• On a trip to Switzerland, I made a few mistakes that would be easy to avoid next time.
• I visited Zurich, the country's largest city, and two towns in the Swiss Alps: Sion and St. Moritz.
• Restaurant reservations and bus stops caught me off guard, along with a few other surprises.

I went to Switzerland for the first time last year, riding trains out of Zurich and through the Swiss Alps.

Though I have lots of experience traveling in Europe, some norms in the country caught me off guard during the nine-day trip.

As I made my way first to Zurich, then Sion, and finally to St. Moritz, I made a few traveling blunders that I'll be sure to avoid next time.

Trying to walk into restaurants without a reservation

Multiple people told me to eat at Restaurant Zeughauskeller, the most famous classic Swiss restaurant in Zurich, so on my second night there, I strolled over.

Even though it was a Wednesday, the former medieval armory was packed. I joined a huddle of about a dozen other reservation-less people waiting outside.

When I peeked into the huge dining room with high wood-beamed ceilings, where each long table was filled with people eating and drinking, a server told me over the din of voices that the wait could be over an hour.

When I arrived in Sion, a small town in the mountains, I thought I'd be fine without any restaurant reservations. But each high-rated Sion eatery I went to turned me away, saying they were full.

By the time I got to St. Moritz, I'd learned my lesson and called ahead to make reservations. I had no issues getting into those restaurants.

Not realizing water costs extra

I made another gaffe inside the Swiss restaurants. Coming from the US, I assumed water was free with any meal.

Later, when I looked at my receipts, I realized flat or sparkling water at almost every restaurant cost an extra 3 to 5 Swiss francs.

According to the restaurant directory swissrest.ch, only one of the country's 26 cantons (similar to states in the US) has a law requiring restaurants to provide free water. The directory asks customers to consider tap water a "hospitality service."

Using Airbnb instead of a hotel

When I was booking my trip, I checked Airbnb first because it was much cheaper than hotels when I recently visited France.

I didn't have many options, but I snagged an Airbnb in Zurich that ended up being the worst place I stayed during the entire trip.

The tiny studio apartment featured an uncomfortable bed with scratchy sheets, a small table with chairs, a kitchen sink, and a bathroom.

I either had to leave the windows open and expose myself to direct sunlight and noise from the busy road below or close them and let the room get stuffy.

Thankfully, I only stayed there for two nights. I think I would've been better off in a cheap hotel room, which likely would've had a better bed and no kitchen area, which I didn't need.

The city has a lot of Airbnb options, though, so I probably could've gotten a nicer studio if I'd spent more money or booked further in advance.

Plus, there may be even more options in the future. In its Q4 2023 earnings report, Airbnb said it was expanding its "playbook" in a few European countries like Switzerland, continuing its efforts at "investing in under-penetrated international markets."

In Sion and St. Moritz, I had booked rooms in boutique hotels instead and they were lovely.

Using Google Maps to locate bus stops

Switzerland lived up to its reputation for efficient, on-time trains with clear signage, but I can't say the same for the buses.

In Zurich, I struggled to find bus stops. I would walk to the exact spot where Google Maps said the bus stop was and see no signs or benches. I'd wander around looking for the bus stop while watching several buses drive past me without stopping.

Each time, I had to ask a local or two where the bus stop was. It was usually at least a block away from the location I saw in the app.

Plus, the buses didn't arrive nearly as often as they were said to on Google Maps.

Next time, I wouldn't rely solely on Google Maps to get around. I'll probably use the SBB website or mobile app to find bus stops and public transit routes.

Buying a one-device outlet adapter at the airport

I forgot to pack an adapter to plug my American devices into Swiss outlets, so I had to buy one once I landed at the Zurich airport.

Unfortunately, it only charged one device at a time.

Since I was carrying a phone, a portable phone battery, AirPods, two laptops, an electric toothbrush, and a camera, I would've preferred some extra charging capacity.

Every moment I was in a hotel room or café, I was plugging something in. Several nights, I brushed my teeth manually with my dead electric toothbrush.

I could've saved a lot of hassle and about $15 by ordering an adapter with multiple USB ports on Amazon ahead of my trip.

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
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Happy Independence Day! I'm Jordan Parker Erb, filling in for Dan DeFrancesco.

Former President Donald Trump seems to think President Joe Biden's campaign is over, and he can barely contain his excitement, per a leaked video. But Biden vowed again on Wednesday that he is not dropping out of the race. It comes amid reports that White House staffers are being told to go heads down and "execute, execute, execute."

In observance of the US holiday, we have a shorter edition of the newsletter. We'll be back in full force tomorrow.

In today's big story, we're looking at why it's such a good time to be a finance bro.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

ISO: A man in finance

It's cool to be a finance bro — for now.

