• Women hit a certain age, and suddenly, it seems like all their friends are starting families.
• Women Who Walk offers an outlet for women who want to talk about other things.
• The group has grown rapidly, providing a supportive space for women of all ages.

Lisa Collins and Sophie Curthoys love their female friendship groups.

They've known some of their best friends since school. But, like many child-free women, they'd prefer if the conversation at gatherings wasn't always focused on babies and weddings.

"Life comes at you fast," Collins told Business Insider. "You go from 28, and all your friends are around, and you're going out, and everyone's kind of free to just hang out on a Tuesday."

Then, she said, when you get to your mid-30s, "everyone's got two under two, and it takes six months before you get to see them."

In your 30s and beyond, it becomes increasingly difficult to get everyone in the same room, given conflicting schedules, childcare, and other commitments.

Many women find themselves in this situation at some point, either after moving, getting divorced or just feeling like their circle has moved on.

"How do you meet people your age if you don't have kids and you don't meet people through that group?" Collins said.

That's why Collins and Curthoys started Women Who Walk, a community in the UK city of St Albans that meets on Sundays for a leisurely 5km walk and occasional cocktail hours and socials.

Women Who Walk is a nonprofit, so the walks are free. But Collins and Curthoys are keen to find ways to cover their costs, as they are running everything themselves. They sell beanies and socks on the website and tickets to extra events, such as kayaking and paddleboarding days and a summer party.

At the first Women Who Walk event in September 2023, 80 women showed up.

"It's snowballed," Collins said. "In a great way. We are proud of it, but it's got so big so quickly."

Child-free millennials and Zoomers are on the rise

Millennials aren't having as many kids as previous generations, with some being child-free by choice and others putting it off because they can't afford a family.

According to data from the US National Center for Health Statistics, total births in the US in 2023 fell to 3.59 million — the country's lowest figure in more than 40 years.

In the US in 2022, there were 21.9 million women aged between 20 and 39 who did not have children, which is 4.7 million more women than anticipated, according to the Carsey School of Public Policy.

Gen Zers cite the economy and the climate crisis as reasons they are considering not becoming parents.

Still, many find themselves the odd one out in a friendship group that is full of weddings and babies. With lifestyle changes and friend groups dispersing far and wide, life can suddenly get lonely.

A crop of startups have sprung up to tackle the "loneliness epidemic," BI reported, helping people to make friends in real life.

The WSJ reported that investor money is fueling some of these initiatives since loneliness could be costing the economy $154 billion a year due to work absences caused by loneliness-related stress.

For example, SoulCycle's founders raised $7.2 million in their wellness center, Peoplehood, which aims to improve relationships, and 222, which organizes dinner parties, raised $2.5 million.

'A bit of a beast'

Women Who Walk has branched out to two more British cities, Guildford and Brighton, and Curthoys and Collins would love to take it further.

Now, Collins and Curthoys have 2,000 on their mailing list of all ages, from Gen Zers who have just left university or are starting their first jobs to women in their 30s and 40s to retirees.

"It is becoming a bit of a beast. It's a great beast, but it's a beast," said Curthoys.

They often receive emails from woman who feel socially anxious, who have recently lost their partner or a loved one, or who have moved to the area and feel a bit lost.

"Some of the women that come, it takes months to come," Collins said. "Some of them turn up and they're literally, you can see them visibly shaking."

Within seconds, they relax, Collins said, because one of the group will have welcomed them and started talking to them.

"I think those interactions are everything," she said. "I think they come and they have one little chat with somebody, and it makes them realize that they can do it and that actually the next time won't be so scary."

This type of "light" socializing is so much more important than Collins and Curthoys ever thought.

"You don't realize what that little interaction does for somebody in their life at that point," Curthoys said. "You see the change from the beginning of the walk to the end of the walk."

It's accessible for neurodivergent people too, Curthoys said, because having a conversation while walking along with a group is less intense than sitting down and being face to face.

Making friends can be a difficult skill to master in adulthood, especially since working from home has become so normalized.

