Tag: News

• A huge Russian attack hit multiple sites in Ukraine, including a children's hospital. 
• The attack came just before a major NATO summit where a big topic is support for Ukraine.
• An expert said Russia's attack "backfired" by highlighting how much Ukraine needs those defenses.

Russia's deadly strikes on Ukraine just days before the NATO summit, including an attack on a children's hospital, have blown up in its face, stirring outrage in Ukraine, gaining international media attention, and fueling support from partner nations at a time when war fatigue threatens Kyiv's fight.

Monday's attack was one of the worst against Ukraine in months. It destroyed part of the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, the capital, where children get cancer treatment and organ transplants, and sites in other cities. Ukraine said the attack killed at least 41 people and injured 166 more.

The attack aggressively highlighted Ukraine's critical need for air defenses, something for which it has been begging Western partners.

Russia's attack was met with more attention than most recent developments in Ukraine, and viral images spread of injured and bloodied children and searches in the rubble.

"Russia's missile strikes that today killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and caused damage and casualties at Kyiv's largest children's hospital are a horrific reminder of Russia's brutality," US President Joe Biden said afterward.

Biden said at the NATO summit Tuesday that a number of alliance members will send Ukraine dozens of air defense systems, including at least four more Patriot systems, in the coming months.

While such an announcement would have been long in the works, the timing of Russia's attack one day before NATO's biggest event massively highlighted Ukraine's need at a key time when the alliance will be weighing next steps, potentially solidifying its convictions.

Air defense priorities

The annual NATO summit kicked off in Washington, DC, on Tuesday with leaders of the 75-year-old Western military alliance gathering to discuss its priorities, including Ukraine.

Ukraine's primary aim for this summit was to secure more air defenses. The missile attacks the day before underscored that need, just before NATO's biggest gathering of the year, where Ukraine and its partners can meet, negotiate, and strike deals.

The deadly Russian missile attack saw child cancer patients evacuated and moved with medical tubes still in their bodies. Rescue workers and volunteers were seen digging through the post-strike debris. Ukraine's presidential office shared an image of a child, awake in a woman's arms, with a head injury of some kind and covered in blood and dust.

Rajan Menon, a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, said Russia's strikes had "backfired" by highlighting how badly Ukraine needs more air defenses.

He said that because one of the sites struck was a children's hospital, it drew far more attention to Russia's attacks and Ukraine's needs. Ukraine's cities have long been bombarded, but this particular tragedy triggered new outrage. "The nature of the site and the nature of the occupants made a very big difference," Menon said.

Ukraine has issued a challenge to its international partners in the wake of the attack, demanding more than just air defenses.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said that the Russian missile attack and its timing were meant to show that even with children being killed, the alliance will not do everything necessary to help Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say allies need to drop restrictions on hitting military targets inside Russia, where many attacks originate, and give Ukraine additional support.

Highlighting Ukraine's needs

One of Russia's more brutal tactics in its invasion has been to fire barrages of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities far from the front lines in the country's east. Those attacks have killed civilians and destroyed power infrastructure and residential and medical buildings.

Ukraine has been asking for more help from allies throughout Russia's invasion and has received many systems from the West. But Ukraine has repeatedly said it needs more, though those requests rarely make international headlines anymore.

Now, more than two years into the war, many of Russia's missile attacks no longer draw huge international reactions. But this week's attack was different. World leaders, including the EU's foreign policy chief and the head of the UN, publicly condemned the attacks.

Menon said that this attack had "without question" drawn more public attention from world leaders than other recent events in Ukraine.

He said that "when you hit not just a hospital or a children's hospital —and not just a children's hospital, but a children's hospital in which there are children were being treated for cancer — it doesn't get much worse than that in terms of brutality."

France's foreign minister called the strikes "barbaric" and "war crimes" and promptly called for Ukraine's allies to strengthen their support.

New UK prime minister Keir Starmer condemned "attacking innocent children" as the "most depraved of actions."

Biden called the strikes "horrific" and said "I will be meeting with President Zelensky to make clear our support for Ukraine is unshakeable."

The Russian missile attacks were also a notable talking point at the NATO summit. The head of Ukraine's parliament started his address by holding up photos of its aftermath and described it as Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing at the red lines the West has set. He added that it showed how the remaining restrictions need to be lifted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also spoke at the start of the summit. Blinken acknowledged the hospital attack and said that it "underscores" how Russian aggression continues.