Thanks to a song in a viral TikTok video, finance bros have entered a period of resurgence. If you're even remotely online, you'll recognize the lyrics: "I'm looking for a man in finance. Trust fund. 6'5. Blue eyes."

The video, posted by user Megan Boni, has raked in around 54 million views since being uploaded. It's become a cultural touchstone for the summer, seemingly telling viewers it's officially acceptable to be a man in finance — and if you can date one, that's even better. (Though some women say it's not all it's cracked up to be, writes Business Insider's Maria Noyen.)

But that wasn't always the case for Wall Streeters.

Before moving to New York City, I was impervious to bankers and their various quirks. But it didn't take long to discover that finance bros were often the butt of the joke. I quickly learned to knowingly roll my eyes at the swarms of Patagonia vests in downtown Manhattan.

The finance-bro revival has benefited, at least in part, from America's short-term memory. Following the 2008 financial crisis, working on the Street wasn't viewed with such high esteem. Plenty of Americans felt resentment toward financial workers, blaming them for the economy's meltdown.

In the years since, attention has shifted to a new cohort: tech bros. They're easy to poke fun at for their meme-worthy antics (I'm looking at you, Mark Zuckerberg's sunscreen).

And they can also be easy to hate when employing dubious or flat-out criminal business practices. (Elizabeth Holmes' Theranos and Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX are recent examples.)

So finance bros may be enjoying a moment in the cultural sunshine — but it likely won't last forever.

In other news

• Forget right or left. Voters are sick of whoever's in charge.
• Biden and the Democrats can't decide what to blame the disastrous debate on.
• Patients on Ozempic are developing a rare form of sudden blindness, doctors say.
• Kevin Costner's self-financed movie was a box-office flop. Experts say he's 'going to lose a lot of money.'
• Just 1 piece of evidence could scuttle Trump's hush-money conviction and force a time-sucking retrial.
• Hey, Apple! We want much more battery life in the new iPhone 16.
• An influential Democratic donor says Biden has 'misplaced trust' in a 'cabal' of 3 top aides.
• Two luxury rivals are joining forces — and Amazon is getting in on the action.
• An 11 a.m. start time and an afternoon nap: Report reveals Biden's debate prep schedule.
• Vintage photos show what Coney Island's 4th of July celebrations used to look like.
• I tried coleslaw recipes from Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Sunny Anderson, and the best one called for raisins and apples.
• 'Hawk Tuah Girl' has our attention. Next, she would like our money.

What's happening today

• The UK general election will be held. The Conservatives led by Rishi Sunak — who called the election amid a downpour in May — face an uphill battle to defend their seats.
• Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest will go on without its longtime star, Joey Chestnut. Chestnut was barred from competing due to a sponsor conflict.

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. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• "Rest on the Flight into Egypt" and other works were stolen from an English country house in 1995.
• The painting, by a Venetian Old Master, was found at a bus stop in 2002 after a tip-off.
• The auction house Christie's said the £17.5 million sale price set a record for a work by Titian.

An early painting by one of Europe's most famous painters was auctioned for a record high price years after it was recovered in a shopping bag at a bus stop.

"The Rest on the Flight into Egypt," an early work by the famed 16th-century Italian painter Titian, was sold for over £17.5 million ($22.3 million) on July 2, according to Christie's. It was the highest-priced work to be sold that evening and set a record for any work by Titian, the auction house said.

The painting's longtime owners, the family of a British nobles, held onto the painting after it was previously sold by Christie's in 1878. In 1995, however, the work was stolen from the walls of the family's country house, Longleat, along with two other paintings that are still reportedly missing.

In 2002, the painting was recovered by Charles Hill, an ex-Scotland Yard detective who died in 2021. He had announced a £100,000 reward for information leading to the painting's recovery.

He told The Telegraph in 2002 that he was contacted by a tipster who had Hill drive him around until they reached a bus stop in west London where an old man was standing beside a red, white and blue shopping bag that contained the painting.

"The problem with stealing a famous painting is that there is no way you can sell it," Hill told The Telegraph. "But if a reasonable reward is offered, the painting can turn up."

News reports around the time of the painting's recovery put its value at £5 million. Ahead of the recent sale, Christie's had estimated that the painting would go for £15 million to £25 million.

The Titian wasn't the only stolen artwork to be recovered in a state that might shock a curator. In 2003, a New York City woman found a $1 million painting that had been stolen about 16 years earlier in a pile of trash bags. And in September 2023, a Vincent van Gogh painting that was stolen in 2020 was found in an Ikea bag outside an art detective's apartment.

• Two women have accused "The Sandman" writer Neil Gaiman of sexual assault.
• The allegations are detailed in a new podcast from Tortoise Media. 
• The alleged offences took place in 2005 and 2022. Here's a timeline of the accusations.

Two women have accused "The Sandman" writer Neil Gaiman of sexual assault.

