Deadhorse, Alaska, to Anchorage, a journey that takes about an hour and a half.

During the flight, several passengers had moved seats away from the passenger, named by police as Kassian Fredericks, after becoming concerned by his behavior.

Two men who sat behind him said they heard him talking to himself. One of them told investigators that he mentioned invisible people trying to take over the plane.

He then also took a pill and drank some Gatorade, the witness said.

The Boeing 737 had only been in the air for about eight minutes, climbing through 18,000 feet, when one of the pilots said he got the first call from the cabin crew about their concerns over a passenger's behavior.

Shortly after that, the pilot said, he saw the cockpit light indicating someone was trying to open the emergency exit.

The passenger had managed to move the door's arm upward when another passenger grabbed him.

They called for help, and another two passengers came to restrain him.

"[He] was so strong it took him and the other two male passengers to restrain him and sit him down," the affidavit says.

While it is a frightening situation, it's actually impossible to open a plane door at a high altitude, because the pressure differences inside and outside the aircraft keep the door sealed.

Fredericks is then said to have requested a cigarette, asked about how to break a plane's window, and said he wanted to call his mom.

When one of the passengers asked him why he was trying to open the door, he is said to have replied that he "needed air and to get out of here."

The pilot had considered diverting to an airfield in nearby Fairbanks, but continued onto Anchorage as they were only 18 minutes away, per the affidavit.

Local police then boarded the plane and arrested the passenger.

After landing, the affidavit says, he appeared to have calmed down as he apologized to the crew while he was being escorted away.

Fredericks was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday and charged with one count of interference with a flight crew, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years.

Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Companies can use artificial intelligence to enhance brand storytelling and attract talent.
• AI analyzes brand sentiment, employee feedback, and social media to inform recruitment strategies.
• This article is part of "How AI is Changing Talent", a series exploring how AI is reshaping hiring, development, and retention.

Before applying for a position, job seekers often want to know factors beyond the role's responsibilities, like a company's values, employee experience, and growth opportunities. Like many areas of the workforce, artificial intelligence can help with this.

Brand image "sets the tone for how people view your company long before they ever interact with you," she adds. It gives job candidates "clarity, confidence, and a sense of direction" about whether an organization is a good fit.

"AI can make it easier for companies to understand how they're being perceived and where they need to improve," says Victoria Bracco, CEO of Encore Media Agency and cofounder of the Strategic Executive Alliance, a business consulting firm.

Human resources leaders also see value in AI for talent acquisition. For instance, some companies, including Unilever and L'Oreal, use AI chatbots to answer job applicants' questions and provide personalized responses based on their preferences and skills.

Beyond that, AI can help companies learn what job seekers think about them and use data-driven storytelling to attract talent, Bracco says. Here's how.

Streamlining brand sentiment analysis

Brand sentiment is composed of a range of inputs from a wide variety of sources, and AI can be a boon to consolidating, gathering, and analyzing that content.

For example, AI can mine social media, online reviews, and internal feedback to uncover what customers, the public, and current and former employees say about the company, known as a sentiment analysis, Bracco says.

AI tools can also track metrics, such as employee sentiment and retention rates, as well as social media engagement, adds Kaz Hassan, principal of community and insights at Unily, an AI intranet software.

"AI can identify patterns in what current employees say about your organization, revealing brand strengths to amplify and weaknesses to address," Hassan says. "This real-time intelligence allows companies to respond quickly to emerging issues before they become reputation problems."

Shaping a data-informed story

AI can synthesize several different data points, including brand sentiment, employee performance insights, and the skills the company currently needs. Using that information, AI can then help write job descriptions, career pages, and social media messaging that will resonate with the right candidates, Bracco says.

Organizations can also use employee data to showcase how they value their people, such as through internal upskilling, mobility rates, leadership styles, or employee check-ins, says Lana Peters, chief revenue and experience officer at Klaar, a performance management software.

AI can "shape an unbiased story," she says. That story should focus on "culture, purpose, and growth," Bracco adds.

Just make sure the story is authentic and honest; coming across as disingenuous is a turn-off, adds Polina Dimitrova, global head of people at Make, a visual development platform. "The truth is: your brand is how you hire, how you develop people, how leaders behave, and where your teams show up in the world."

Centering the human experience

By using AI to analyze employee performance, development, and engagement patterns, organizations can identify employees with compelling stories to showcase in recruitment efforts, Peters says.