A devastating hit

The children's hospital appeared to have been struck by a Russian Kh-101 missile, something the UK MOD previously described as being among Russia's "most valuable weaponry," but it is unclear if the hospital was Russia's intended target.

War analysts looking at videos of the strike said there were no signs of damage or distress on the missile that would suggest it went off course. Russia has, however, long struggled with intelligence reliability and targeting for its devastating barrages.

A UN investigation found the children's hospital likely took a direct hit from a Russian missile, likely a Kh-101. Ukraine also said it found Kh-101 remnants at the site.

Moscow has denied hitting the hospital, arguing instead that a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile was responsible. Russia, throughout its invasion, has repeatedly made claims that have been disproven by evidence. War analysts said available visual evidence disputes Russia's claims.

Russia has hit multiple hospitals, medical sites, and civilian sites throughout its war.

Menon said "it doesn't in the end matter whether Russia did it deliberately or it was an errant missile or some commander screwed up. The fact is it was done, and it's a war crime in a legal sense."

Multiple Ukrainian officials have also called the missile attack a war crime, and a UN official said that "intentionally directing attacks against a protected hospital is a war crime and perpetrators must be held to account."

Ukraine's new air defense systems will bolster the country's ability to prevent strikes like this, but they likely won't fully meet its defense needs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in April that Ukraine needs 25 Patriot systems with between six and eight batteries each to fully protect the country.

That's a tall order as is, but Ukraine wants its international partners to go further still. It wants a clear path into NATO, as well as the lifting of the remaining restrictions on attacking legitimate targets in Russia. It remains unclear if the ongoing NATO summit will produce these results.

Senior defense reporter Jake Epstein contributed to this reporting from the NATO summit.

• Media and tech bosses hate Joe Biden's antitrust policies, which they think are holding them back from buying and selling each other.
• But they tend to be careful about how they express that stuff out loud. What with the upcoming election and all.
• Not WBD CEO David Zaslav, though.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has no opinion about who should win the US presidential election this fall. Except he doesn't want Joe Biden to win.

And no, he didn't come out and use those exact words.

But he got plenty close Tuesday at Sun Valley, the annual media and tech mogul conference:

Via Bloomberg:

Asked about the upcoming presidential election, Zaslav said it mattered less to him which party wins, as long as the next president was friendly to business.

"We just need an opportunity for deregulation, so companies can consolidate and do what we need to to be even better," he said.

To be clear: What Zaslav is saying is what many business leaders — particularly in media and tech — say all the time, but relatively quietly: They don't like Joe Biden's antitrust regime, which has led the US government to question and in many cases try to block all kinds of mergers and acquisitions — from Microsoft's $69 billion deal to buy Activision (which eventually went through) to Adobe's $20 billion deal to buy Figma (which didn't go through) to Meta's $400 million deal for Within, a VR company (which eventually went through, too).

And Zaslav's primary benefactor — billionaire investor John Malone, who put Zaslav in the position to run WBD and sits on its board — has been banging the consolidation drum for years.

The two men frequently bring up the idea that WBD would like to buy something and trial-ballooned a Paramount deal last year. Though lots of people see WBD, whose stock is hovering near an all-time low, as a sale target itself. Comcast is usually floated as the potential acquirer in that scenario.

And it's conventional wisdom that if Donald Trump wins the upcoming election, he'll usher in an era where just about any M&A deal you can dream up can go through (as long as Trump doesn't have a problem with one of those companies — ask AT&T and Time Warner, whose deal was held up in court for years during Trump's first administration.)

But it's one thing to think that kind of thing, and to talk about it with other moguls and people who like them. But if you're the high-profile leader of a very high-profile media conglomerate — which includes a very high-profile news organization — you may not want to weigh in on the election while standing in front of a press gaggle. Especially when you've spent the past few years dealing with self-inflicted PR wounds. (WBD didn't respond to my request for comment.)

Which is a reminder that moguls have a few options when it comes to Sun Valley and the media, which is technically an off-the-record event (though some journalists, like CNN's Anderson Cooper, arrive to host closed-door interviews):

• You don't have to say anything at all! Just wave to the cameras, who will document your fake-dressed-down athleisure wear (a polo for Tim Cook; another guns-out t-shirt/vest combo for Jeff Bezos).
• You can say inscrutable stuff to the press gaggle, like Paramount owner (for now) Shari Redstone. Per Bloomberg, Redstone "pointed to reporters as she arrived at the Sun Valley resort and said: 'We're going to save the world together!'"
• You can hold forth for an actual interview, where you either say nothing at all or create all kinds of havoc, like Disney CEO Bob Iger did last year when he put much of the company up for sale, then had to walk that back.