Gaiman rose to fame as the author of the DC Comics fantasy series, "The Sandman," between 1989 and 1996. His work continued to explore religion, mythology, and magic in books including "American Gods" and "Good Omens."

All three have been adapted into TV shows, and the second season of Netflix's "The Sandman" is in production.

Tortoise Media's podcast, "Master: The allegations against Neil Gaiman," which was released on July 3, features claims from two women who say he sexually assaulted them in 2005 and 2022.

The first victim, identified only as K because she wished to remain anonymous, said she started a sexual relationship with Gaiman in 2005 when she was 20.

Here's a timeline of the allegations.

2005: K starts a relationship with Gaiman.

The fourth episode of the podcast explains that K met Gaiman at a Florida book signing in 2003 when she was 18, and they started their relationship two years later.

K told Tortoise Media that she had "rough and painful sex" with Gaiman that "she neither wanted nor enjoyed."

She also claimed Gaiman had sex with her while she had an infection "despite her asking him not to."

February 2022: Gaiman starts a relationship with a woman in New Zealand.

The second and third episodes of the podcast are about Scarlett, a 23-year-old nanny, who claims that she started a sexual relationship with Gaiman at his New Zealand home in February 2022, only a few hours after they first met.

On that day, Scarlett alleged that Gaiman assaulted her in a bath but they went on to have a consensual relationship.

Scarlett told Tortoise Media that "Gaiman engaged in rough and degrading penetrative sexual acts with her."

She also described how "the pain was celestial" during one incident, but he refused to stop when she asked.

"He laughed and said I needed to be punished and used his belt on me," Scarlett claimed.

July 2024: Gaiman denies the accusations, and says both incidents were "consensual."

Tortoise Media relayed a statement from Gaiman, which said: "he denies any unlawful behavior with K and is disturbed by her allegations."

It continued: "He believes K's allegations are motivated by her regret over their relationship and that Scarlett was suffering from a condition associated with false memories at the time of her relationship with him, a claim which is not supported by her medical records and medical history."

Gaiman told Tortoise Media that during the alleged 2022 incident involving Scarlett "they only 'cuddled' and 'made out' in the bath and that he had established consent for this."

"His position is that, over the three-week sexual relationship that followed, they only ever engaged in consensual digital penetration."

Representatives for Neil Gaiman did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website to receive confidential support.

• Supreet Kaur received a job offer from Microsoft after interviewing at 15 companies.
• After two years of working in AI at Morgan Stanley, Kaur saw a major shift in the market for AI roles.
• She emphasized the need for LLM experience, networking, and understanding a company's AI needs.

29-year-old Supreet Kaur has interviewed at 15 companies over the last few months, and just received an offer from Microsoft.

Prior to securing her new role, she spent the last two years developing and managing data and AI solutions at Morgan Stanley. She said the job market for AI roles has changed drastically since she was on the hunt about two years ago.

While Big Tech CEOs are fighting over AI talent, some candidates are fighting for a spot in the increasingly competitive job market.

Kaur has a grad degree in data science, worked in AI at a big bank, and is an ambassador for Google's WomenTechMakers program — and even she said she wasn't hearing back from companies when she first started her job hunt.

Once Kaur made a few tweaks to her approach, she was able to start seeing results and eventually landed the Microsoft position as a cloud solutions architect. If you're looking for a job in AI, Kaur said these are the four key things you need to know.

LLM experience is now an industry standard

Kaur said when she interviewed for AI positions two years ago, companies were looking for machine learning experience. Now, companies are looking to build AI products. She said companies are more eager to see that a candidate has worked with a chatbot or text classification system.

Kaur said generative AI or LLM experience is now a basic standard — and she didn't start hearing back from interviews until she skilled up in this area.

Once Kaur saw how many recruiters were asking for this, she volunteered within an organization and completed a three-month LLM project. While many applicants looking to enter the field now participate in AI workshops or bootcamps, Kaur suggests doing a use-case project. Kaur created her own enterprise level project from the volunteer experience so that she could talk about it in depth in interviews.

Cold applications may not work this time around

Kaur said she didn't send too many cold applications, but she didn't hear back from the ones she did send. Instead, she said she spent her time networking and contacting recruiters. She said she aimed to send at least two messages and three to four personalized connection requests every day.

She also tried to spread the word that she was looking for a job by telling people in professional settings that she was on the market.

"The best way to look for a job is when you don't need a job," Kaur said. "You should go to events. You should go to meet-ups."

Be specific

Kaur said companies have had a shift in mindset over the last couple of years. Today, they are looking for much more specific experience, Kaur said.

"When I was interviewing in 2022, people were more interested in what I had done in data science," Kaur said.

"This time all my interviews were super specific on what the companies wanted," she added.

With companies' hiring portals overflowing with qualified applicants, Kaur said she needed to narrow things down. Kaur said she refined her search from product manager to solutions architect once she realized her first attempt was too broad.