For this reason, Curthoys and Collins never expected the women who joined up to be so vulnerable immediately.

"I didn't expect how candid and open and honest people are," Curthoys said. "They share so much with us. It is a privilege when you think they're not probably doing anything else, but they are coming to Women Who Walk, which is amazing."

• I made coleslaw recipes from three celebrity chefs: Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Sunny Anderson.
• The recipes from Fieri and Garten were both delicious but could use some flavor improvements.
• Anderson's recipe was the easiest to make and my favorite tasting of the three recipes.

Coleslaw is a classic side dish that's simple to make and goes well with lots of different mains. Though I'll typically just grab a ready-made mix, it can easily be overloaded with mayo or lacking spices for flavor.

In hopes of perfecting a recipe I could make at home and impress my friends and family at our next gathering, I decided to test out different recipes from three celebrity chefs: Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Sunny Anderson.

Guy Fieri has a classic, creamy coleslaw recipe.

Fieri's coleslaw is pretty classic, with green and red cabbages, shredded carrots, and plenty of mayo-based dressing. Although many of the ingredients were easy to find at the store, or even in my pantry, it was more difficult to find the mustard powder the dressing called for.

I ended up using ground mustard in place of mustard powder. I thought they were the same thing, but evidently powdered mustard has a finer texture than ground mustard.

Making Fieri's creamy coleslaw was about as simple as it gets.

I cut the recipe in half, so I used a quarter of a head of green cabbage and about one-eighth of a head of red cabbage. The recipe called for pre-shredded carrots, which made things easy.

In a small mixing bowl, I combined the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, celery seeds, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, whole-grain mustard, sugar, and white vinegar.

I added a little bit of dressing at a time for the best texture.

Rather than pouring all of the dressing into the slaw mix at once, Fieri recommends adding only a portion at a time until it reaches the preferred wetness.

I added 3/4 of the total amount in the hopes of achieving a creamy coleslaw that still had some crunch. 

This coleslaw had excellent texture but could use a flavor boost.

I thought Fieri's coleslaw had a great texture. It was creamy without being soggy, and it still had plenty of crunch in the veggies.

Unfortunately, I was hoping for more flavor in the dressing, especially with the additions of whole-grain mustard, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper.

Despite all these ingredients, the dressing was a bit bland. If I make this again, I'd double some of these flavorful additions.

Ina Garten's coleslaw is packed with lots of veggies.

I was excited to try Garten's vegetable coleslaw, which adds some kale into the mix in addition to lots of cabbage and carrots.

The whole batch of veggies is then mixed with a classic mayo-based dressing.

Although I'm not picky about the brand of mayo we keep at home, Garten's recipe specifically calls for "good mayonnaise," like Hellmann's or Best. I went with the latter.

Using the food processor seemed unnecessary, but it made the prep easy.

I used a slicing blade to finely shred green and red cabbage. Then I flipped the blade to a grater to shred the carrots.

I only had to remove the ribs of the kale and thinly chop the leaves before adding them to the mix.

The recipe called for celery-heavy ingredients.

In a separate bowl, I combined all of the dressing ingredients: mayo, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

It called for quite a bit of both celery seeds and celery salt, and I'm not a very big fan of celery. The smell had me concerned about the flavor, but it was still easy to whip up.

I poured the mixed dressing into the shredded veggies and combined them.

This would be a top pick for me if it didn't have so much celery flavor.

I loved the extra veggies in this side dish. They helped give the slaw plenty of crunch to combat all the dressing.

The dressing also had great flavors, but I wish it wasn't so heavy on the celery.

I'd definitely make this again, but I'd tone down the celery for my own taste preferences.

Sunny Anderson's recipe featured multiple sweet ingredients.

Anderson's coleslaw recipe was unique, with the addition of Granny Smith apples and golden raisins. I wasn't sure how this would go with the mayo and sour cream, but I was looking forward to trying the sweet-and-savory combination.