This can illustrate "the employee experience you offer as a company," says Tom Moran, CEO of Addison Group, a staffing and recruiting firm.

"Real stories from real people within the organization discussing their experiences within the organization will resonate with job seekers," Hassan says.

Peters adds that, "Candidates aren't just choosing a job; they're choosing a story they want to be a part of," including companies whose values align with theirs and where they'll be recognized and appreciated.

However, AI isn't the "end-all, be-all," Dimitrova says. It should be used to optimize brands for attracting talent; it's not a substitute for a brand strategy, Bracco adds.

AI is there to "speed things up and provide insights, but the final message still needs and must have your voice, your judgment, and your direction," Bracco says. "Keep the human side front and center, because candidates can spot a forced or overly polished message a mile away."

• This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Palmer Luckey wants you to know he was right all along.

The outspoken billionaire and new-age god of war is making a fortune selling weapons. His reach extends beyond the range of his powerful artillery though, as he has shifted the narrative around what working in defense tech means.

Once a somewhat taboo corner of the business world, the success of Luckey's Anduril Industries, along with his no-holds-barred approach to … just about everything, has made him the poster child for tech's new love affair with the military, writes BI's Julia Hornstein.

Luckey's now on a victory lap of sorts as he shepherds the US into a new era where one of the biggest business battlefields is the literal battlefield.

Part of Luckey's appeal in tech circles might be his authenticity.

Whether you love him or hate him, the 33-year-old has stuck to his guns over the years. That's unlike most of his tech peers, who have shifted their businesses and policies to favor whichever political party is in power. (Luckey once said he wrote President Donald Trump a letter when he was 15, encouraging him to run for president.)

At times, that dedication has come at a cost. Luckey has long claimed he was fired from Meta in 2017 for supporting Trump. Meta denies he left over politics.

But these days it's all sunshine and rainbows cruise missiles and drones for Luckey.

Palmer Luckey might be the face of defense tech, but he's got plenty of competition.

First and foremost, there's more money than ever in the space thanks to the Trump administration leaning into defense spending.

The latest era of modern warfare is also creating new opportunities. The increased prominence of drones, as evident in the war in Ukraine, has given startups a chance to step up to the plate. It has created an interesting dynamic, with young, agile startups competing with traditional defense contractors.

The increased competition is largely viewed as a positive for the government, which can benefit from better pricing. The new players and cutting-edge tech are also speeding up processes.

The Navy said a Palantir-powered AI system for shipbuilding cut a 160-hour job to just 10 minutes. The Army is also enacting a "fail fast" approach to weapon development.

Moving at such speed, a staple of Silicon Valley, comes with risks when dealing with such powerful and dangerous tech. A new watchdog report said the US military needs to improve its weapons testing processes.

• I decorate the house every year for the holiday season in December.
• My garage and attic are full of boxes of Christmas stuff during the other months of the year.
• The house feels cluttered and claustrophobic, and I have vowed to take action in January.

I finally got around to putting my fake, battery-lit garlands around our front door and railings the other day.

It took a while to get it right, but I was happy with the result when I stepped into the front yard to take a look at the overall scene. I'd already placed a set of outside cushions with holiday trees on the wooden furniture out front. Then, I'd put fake wreaths on the chairs, trimming them with red bows, and building a fawn and a doe that sparkle at night.

It fell short of the beautiful house in "Home Alone," but our property was certainly noticeable from the street.

I had too many Christmas decorations

Coming back inside, I saw another pile of plastic boxes packed with even more holiday decorations in the family room. I wondered where I could put everything.

There was no more space on my window sills, shelves, or the Christmas tree. The mantelpiece was adorned with pine cones, candles, and a nutcracker figure.

It seemed like every inch of the house was covered with tinsel, snow globes, and other trinkets.

In March 2020, we moved to a larger place than our previous home, partly because we needed an extra bedroom for our new au pair from Chile.

COVID-19 struck a few days after her arrival. Things were grim, and I wanted to cheer everyone up. I wanted our guest to enjoy the Easter holiday.

I bought lots of Christmas decor for outside the house

Stores like HomeGoods weren't open, so I ordered things online, including egg and rabbit-shaped ornaments. Our au pair — and the kids, who were 12 and 10 at the time — appreciated the effort I made.