Kaur also recommends networking with workers from the company you apply to and asking them what that company is looking for. She said this is crucial to understanding their needs and the kind of experience they specifically want in a candidate.

Having an online presence helps

Kaur also spent the last couple of years building an online presence.

She said she's spoken at dozens of events and many of those led to interviews later on. It also helped her stand out in the application process.

"Some hiring manager during our interview said, 'You're the hundredth candidate I'm interviewing for this one position,'" Kaur said. "So it's obviously very competitive so it's important for you to stand out."

Kaur said she started by contacting the university she attended and telling professors that she was available to speak about her experience. From there, she was able to start building her following and book events regularly including AI Summit New York, BNY Mellon, Re-Work New York, Women in Data Science Series, and Women in AI Series.

• Multiple Netflix stars are calling out the streamer and "Perfect Match" contestant Bryton Constantin.
• They say Bryton made anti-LGBTQ+ comments during the filming of two reality shows and at a Netflix event.
• Here's what to know about the allegations and Bryton's response.

Multiple Netflix stars have accused "Perfect Match" contestant Bryton Constantin of making homophobic and transphobic comments, pulling the streaming service into another reality show controversy.

Bryton originally appeared on "Squid Game: The Challenge" season one last year and was called up again by the streamer for "Perfect Match" season two — one of Netflix's most-watched shows in June.

Bryton has become one of the series's most controversial contestants.

His original partner in season two, Dominique Defoe, was the first to speak out against him after the first batch of episodes aired on June 7. Around the release of the series finale, four more Netflix stars accused Bryton of expressing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.

The initial episodes showed Bryton constantly arguing with Dominique over minor things like whether yoga is a workout.

Dominique posted a TikTok video on June 8 claiming the pair were actually arguing over Bryton's "hate speech," but the conversations containing harmful comments were cut for the final edit.

She also criticized Netflix for editing her confessional interviews to make it seem like she was emotional over juvenile arguments.

A week later, Dominique told Tudum, Netflix's media site, that she was arguing with Bryton over his comments about LGBTQ+ identities and his criticism of men showing emotions.

"He's like, 'Oh, I think it's fine that you're bisexual because you're a woman … and I think it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," Dominique told the outlet.

Bryton addressed the allegations in multiple TikTok videos in June. He called Netflix's reality stars fake, said Dominique hates men, and said he won't apologize to anyone for his Christian beliefs.

"She doesn't just dislike me. She took everything I said as a threat, as a problem, or as some sort of altercation," Bryton said in one TikTok video. "No, you just hate men, and you really like women."

The drama escalated just before the "Perfect Match" season two finale aired on June 21, when several more queer Netflix reality stars called out Bryton on TikTok.

On June 20, Dash Katz, who appeared in "Squid Game: The Challenge" season one, posted a video claiming other "Squid Game" contestants had complained to them that Bryton had made homophobic and transphobic comments during the competition's filming.

Dash claimed Bryton said he would hit a transwoman if they flirted with him.

"The Circle" season three star Sophia Layne said in a TikTok video posted on June 21 she had also heard from other queer Netflix reality stars that Bryton has said more transphobic and homophobic comments.

Sophia criticized Netflix for giving Bryton a platform on two reality series and asked the streamer to apologize and stop casting him. Francesca Farago, another major Netflix reality star, reposted the video.

Lexi Goldberg, a contestant from "The Ultimatum: Queer Love" season one, called Bryton "an ignorant piece of shit" on June 22. Lexi said Bryton came up to her and her fiancée, who is a woman, during a Netflix reality universe party in early June and said, "Well, it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" — echoing Defoe's claims.

On June 24, Brittan Byrd, who appeared on "Perfect Match," said she and Dominique argued with Bryton before the finale after they tried to speak to him about not saying any "hate speech" during the cast reunion.

Bryton has not responded to any new videos, but Dominique is not letting him off the hook.

Last Friday, Dominique called out Bryton again on TikTok, reading out a 6,000-word essay she wrote about her experience with him during filming.

Dominique claimed Bryton lied to other contestants and the public that they were just arguing about yoga. She said Bryton repeated anti-gay hate slogans during filming and compared calling a man a feminist to saying a racial slur to a Black person.

Dominique also said Bryton called her out and made homophobic comments again during a professional event after filming.

Representatives of Bryton and Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment made outside business hours by Business Insider.

• I've traveled to over 80 countries, and some memorable places aren't as frequented or talked about. 
• Places like Uzbekistan in Asia and Cyprus along the Mediterranean are worth visiting.
• If you're looking for an adventure, consider exploring Dominica or the Marquesas Islands.

I've traveled to over 80 countries and hope to visit all of them one day. Whether I picked a destination for its culture, sites, food, or adventures, each trip has been meaningful and memorable.