Despite looking at three different grocery stores, I couldn't find any savoy cabbage, which the recipe called for. I figured the flavor would be similar if I subbed in green cabbage, but the savoy would've resulted in a more delicate texture.

I love some crunch in my slaw, so I was fine with the substitution.

Anderson's slaw was easy to mix up and came together in minutes.

To make Anderson's easy apple-raisin slaw, I started by assembling the dressing. It combined mayo, sour cream, golden raisins, celery seeds, and apple-cider vinegar.

The rest of the recipe came together quickly.

In a large, separate bowl, I mixed the green cabbage (in place of savoy cabbage), shredded carrots, and shredded apples.

The apples were browning quickly, so I had to move fast to get them mixed with the dressing.

I couldn't stop eating this flavor-packed coleslaw.

I never would've thought to put raisins in coleslaw or that I'd like them this much, but this dish was delicious. It balanced sweetness, savoriness, acidity, and some tanginess from ingredients like sour cream, Granny Smith apples, and raisins. 

I also liked that the slaw veggies were really crunchy, and the dressing was creamy without being too wet or soggy. The raisins added a nice chewiness.

I immediately wanted to whip up some spicy barbecue tofu to balance the sweetness in this slaw.

All of these coleslaws were easy to make, but Anderson's unique take was my favorite.

I'd make Fieri's and Garten's coleslaws again with some tweaks — more spices in Fieri's and fewer celery-based ingredients in Garten's.

But Anderson's sweet, savory, and tangy coleslaw came out perfect, even though I had to swap out the main cabbage.

I've already started planning meals around this side dish, and I can't wait to impress loved ones with it at summer cookouts. 

This story was originally published on July 3, 2023, and most recently updated on July 3, 2024. 

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.

• My family of three spent three nights at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.
• Rates start at about $369 a night, and upgrades to the next category are often just $20 a night.
• There were lots of complimentary or low-cost treats and experiences throughout our stay.

Scottsdale, Arizona, is a luxury travel destination, which means it has a lot of competition when it comes to high-end accommodations.

Fortunately, the many luxurious options often means that booking a five-star hotel in the city doesn't require taking out a second mortgage.

My husband, 4-year-old son, and I spent three days at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, renowned among many brand aficionados as the least expensive Four Seasons in the country. (Although, notably, it may depend on the time of year you book).

Rates vary but around the time of our stay they started at $369 a night for a 480-square-foot room — and the cost to upgrade to a 500-square-foot premier casita is typically just $20 or $30.

Although the experience was luxe, it didn't feel at all stuffy. Here's what our stay was like.

An hour's drive from the airport brought us to what felt like an oasis.

The Four Seasons is delightfully nestled into a secluded corner of the desert near the foothills of Pinnacle Peak.

The summit is visible from many of the 210 accommodations, but the layout of the casitas across a portion of 40 groomed acres with cacti and flora makes the whole property feel more intimate.

The lodgings and main buildings are designed to become part of the landscape, not tower above it. It felt like our hotel was in the middle of a botanical garden.

The adobe-style architecture and muted tones were understated but expensive-looking.

Casita means "small home," and our premier casita felt like one.

Our well-designed 500-square-foot space had a king bed, a comfy pullout couch, and a covered outdoor patio overlooking the Sonoran Desert.

With such great views even our son wasn't tempted to turn on the patio TV — instead, he opted to spot wildlife like bunnies and lizards.

Plus, the closet had room to stash all of our luggage so we didn't trip over it and our space didn't feel cluttered.

The accommodations felt ideal for family travel.

We also loved the spacious, modern bathroom. It had enough space for all of our toiletries to be stashed away and hidden, and a separate closet for the commode so multiple family members could get ready at once.

I was glad the Four Seasons kept a soaking tub, which is ideal for families with toddlers who don't want to use spa showers.

There were extras for all ages.

Our room had robes and slippers for all three of us to lounge in, and my son's tiny duds were so cute.

Staff remembered our names and loaded my son up with small stuffed animals and bubbles shortly after check-in. They gave us plenty of cold water bottles, too.