Looks like Zaslav went for a 3-1 combo, and I give him credit for that. Especially his attempt to zhuzh the place up with a bandana and corduroy trucker jacket. Perhaps it's this $4,500 Brunello Cucinelli one?

• Eva Longoria interviewed Lauren Sánchez for The Hollywood Reporter.
• The longtime friends chatted about Sánchez and Jeff Bezos' work on the Bezos Earth Fund.
• She said she and the Amazon founder are focused on making "systematic change."

Lauren Sánchez shed light on how she and her fiancé Jeff Bezos approach giving back.

On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter published a conversation between Sánchez and Eva Longoria, who have been friends for 20 years.

During their chat, Longoria interviewed Sánchez about her philanthropic efforts, which she said had been a passion of hers for decades but may seem new to the public now that she is donating billions of dollars alongside Bezos.

"The giving — monetary giving — is so much bigger now," she told Longoria. "So I can see how, you know, people might think that, but my passion I think for giving back started extremely early."

Sánchez, 54, and Bezos, 60, have been in a public relationship since 2019, and they got engaged in the fall of 2023. He was previously married to MacKenzie Scott, who announced in March that she would donate $640 million to 361 nonprofits.

"Jeff is extremely focused, as you can imagine," Sánchez told Longoria of her and Bezos' "philosophy" for philanthropy. "We really look for organizations that are not only addressing urgent issues but also have a clear, impactful plan for making a difference. That's important."

"We're prioritizing areas where we can help drive a systematic change — it's about making these thoughtful, informed decisions to ensure that the contributions will have the greatest impact," she said.

Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos work on the Bezos Earth Fund together

Much of Longoria and Sánchez's conversation focused on her and Bezos' work on the Bezos Earth Fund.

Bezos launched the fund in 2020, pledging to invest $10 billion through 2030 to combat the climate crisis. The Amazon founder intends to donate the majority of his fortune to charity. However, he is still the second richest person in the world with a net worth of $215 billion, according to Forbes' real-time billionaire list.

Sánchez serves as the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, helping Bezos and the organization's staff determine where to invest.

Sánchez told Longoria that she and Bezos are focused on new technologies, restoring "critical ecosystems," and "protecting nature."

"Jeff always says, 'We have to invent our way out of this,'" Sánchez told Longoria. "And so, investing in these solutions, some may work, some will be a hit, and some won't. But that's how we're going to get out of this, by funding scientific research to develop new technologies like sustainable aviation fuels or what's called green cement."

Likewise, the fund set aside $60 million for the development of meat alternatives that are less costly to produce and tastier than what is currently on the market.

"The meat that they're making now tastes so good," Sánchez told Longoria. "I know that's hard to believe, but I've tasted it. And that's going to, I think, make a big impact."

In addition to her work with Bezos, Sánchez, previously a news anchor, also works with charitable organizations like This Is About Humanity, which supports families that get separated at the US-Mexico border.

• George Clooney called on Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.
• Clooney said that Biden was as diminished at a recent mega fundraiser as he was during the disastrous debate.
• There continues to be uneasiness within the Democratic Party as Biden tries to press on.

George Clooney on Wednesday called on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race just weeks after co-hosting a star-studded fundraiser for the president's campaign.

"It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010," Clooney wrote in a column for The New York Times. "He wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate."

Keeping Biden on the ballot, Clooney said would court disaster for the entire party this November.

"We are not going to win in November with this president," the actor wrote. "On top of that, we won't win the House, and we're going to lose the Senate. This isn't only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and congress member and governor that I've spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly."

Clooney's broadside comes as congressional Democrats continue to grapple over what to do about Biden following his disastrous debate performance. Some Hollywood bigwigs, including Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings and IAC chairman Barry Diller, have also backed away from Biden.

Biden has repeatedly declared that he's not going anywhere, but there are still murmurs in Washington and elsewhere about his standing. Before Clooney's column was published, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi notably ignored Biden's declaration that he was staying in the race during an interview on MSNBC. Seven House Democrats, including a pair of the chamber's most vulnerable incumbents, have called on Biden to step aside.