According to a report from Mastercard, nearly 16 million Americans took an international trip in the first quarter of 2024, and the trend doesn't seem to be slowing down. But before you start planning your next vacation, I have some underrated suggestions for you to consider.

Here are five international destinations that don't get enough attention for being spectacular vacation spots.

Flying into the Caribbean Island of Dominica felt like a scene out of "Jurassic Park."

The lush and mountainous island of Dominica is home to a plethora of waterfalls, natural hot springs, beaches, and adventures. The official language is English, so I had no issues communicating with the locals.

I loved staying at the cliffside villas of Jungle Bay Resort — my tropical room had stunning views of Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve. It was also an edible resort, meaning I was free to eat the fruits that were growing right outside my room.

The local cuisine was phenomenal. All the seafood was fresh and delicious, and I really enjoyed trying breadfruit, cassava balls, papaya salads, and different rum drinks.

The twin waterfalls at Trafalgar Falls are one of the most breathtaking views on the island. I also recommend doing a hot-spring mud bath at Screw's Sulphur Spa, diving or snorkeling Scotts Head, learning about the Kalinago Territory (home to the first inhabitants of the island), tasting rum at a side-of-the-road bush bar called The Farmacy, and taking a dip in Emerald Pool.

There was so much to see on the Marquesas Islands.

To reach the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, I first had to fly to Tahiti. Then, I took a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Nuku Hiva, the largest island in the volcanic archipelago.

There aren't many hotels on the island, so I booked a guesthouse and spent two days exploring the small town, shopping at a local craft market, taking a boat excursion, and watching a traditional Marquesan dance rehearsal.

I then flew to the island of Hiva Oa, known for its greenery and black-sand beaches. The highlight for me was renting a car and driving around the island to see the different topography and vegetation. It was also so cool to stop in small villages and meet the locals — even though I don't speak French or Marquesan.

The island is home to archeological sites and one of the largest tiki statues in French Polynesia.

While on Hiva Oa, I met several tiki-statue carvers who've been mastering the craft for generations and visited the tombs of painter Paul Gauguin and singer Jacques Brel.

Uzbekistan has a rich history.

Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia, was once part of the Soviet Union. During the Silk Road era, it served as a major trade route linking China and the Mediterranean.

I started my trip in Tashkent, the capital, getting acquainted with the local foods, products, and people at the famous Chorsu Bazaar. Then I took the metro around the city.

I also snagged $14 tickets to see "Swan Lake" at Tashkent's national opera house, Alisher Navoiy Theater.

After exploring the capital city, I rented a car and drove to Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Historical highlights included Registan Square, Amir Temur Mausoleum, and Bibi-Khanum Mosque (sometimes spelled Bibi-Khanym).

If you're looking for a place to stay, Hotel Bibi-Khanum has a gorgeous view of the mosque and is within walking distance of many prominent sights.

Bukhara is another must-see city in Uzbekistan. I stayed at Komil Boutique, an old traditional home that was converted into a hotel. While visiting the city, I also watched an exceptional musical performance at Aladdin's Lamp in the city's historic district.

The area is full of ancient madrasas (educational institutes), forts, and caravanserais (roadside inns).

Oman is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on the Arabian Peninsula.

I began my trip to Oman in the capital of Muscat, where I visited the Oman National Museum to gain some historical perspective of the country. My next step was to explore Mutrah Souk to meet the locals and sample the local foods and products.

I stopped by a dhow shipyard to see majestic boats under construction and chat with the shipbuilders. I also toured the Royal Opera House and learned about its fascinating architecture.

From there, I rented a vehicle and headed to Wadi Shab, a stunning canyon with crystal-clear waters for swimming and beautiful (easy to moderate) hikes.

I stayed in a traditional mud home in Nizwa, a historical town with a vibrant market. Jebel Akhdar, a lush mountain range with stunning views, is about two hours away.

In a small mountain village, I encountered some of the most hospitable people I've ever met. I was even invited to have tea in someone's home and sent off with a bag full of oranges and nuts.

Further south, Salalah is known for its beautiful beaches, and Raz Al Jinz is a turtle nesting site. If you plan your trip accordingly (May to August), you can witness the little ones hatching and making their way to the ocean.

Driving around Cyprus is a core memory.

This island country in the Mediterranean Sea is typically overlooked for more well-known destinations such as the Cyclades.

I travel to Cyprus frequently, and my favorite itinerary has been landing in Larnaca and making my way southwest to Limassol for a few nights. To see everything the country has to offer, I think renting a car is best — as long as you're comfortable driving on the left.

On my way, I love stopping in Lefkara, a small village known for its handmade lace. Some locals even say that Leonardo da Vinci purchased lace in this town in the 1400s. I also stop by Old Town and the waterfront, two areas of the village that offer contrasting shops, restaurants, and vibes.

Once I arrive in Limassol, I usually stay at the S Paul Hotel, a charming stone building from the 18th century that feels like a second home to me.