Our stay also came with access to free laundry facilities, which can also be especially helpful when traveling with kids.

We loved our room's fireplace and other special touches.

We loved that each our room came with a gas fireplace, a feature usually only reserved for most expensive categories at other hotels.

And we all appreciated receiving cactus-shaped cookies when we checked in.

The property's pools never felt too crowded.

You can't have an oasis without water, and there's lots of ways to splash here. The property has a massive main pool, adults-only pool, and a smaller one for small children.

Our son was too big for kiddie pool, but adored standing up or floating on toys in the main one. Other thoughtful touches for families included free swim diapers in the restrooms.

There were lots of other complimentary or low-cost activities for all ages.

Activities available to us included complimentary astronomer-led stargazing on Thursdays and free guided hikes in the morning. Tai chi and yoga classes were available to book for a small fee.

To beat the midday heat, we brought our son to the complimentary Kids for All Seasons club, where he reenacted scenes from the "Barbie" movie at the giant dollhouse, and played video games and air hockey.

The club also hosted free scheduled arts and crafts for kids daily.

The lobby bar became a coffee station in the early mornings.

As an early riser – and one on East Coast time at that – I appreciated free morning coffee and muffins in the lobby.

It was yet another nice touch at the Four Seasons.

We also enjoyed delicious regional eats at the hotel restaurant, Proof.

At Proof, the aroma of smoked meats drew my husband in like Yogi Bear. We enjoyed outside seating at several meals here, each time getting set up with kids menus, coloring supplies, and child-sized cutlery.

The resort was also extremely attentive to my son's nut allergy, with the chef visiting unprompted to reassure us they were aware of it.

Although we would've been happy to stay at the Four Seasons the whole time, there were other activities nearby.

We spent an afternoon at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, where admission is free.

There are several Western-themed playgrounds, a train museum, and massive indoor model tracks with interactive features. Tickets are required for the carousel and the steam train, but rides are under $5 a pop.

We were also able to do some light hiking with plenty of sunlight. We enjoyed walking on the Four Seasons' paved paths so much we opted to explore the area more at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

A special draw there is the butterfly pavilion, where monarchs fluttered inches from us.

Overall, we had a great time and we'd definitely come back.

We ventured out most days but for the real royal treatment, we headed back to the Four Seasons, at our son's request.

He told us the resort was "magical" and asked to come back. Mom and Dad would gladly, in a heartbeat.

• Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are meeting in Kazakhstan Wednesday. 
• It comes amid increasing tensions between two of the group's most powerful members. 
• Russia and China are competing over influence in Central Asia. 

The leaders of a club of countries touted by Russia and China as a counterweight to Western global power are meeting this week in Kazakhstan.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, Russia's President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet China's President Xi Jinping.

During their discussion, they will reportedly seek ways to expand the organization as part of their shared mission to roll back US global power.

But despite their "no limits" partnership brokered over shared enmity toward the US and its NATO allies, there are growing differences between frenemies Putin and Xi.

Ukraine has shifted the balance of power

The leaders are in fierce competition for influence over the original members of the SCO — the Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The SCO was formed as a regional security pact, but has in recent years expanded to include India, Pakistan, and Iran. Belarus, another opponent of NATO, is expected to be admitted this week.

The Central Asian republics were formerly part of the Soviet Union and are seen as traditionally part of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.

But the Ukraine war has shifted the balance of power.

Russia's Ukraine invasion has eaten up the Kremlin's resources, money, and energy, while countries trading with Russia run the risk of incurring Western sanctions.

Meanwhile, Beijing has been quietly seizing advantage, brokering trade deals, and building political influence in the region.

"The war in Ukraine has proven to the central Asian countries that the diversification of their ties with the world is key to their successful existence in the region," Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told The Guardian.

China is building car plants and power stations in Ukbekistan and Kazakhstan, brokering surveillance software deals, and expanding its direct railway line into Kazakhstan, to further strengthen trade links.