I did a similar thing for Halloween. Then Christmas came along. I purchased a couple of fake deer for the lawn. Then there was the yard sign that spelled out "Joy," and some oversize baubles to hang from the tree outside.

During the winters of 2020 to 2024, it became "my thing" to buy holiday decor. It would take me ages to bring the stuff out of storage, but I didn't mind. It was fun to decorate.

I haven't bought anything new this year, following strict instructions from my high school senior, who no longer shares my love of decorations. Still, she didn't stop me from going all out with the tchotchkes I already had.

Then, all of a sudden, I felt claustrophobic and uncomfortable. How on earth had I managed to acquire all this junk?

I thought of the new year clean-up when everything would need to be packed in boxes and stowed once again. It filled me with dread.

Some people hire professional declutterers

The feeling was enough to make me cringe. I was embarrassed by the stuff on display. It no longer seemed exciting to welcome guests when our home resembled a hoarder's.

It's too late to take the items down because I've got so much to do ahead of the holidays. I cannot face the bother of "undecorating" the house. It will have to wait until January.

Some people hire professional declutterers. But they're too expensive for my budget.

Instead, I've made a vow to spend an entire weekend sorting through my holiday decor after Christmas. I'll donate at least half to my Buy Nothing, Sell Nothing group on Facebook.

If nobody wants them, they're going in the trash. I never want my home to feel so cramped again.

• Initially, moving back in with my parents to save money felt like a step backward.
• Caring for our collection of indoor plants, which we brought with us, helped me adjust.
• I ended up connecting with my parents over the hobby, and it brought us even closer.

My husband and I never imagined we'd move back in with my parents a year after our wedding.

The choice was a practical one, and we knew it would be a temporary, six-month to one-year stint. Our goal was to save money to buy a home, and with rent prices climbing in London, pooling resources under one roof made the most sense.

Emotionally, though, it stung a bit. After renting a flat together for seven years, the move felt like a step backward: Just as we were beginning our lives as newlyweds, the independence we'd worked so hard to build had been put on hold.

Suddenly, we were moving out of our North London abode and back into my childhood home on the outskirts of the city. One small comfort we carried with us — quite literally — was our ever-growing indoor plant collection.

Taking care of the trailing vines and leafy stems helped me feel a sense of responsibility and comfort when I needed it most. The cherry on top was when it became something I could share with my parents, too.

My plants helped create a sense of routine and got me through our early days and challenges

Plants had made our flat feel like a home. So, although we sold the vast majority of our belongings and put the rest in storage, I couldn't bear to lose the greenery.

Not only were they a beautiful reminder of the life my husband and I were building, but they helped me structure my days during an awkward time.

Every morning, I'd make coffee and walk around checking up on them before sitting down at my laptop.

The slow rhythm of plant care soothed me. In those first few weeks, so many things felt out of my control: I was applying to jobs, making budgeting spreadsheets, and scouring house listings online. We were essentially figuring out what our life would look like.

Nurturing plants, however, felt grounding. Successfully caring for them didn't mean being perfect or having all the answers; all they needed from me was attention and steady consistency.

With time, as I watched them bounce back after the move, I started to recover, too.

I started sharing my passion with my mom, and we grew closer than ever

At first, the influx of plants overwhelmed my parents. "It's like living in a jungle," my dad joked early on, raising an eyebrow at a particularly large monstera and the overflowing windowsills.

Over the first few weeks, though, they came to love the plants, and caring for them became something I could share with my mom.

As she'd log on to work from home at the kitchen table, I'd make us morning coffee. While waiting for the kettle to boil, I'd inspect leaves or rotate pots for better light while we chatted.

These small, shared moments offered us a place to connect. From inconsequential chats about plant care came deeper conversations about marriage and aging, family and the future.

Without meaning to, we had created a daily ritual together, chatting vulnerably in a way we hadn't in years.

Now, we're getting ready to move into our dream home

Today, we're finally starting to look for our dream home.

We've saved enough that it finally feels within reach. And as we plan our next chapter, we know that many of our plants will come with us — but not all of them.

My dad now jokes that we have to leave some behind, or the house will feel too empty. He even bought some herb plants from the grocery store to add to the collection.

When we finally do move, along with the plants, I'll be bringing with us a newfound confidence in my own ability to find comfort and build a routine, even amid uncertainty and change.

Arguably, that's the best thing that grew during my time at home.