Some of the country's other highlights include exploring Aphrodite's Rock and Tombs of the Kings in Paphos and meandering through the Troodos Mountains to experience local wine tastings and quaint villages.

I always end my trips in Ayia Napa and spend a few days diving, swimming, and basking in the sun in the beach town.

• Keir Starmer is poised to become the UK's next prime minister.
• He's had help opening up about his personal story from an unlikely source: Barack Obama.
• Experts say Obama could advise Starmer on handling Trump if he's reelected president.

Britons are heading to the polls, as the UK gears up for a radical change in leadership.

Polls are predicting a landslide win for the leftwing Labour Party, which would make its leader, Keir Starmer, prime minister and end 14 years of Conservative Party rule.

"Today Britain can begin a new chapter," Starmer said as voting began Thursday. "A new age of hope and opportunity after 14 years of chaos and decline."

But Starmer is often described as lacking charisma.

Jill Rutter, a research fellow at the London research group UK in a Changing Europe, told The New York Times he "does look relatively prime-ministerial," but added, "He's not going to set hearts racing."

Starmer entered politics relatively late, first being elected to the UK's House of Commons aged 52 in 2015. Before that, he was a lawyer who rose to become the chief prosecutor for England and Wales, where he had a big public profile but no need to ask the public for votes.

As a candidate for high office, Starmer has had no choice but to tell his back story. Since becoming Labour leader in 2020, he has stressed his humble roots, often describing how his father worked as a toolmaker and his mother a nurse while they raised their children in a "pebble-dash semi," a small home adjoining another property.

But Starmer has seemed, at times, ill at ease with the public display of emotion needed to tell his story, despite it being a political asset that offers a stark contrast with the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

Sunak, a former Goldman Sachs banker, is married to Akshata Murty, the daughter of Indian billionaire and Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murty. The couple's net worth is £651 million, which is around $830 million, the Sunday Times reported in May.

In recent months, Starmer has made a concerted effort to appear more relatable to voters and emphasize that contrast.

He's been helped by an unlikely mentor: former US president Barack Obama.

Obama encouraged Starmer to be vulnerable

In a series of Zoom calls, Obama, who served as US president from 2009 until 2017, encouraged Starmer to become more vulnerable and open with the public and has spoken to the Labour leader about the difficult decisions he made in the Oval Office.

Politico reported that the pair were first introduced by David Lammy, one of Starmer's key leiutenants, who will become his foreign secretary if Labour wins.

Speaking on Politico's Power Play podcast in March, Lammy said he and Obama had known each other for 20 years, since meeting at an event for Black alumni of Harvard University.

When Obama dropped in to meet Sunak in March, he also met Lammy for dinner, The Telegraph reported.

Lammy said Obama's influence on Starmer was apparent when the Labour leader recently opened up about his family's backstory "much more comfortably than perhaps we saw a few years ago."

"And I know that Obama has strong views that Keir should do that," he added.

In March, Starmer gave an extended interview to Sky News, in which he described how his mother had Still's disease, a rare type of inflammatory arthritis.

He said his father spent most of his time looking after her, and this had "squeezed" his "emotional space" and made him more emotionally distant from his children.

"I probably should have addressed that before he passed, and I wish I had, but I didn't," Starmer added.

Kitty Donaldson, a political journalist in the UK, told Business Insider that this interview marked a turning point in Starmer's public display of emotion.

"Up until that point, Starmer had been very stiff, very practical, very straight-laced," Donaldson said. She said that Obama "unlocked" and "gave permission" for Starmer to open up.

"In terms of his leadership style, it's had an impact," she said. "Obama is quite laid back. This campaign has been more laid back than we have seen, and he seemed to enjoy going up and down the country speaking to people."

Tom Packer, an honorary research fellow at University College London who specializes in US politics and elections, told BI that Starmer's backstory had become a "theme of the campaign."

He said it helped challenge the idea that all UK politicians come from a "posh background" without struggle.

Obama could advise Starmer on how to deal with Trump

Obama's and Starmer's relationship is likely to continue if Starmer wins the election on Thursday.

Obama has helped Starmer since at least 2021, when The Guardian reported that they were involved in two hours' worth of private talks with Lammy about how center-left parties could return to power.

Speaking to Politico's Power Play Podcast in September, Starmer said Obama was the US president that he spoke to "most frequently."

"I've spoken to him a number of times, and his analysis on the world is always interesting, his challenges, and just going through with him what he faced, how he rose to the challenges," Starmer said.

"It is always useful to test my ideas on people who won elections, people who've taken difficult decisions in power because that helps me think about how we might approach some of the decisions we might have to take if we do win that election," he added.

Packer said Obama and Starmer's relationship made sense, given the decadeslong ties between the UK's Labour Party and the US Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, Donaldson suggested Starmer may seek advice from Obama on dealing with Donald Trump, if the former president is reelected in November.