Trade between China and Central Asia grew by 27% in 2023 to $89 billion, according to Chinese customs data.

Although Russia is likely to be concerned by the developments, it cannot do much about them.

A lopsided partnership

Russia has become increasingly dependent on China for diplomatic and economic support amid attempts by the West to isolate it over the Ukraine war.

"The importance of Chinese aid and indirect support for Ukraine takes precedence for Moscow and will shape its approach toward Beijing as long as the confrontation with the West continues," wrote Emil Avdaliani, a professor of international relations at European University in Tbilisi, in January for the Centre for European Policy Analysis.

Russia is seeking to strengthen trade with the Central Asian republics and, according to reports, is using them to obtain goods banned under Western sanctions. But it can't compete with China's economic might.

While Russia has brandished its ties with China as proof of the failure of the West to isolate it, it's a friendship that comes at a steep cost.

"We are friends with Russia but at the same time, we are looking for opportunities," Mirshohid Aslanov, founder of the Tashkent-based think tank Center for Progressive Reform, told The Wall Street Journal. "Very eagerly, we are looking eastwards."

• Coney Island has been a popular destination for the Fourth of July since the early 20th century.
• Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held on July 4 since the 1970s.
• Vintage photos of July 4 on Coney Island show crowded beaches and the annual hot-dog contest.

Coney Island has been a destination for Fourth of July celebrations for over a century. 

From fireworks displays, parades, and live performances to the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Coney Island has been hosting Independence Day celebrations since the early 20th century.

Coney Island is still popular for New Yorkers who want to escape the city for the day, walk along the boardwalk, enjoy some rides, and eat a hot dog or two — or many more. 

Here are vintage photos that show what Coney Island Fourth of July celebrations have looked like through the years.

Fourth of July marks one of the busiest days of the year in Coney Island.

In a black-and-white aerial photo from 1920, you can see thousands of people gathered on the boardwalk and Coney Island Beach during the Fourth of July.

In the 1930s, Coney Island exploded as a popular destination for beachgoers and families on the Fourth of July.

This photo, taken on July 4, 1938, shows crowds of people gathered on the beach. There are so many people that you can hardly see the sand.

Thirty years later, revelers still visited Coney Island Beach to celebrate Independence Day.

In this photo, a pair of unidentified men in shorts pose for the camera.

The beaches were also popular in the mid-'90s.

In a 1995 photo, children can be seen running and playing in the water while their parents look on.

People also came to Coney Island to shop on the boardwalk.

In this photo from July 4, 1968, customers shop inside a Coney Island store that sells tobacco-related products, candy, and portable radios.

The first Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest was held in the 1970s.

The first official contest was held in 1972, CNN reported.

Nathan's had at one time claimed the tradition started in 1916, but PR professionals Max Rosey and Mortimer Matz, hired by Nathan's, later told The New York Times they had fabricated the legend about it starting that year.

The first official winner of the contest was a woman named Melody Andorfer.

According to the Coney Island History Project, she ate 12 hot dogs in five minutes and won a paper crown as her prize.

In this photo from 1961, an unidentified man eats a Nathan's Famous hot dog outside the iconic restaurant.

Edward Krachie was the 1995 champion of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

He's pictured holding up his trophy after winning the 1995 annual contest.

According to The New York Times, he won after eating 19 and a half hot dogs and beating the defending champion by just half a dog.

The contest has been successful ever since and draws thousands of in-person attendees and even more online viewers each year.

Here, three unidentified contestants pose with plates of hot dogs prior to the 1987 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Nathan's was and still is a popular establishment in Coney Island to grab a cheap dog — on the Fourth of July or any other summer day.

In this circa 1968 photograph, a couple eats hot dogs in front of Nathan's Famous fast-food restaurant in Coney Island.

Polyester is one of the most popular fabrics in the world. Made from PET plastic, it is prized for its durability, lightness, and low cost of production.

While these characteristics make it ideal for various uses across the textile industry, the oversupply of polyester has also fueled an environmental disaster. Now, brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are trying to increase the amount of polyester made from recycled plastics — but is this the best use of old plastic?

We visited Tamil Nadu, India, to see how one company makes clothing from used plastic bottles and whether this is the best solution for this waste stream.

• President Joe Biden faces growing calls to exit the race after his disastrous debate performance.
• He's due to meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday to try to reassure them of his competence.
• But 25 Democratic House members are ready to call for him to quit, a House Democratic aide said.

President Joe Biden is set to meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday as dozens of House members appear ready to call for him to drop out of the presidential race.

Biden will talk to the governors in virtual meetings and in person at the White House on Wednesday, White House officials said, per Reuters.

Since his disastrous debate performance on June 27, Biden has come under increasing pressure to exit the race.

During the debate with former President Donald Trump, Biden's performance was at times marked by vacant expressions and incoherent sentences.

Biden's campaign has offered a series of excuses, citing jet lag, a bad night, and a cold going into the event. But this hasn't stopped calls for his exit.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first Democratic sitting member of Congress to publicly urge the president to quit the race on Tuesday.

"Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory — too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now," Doggett said in a statement.

Former Democratic House members, party strategists, and candidates have also issued similar calls, some urging Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden on the Democratic ticket.

Former Rep. Tim Ryan said in a social media post on Tuesday that Harris should replace Biden.

He said Harris "has significantly grown into her job, she will destroy Trump in debate, highlight choice issue, energize our base, bring back young voters and give us generational change. It's time!"

In a video message on Tuesday, Adam Frisch, a Democrat running for Colorado's 3rd congressional district, said "we deserve better. President Biden should withdraw from this race."

James Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist, told CNN that the party needs to do "something different."

"Give the people a shot, let them see who's in the party, and I believe there's staggering talent in the Democratic Party," he said, adding: "Get out of the way and let a thousand flowers bloom."

Twenty-five Democratic members of the House are now preparing to urge Biden to pull out of the race, a House Democratic aide said, per The Guardian.

In the event that Biden does pull out, several possible replacements could throw their hat in the ring.

Replacing Biden at the top of the ticket just a few months short of the November elections would be a challenge for the party, however.

President Lyndon B. Johnson dropped out of the race in 1968, and his vice president, Hubert Humphrey, entered the Democratic primary but went on to lose the election to former Vice President Richard Nixon.

ABC News said it will air parts of Biden's first television interview since last week's presidential debate on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET on "World News Tonight with David Muir."

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

Hi! Wickiator? Glad-to-Wick? I'm not sure about the name, but "Gladiator 2" and "Wicked" being released on the same day (November 22) could become the new "Barbenheimer."

In today's big story, a tough sales report for Tesla can't slow the EV maker's turnaround.

What's on deck:

• Markets: Hedge funds' June report cards are in. Here's how they stack up.
• Tech: Salesforce investors denied its executives' new pay packages.
• Business: Lifeguards need saving.

But first, back on track.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Fully charged

Trouble at Tesla? Says who?

After a dreadful start to the year, the EV maker has been running on all cylinders on a full charge.

Even when it loses, it still manages to win. Tesla's sales slumped for the second quarter. But the 5% drop from last year was better than analysts expected, writes Business Insider's Nora Naughton.

Tesla's share price surged as much as 10% following the news as Wall Street proclaimed the company's worst days are behind it, writes BI's Filip De Mott.

From the market's perspective, that seems to be the case. After dropping more than 42% and bottoming out in late April, Tesla's stock has rebounded sharply. It's up more than 60% in a little over two months.

Tesla's polarizing CEO also notched a massive victory when investors approved Elon Musk's $55 billion pay plan.

And even though he hasn't secured the bag just yet, it's a testament to the 180 that Tesla has pulled off. After months of people questioning Tesla's future — including this very newsletter — the EV maker seems to be back on track.

Tesla's turnaround comes despite the company looking very similar to how it did at the start of the year.