Trump is leading the polls, and Biden's shaky performance during the first presidential debate on June 28 has led Democrats to panic and urge him to step aside for another candidate.

Speaking to Politico last September, Starmer said his team had been in talks with Biden, adding, "It's clear what my desired outcome would be."

Packer told BI that Starmer and his team won't want to put "their eggs in one basket" and will be eager to secure "some kind of relationship with Trump that works," regardless of their political differences.

Trump "finds it hard to be nasty about people that are nice to him," Packer said.

He said a Labour government could end up with a good relationship with Trump "even if they disagree with him on policy" if Starmer is "nice."

He pointed out that Starmer has been careful to avoid making anti-Trump comments during his election campaign.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 last week, Starmer was asked if he agreed with Lammy's 2018 description of Trump as a "woman-hating neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath" and a "profound threat to the international order."

"Those aren't words that I've ever used," Starmer responded.

"I know the job of the person who leads our country is to deal with the leaders of other countries, who are elected by their people. You don't always get to choose the leaders of other countries," he continued.

Lammy has also softened his stance. He told a summit in May that Trump's position on European defense was "misunderstood" and he merely "wants Europeans to do more to ensure a better defended Europe," Politico reported.

After Trump was convicted of paying Stormy Daniels hush money, Starmer called it "unprecedented."

But he added, "We will work with whoever is elected… We have a special relationship with the US that transcends whoever the president is."

• Feral pigs cause billions of dollars in damage to properties and agriculture across the US.
• The US has struggled to control the feral pig population, which is between 6 and 9 million.
• The pigs are highly adaptable and intelligent, making them difficult to capture.

Across the US, hogs are damaging lawns, sprinkler systems, golf courses, and crops. The agricultural destruction alone is estimated at $2.5 billion a year.

Case in point, earlier this year, a video doorbell recorded footage of a pack of wild pigs rooting around a suburban lawn in San Antonio, Texas. It was the second time in a few weeks that hogs had ripped up grass in the neighborhood, according to KSAT, a local news station.

In addition to doing lots of property damage, the pigs also carry disease, breed quickly, are difficult to trap, and can be aggressive toward humans, feral pig expert Jack Mayer told Business Insider.

The US has been trying to keep the feral pig population — estimated to be between 6 and 9 million — in check for over a decade. A handful of states have seen success, but others, like Texas, Florida, and Georgia, are struggling.

For Mayer, a research scientist with the Savannah River National Laboratory, it's an uphill, ongoing battle. "They're very secretive," he said. And "they're smart, so they're tough to control."

Feral pigs will eat almost anything

Pigs didn't arrive in North America until the 1500s, so they're not a native species. By the mid-1600s, they were already a nuisance, destroying property and menacing children, according to one New England colonist in 1658.

In the centuries since, not much has slowed the wild pig population from expanding. A single sow can have as many as 10 piglets, sometimes twice a year. The feral hogs' genes are often a mix of wild boar and domestic pig.

Even formerly domestic pigs can quickly adapt to life in the wild. "For whatever reason, domestic pigs go wilder quicker than any other species of domestic livestock that we have," Mayer said.

Out in the wild, these omnivorous animals don't rely on humans to feed them. And they're not picky. Mayer has seen feral hogs forage at landfills and feed on diapers, rubber bands, and plastic. In 2019, Louisiana researchers found dozens of native species, from acorns to salamanders to turtles, in their stomachs.

While they're often a bit leaner than their domesticated relatives, the feral pigs can still get to be 250 pounds, according to the USDA. This means as they move about in urban and suburban areas, they can cause traffic accidents, Mayer said.

Deadly interactions between humans and pigs are very rare in the US. Worldwide, though, Mayer found that feral hogs killed 172 people between 2000 and 2019.

Most of the attacks are defensive, he said, and happen when, "for whatever reason, they feel threatened." The hogs have sharp teeth and tusks and can run fast.

They're also vectors for dozens of diseases and parasites found in their feces, fluids, and undercooked meat. One of Mayer's biggest worries is that they could spread African swine fever to domestic animals. Humans can't catch the disease, but it's deadly for pigs.

Asian countries have slaughtered millions of pigs to try and stop the outbreak of the virus. European countries are taking similar measures.

If the virus arrives in North America, "it's going to spread, and it's going to be ugly," Mayer said.

A losing battle to control the wild pig population

Because hogs reproduce so quickly, some states estimate that they would need to reduce the population size by 60% to 70% each year to keep the numbers from growing.

Currently, many states trap and euthanize pigs. In 2011, Texas passed the "pork-chopper bill," which allows feral hog hunting from helicopters. But Ohio and Kentucky are currently working on banning pig hunting. Some experts believe it can actually make the problem worse, since hunted pigs tend to become more secretive and harder to trap.

Texas and Oklahoma recently announced they'll begin using a substance with warfarin, similar to rat poison, to help control their feral hog populations.

"This is going to be potentially another tool in the toolbox," Mayer said, "but the people in the US never have really warmed up to the use of poisons for any kind of wildlife." It's a move many have opposed in the past because of its potential effects on wildlife that eat poisoned animals, Texas Monthly reported in 2023.

Mayer said another factor that makes controlling wild hogs difficult is that the entire country is a mosaic of different methods. And not everyone wants them gone, he said.

"You've got some people that love them, some people that hate them," he said, "and because of that, I don't think we're ever going to get rid of them."

• The world's two most valuable companies both have close ties to OpenAI.
• Apple could soon join Microsoft in having an observer role on OpennAI's board, Bloomberg reported.
• However, both companies have very different arrangements with the ChatGPT maker.

The world's two most valuable companies know what it's like to miss the boat on the latest technology.

In the 1990s, Apple watched as Bill Gates took Windows global, giving Microsoft absolute dominance over the nascent PC market. By the late 2000s, a Steve Ballmer-led Microsoft was left reeling as Steve Jobs' iPhone would go on to shape the smartphone industry.

Now, in the AI era, it's clear neither company wants to fall behind on a technology touted by Gates as being "as revolutionary as mobile phones and the internet." It even seems that the longtime rivals are willing to sit at the same table to ensure they don't suffer the same fate again.

According to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, Apple is set to get an observer role on the board of OpenAI as part of an agreement unveiled last month. The deal will see Apple integrate ChatGPT into its iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems.

Phil Schiller, a prominent figure at Apple who leads App Store operations, has been chosen for the role, the report said. Microsoft has had a similar observer role on OpenAI's board since November.

However, while the two Big Tech companies could soon share similar status on OpenAI's board, it's worth reflecting on just how different their relationships with Sam Altman's company are.

Apple's OpenAI deal

When Apple revealed a partnership with OpenAI at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, questions swirled about the terms of the long-rumored tie-up.

Given Apple's silence on its generative AI ambitions before the reveal — a silence that had investors wondering if it had serious AI ambitions at all — a fair question to ask might have been: "Is Apple willing to pay OpenAI to get access to the buzziest AI chatbot in town?"

For those more confident in Apple, the better question would have been whether Apple would strike a deal with OpenAI that emulates its long-standing arrangement with Google.

For years, Google has paid Apple a lot of money to remain the default search engine on the Safari browser. In 2022, it paid Apple $20 billion for that position, recognizing Apple's distribution power with a user base of more than two billion active devices.

OpenAI is a much smaller company than Google, and does not have the luxury of handing Apple billions of dollars. That said, an arrangement reaffirming Apple's distribution power could materialize differently. And that it did.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that Apple was getting to integrate ChatGPT into its operating systems for free while giving its users a version of AI that it had full control over.

Apple's new suite of AI features revealed at WWDC, dubbed Apple Intelligence, hardly relies on OpenAI's technology. Apple's own AI models are the driving force behind new tools aimed at helping users write texts, create original images, and more. ChatGPT is more of an add-on that Apple users can choose to give, or refuse, permission to respond to queries.

Although Apple isn't getting direct financial benefits from OpenAI, it will hope the partnership helps trigger a massive upgrade cycle among iPhone users keen to try out Apple's new AI features, which will only be available on the most decent devices.

Microsoft's OpenAI deal

Microsoft's relationship with OpenAI is seemingly more involved.

It first backed OpenAI in 2019 with a $1 billion investment, has since put billions more into the ChatGPT maker. CEO Satya Nadella has sought close ties with OpenAI — the company arguably responsible for the generative AI boom.

Microsoft's reasons for strengthening links with OpenAI are different. Having invested billions, Nadella hopes the investment will eventually generate outsize returns for Microsoft.

OpenAI depends on Microsoft's massive cloud division to gain access to the computing power needed to train and run its large language models (LLMs), such as the GPT-4o model revealed in May.

In return, Microsoft takes almost half of OpenAI's profits, according to terms of their deal, and hopes that OpenAI can one day scale these models to a point where they create a new paradigm by achieving artificial general intelligence, or AGI.

Getting this close to the ChatGPT creator has its risks, however.

The potential for LLMs to develop into AGI is a theory that's faced growing scrutiny among AI experts including Yann LeCun, who has argued that the technology is an "off-ramp" on the path to AI that's as smart as humans.

Meanwhile, last month, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft's OpenAI investment could face questions from European regulators about the impact OpenAI's exclusive use of Microsoft cloud technology may have on the rest of the industry.

Of course, it's not yet clear which company will find their OpenAI relationship the most lucrative.

The success of Apple's OpenAI tie-up could come down to how many people are willing to buy new iPhones. Microsoft seems to be banking on a whole lot more.