The EV maker's newest product, the Cybertruck, has had its headaches, including a recent recall over its giant wiper. And the wider EV market still has demand issues, especially for expensive cars.

But what is new at Tesla, and what sparked the company's recent market rally, are big promises from its CEO. Musk's plans for robotaxis and an affordable model in the wake of a dreadful earnings report were all investors needed.

As Nora has previously written, it's an example of the power Musk holds in getting investors to quickly fall in line and back his big-picture ideas.

How soon Tesla will be able to reach those goals remains to be seen. Musk has a history of punting on deadlines. But he's also delivered for the company in big ways, like defying expectations by turning the Model 3 into one of the best-selling cars in the world.

Tesla and Musk also hold another massive advantage. As automakers reconsider their EV strategy, Tesla has figured out how to build cars cheaper than anyone else.

3 things in markets

1. Halfway through 2024 and Schonfeld rules the roost. The $10 billion multi-manager's flagship fund's 10.3% gain this year leads the way. Steve Cohen's Point72 and Ken Griffin's Citadel are up 8.7% and 8.1% this year, respectively. But the S&P 500's nearly 15% rise in the first half of the year rules them all.
2. BlackRock is going to make a founder richer than the Wall Street giant's CEO. The world's largest asset manager's deal to acquire Preqin means founder Mark O'Hare pockets a cool $2 billion after tax. That will slot him above BlackRock cofounder and CEO Larry Fink, who has an estimated fortune of $1.7 billion.
3. China's biggest economic problem is its own consumers. Despite facing stiff tariff hikes from the EU and the US, China's most pressing economic problem isn't from its trading partners. Its weak internal consumer demand is dragging on manufacturing activity.

3 things in tech

1. Google's cookie-replacement plan is starting to crumble. Google gave adtech companies a taste of what life after cookies would be like — and it wasn't sweet. Now, the firms' pushback threatens to prolong Google's cookie phase-out, which has already been delayed several times.
2. The kids really, really like YouTube. A new report found that YouTube was by far the favorite content platform for kids aged 2 to 12. It also has a special power: It's really good at getting kids to buy stuff.
3. Shareholders won't make it rain for Salesforce execs. Shareholders voted down a proposed plan to raise compensation for CEO Marc Benioff and other execs, trouncing hopes of a Tesla-style mega payday. It's not a total loss for Benioff, though.

3 things in business

1. Lifeguarding needs a lifeline. A national shortage of lifeguards is drastically reducing public pool access, and the crisis is only getting worse. Fewer swimmers, stagnating wages, and the job's image as a youth-only gig may be to blame.
2. Lumber prices are going down like timber. Though lumber prices skyrocketed during the pandemic, they've dropped precipitously this year as supply outpaced demand. Repairs and remodels have slowed, and high interest rates have reduced new homebuilding altogether.
3. Housing costs will stay high even when the Fed cuts rates. Bad news for buyers and renters looking for a break when the Fed cuts interest rates: The housing market probably won't get more affordable anytime soon. Falling interest rates might slow mortgage rate growth, but won't make them decline, Morgan Stanley said.

In other news

• Trump hush-money sentence delayed as he leverages Supreme Court immunity to fight his conviction.
• Prosecutors knew Jeffrey Epstein had raped teens before giving him a sweetheart deal: transcript.
• The VC that predicted a 'mass extinction event for startups' says it's time for a 'Great Reawakening'.
• $6.4 billion Walleye Capital taps a Balyasny portfolio manager to run its stock-picking unit
• Suspected Chinese spy bases in Cuba are growing, including one near a US naval base: report.
• Steve Ballmer is now worth $157 billion —more than his former Microsoft boss Bill Gates.
• Earth's inner core reversed direction and is slowing down, and scientists don't know why.
• Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred in New York

What's happening today

• Major Hurricane Beryl forecast to threaten Jamaica. It made landfall yesterday as a Category 5 storm.

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.

• Belarus' president called Ukraine an "enemy" and said his troops are combat-ready.
• Aleksander Lukashenko also said his country is increasing its military presence on Ukraine's border.
• Lukashenko is a close ally of Putin and aided his invasion of Ukraine.

Russian neighbor and ally Belarus said it is boosting its military presence along its border with Ukraine, with its president saying its troops are combat-ready.

Aleksander Lukashenko called Ukraine an "enemy" in a recent speech and said his soldiers along Ukraine's border have a "high combat readiness," according to a translation of his remarks by Ukrainian outlet Euromaidan.

He also said Belarus has increased the number of its troops and missile systems.

"Special operations forces have been deployed, including not only border guards but also our military personnel. As the border guards report, they have now blocked the likely direction of enemy movement," Lukashenko said, per Euromaidan.

He added: "Air force and air defense troops are on high alert — both ours and Russian forces, with full coordination between them."

Belarus, which borders both Ukraine and Russia, is seen as loyal to Russia and something of a Russian puppet state. Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The country has not been directly involved in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but it has aided Russia's efforts since it began in February 2022.

Thousands of Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarus at the start of the invasion. Russia also launched ballistic missiles into Ukraine from Belarusian territory, and Russian bomber aircraft launched missiles at Ukraine from Belarus' air space.

Russia has also stationed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus since the full-scale invasion began.

Lukashenko's comments suggest that he's worried about Ukrainian troops getting closer to his border, something other Belarusian officials have also expressed concerns about.

This includes a high-ranking Belarusian military official saying in late June that Ukraine was "attempting to drag our country into the war."

In response, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said that all of Ukraine's activities near Belarus' border were just defensive, Euromaidan reported.

Ukraine has painted Belarus' statements as part of a disinformation operation. In May, Ukrainian officials said that Russia may carry out a psychological operation aimed at "stirring up mass panic" in Ukraine by making people believe Belarus' troops would join the fighting.

"We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon," the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation said.

There have been no signs that Ukraine would send any troops into Belarus, and it's something that would likely be met with a strong Russian response.

There is also no indication as yet that Lukashenko is considering sending troops into Ukraine.

He said last year that his soldiers would join the war if Ukrainian soldiers entered Belarus.

It is unlikely that Belarus' troops would make a big impact even if they did enter the war.

Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider in 2022 that "the Belarusian armed forces are small and weak."

He said Belarus' military would get "eaten alive" if it invaded Ukraine and said "the Belarusians have been very careful not to get their own troops involved."

The UK Ministry of Defence also said in March 2023 that Belarus' army is much less experienced than Russia's military.

• Russia has relied heavily on Iran's Shahid drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses.
• Russia is collaborating with China to build its own version, European officials told Bloomberg.
• Companies started designing and testing the drone this year ahead of a shipment, the officials said.

Russian and Chinese companies are working together to develop an attack drone similar to Iran's lethal Shahed, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed European officials.

According to the officials, the companies held talks last year and began designing and testing a version of the drone earlier this year, to prepare for shipping to Russia.

The drones have yet to be deployed in Ukraine, the officials told the outlet. They didn't specify which companies were involved.

The move would be a worrying one for Ukraine and its allies.

Russia has relied heavily on Iran's Shahed drone and its newer and customized variants to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses since it launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

In January, Russia was suspected of using an Iranian jet-powered Shahed-238 — a significant upgrade in speed and altitude over the Shahed-136 loitering munition.

Russia has developed its own version of the Shahed drones, known as Geran-2 drones, which are similar to Shahed-136s but made with different materials, researchers at Conflict Armament Research told The New York Times last year.

However, officials told Bloomberg that one concern about the reported Russia-China partnership is that China could develop the drones at a much higher rate than Iran or Russia.

It would also be another sign of Russia's growing reliance on China as it grapples with crippling Western economic sanctions, and would be further evidence that China has become a key enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine, despite claims of neutrality.

The European officials did not name the drone being developed, but media outlets and Chinese defense websites have reported China is working on the Sunflower 200, an exploding attack drone that is described as similar in appearance to the Shahed 136, according to Bloomberg.