The president has tried to portray the backlash against him as simply "the elites," something Clooney's public break will likely feed into. But the Academy-Award winner is more than just an A-lister. As he wrote, he's been a loyal Democrat. Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Barbra Streisand helped Biden raise roughly $30 million, a jaw-dropping sum, during a June fundraising event that also featured former President Barack Obama.

"I'm a lifelong Democrat; I make no apologies for that. I'm proud of what my party represents and what it stands for," Clooney wrote.

He added that he help put on, "some of the biggest fund-raisers in my party's history. Barack Obama in 2012. Hillary Clinton in 2016. Joe Biden in 2020."

A representative for Biden's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• I spent most of my 20s renting in very expensive cities for renters: New York City and Jersey City. 
• Now, I rent in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. It's not quite cheaper but I feel my money goes further.
• My social life is way more bustling and rich in my suburb than it ever was in a city. 

After spending most of my 20s living in some of the most expensive cities in the US for renters, I gave up and headed to the 'burbs at 27.

I was born and raised in Staten Island, a borough of New York City, one of the most expensive cities to live in. I was there most of my life, except for the two years I spent in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey.

Jersey City — nicknamed New York's Sixth Borough by some — has also become one of the most expensive US cities to live in. It's close to Manhattan, so New Yorkers seeking cheaper living costs have driven up its rental prices even more.

To live comfortably in Jersey City or New York City, a single person needs to make over six figures. That's not my reality.

Since I work remotely, I gave up on city life to move to a suburban area of Pennsylvania almost a year ago.

My cost of living hasn't dropped as drastically as I'd hoped. After all, I live in one of the most expensive counties in Pennsylvania, and inflation is taking its toll on most Americans.

But although moving to the suburbs hasn't really saved me money, it's improved my life and made me wish I'd left cities behind sooner.

My living situation is better, and I get more bang for my buck

When I most recently lived in Staten Island, I rented a 300-square-foot studio from a family friend at the discounted price of $850 a month. I was able to park my car on the street for free.

This was a great deal compared to other apartments in the area, even though it was a tiny space with no laundry. Although my rent wasn't the worst, I also paid steep New York City taxes and higher prices for everything, from groceries to utilities to movie tickets.

Before this, I paid $1,275 a month for a rent-controlled two-bedroom basement apartment in downtown Jersey City. I was grateful to score a coveted rent-controlled apartment, but it had no laundry and minimal sunlight.

I also lived next to a park that was noisy all day and night, and my front door opened directly into the building's garbage-collection area.

My building had no lot, and street parking downtown was limited and fickle, so I also paid $275 a month to park my car at a nearby lot.

Now, I pay $1,500 a month for a 950-square-foot two-bedroom apartment in a Pennsylvania suburb about 40 minutes outside Philadelphia.

My apartment has tons of sunlight and laundry in the building. My building has its own free parking lot, and there's ample free street parking nearby.

For context, most apartment listings in Staten Island for $1,500 a month are 700-square-foot-or-less studios in someone's backyard. In downtown Jersey City, I've seen nothing available to rent for even close to that price.

People are so kind here, and it's brought me out of my shell

Though I'm very used to — and enjoy — the no-nonsense approach many New Yorkers and New Jersey locals have, I've been delighted to find that Pennsylvanians are some of the friendliest people I've ever met.

Locals I've met here have been welcoming and quick to help strangers in a way I hadn't experienced in the cities I lived in.

When I moved into my current apartment, each of my upstairs neighbors introduced themselves to me. I couldn't tell you the name of anyone who lived on my block in Staten Island or in my building in Jersey City.

During a snowstorm here, two of my neighbors shoveled out everyone's cars, and I thanked them with homemade cookies. It's easier to be kind and friendly here when I know it'll be appreciated and even reciprocated.

The friendliness may be, in part, because a lot of people I've met here have planted roots and plan to stick around. In Jersey City, it wasn't uncommon to meet someone cool only to find they'd be moving somewhere cheaper (or going all in and heading to New York City) a few months later.

My social calendar has never been more packed, either

The cities I lived in were pretty bustling with lots of local events, and I was worried the suburbs would be as sleepy as so many people say they are.

That hasn't been the case at all. I've already seen multiple local drag shows and live music performances and attended festivals that rivaled any I've been to in a major city.

I'm a regular at local game nights, I go to a monthly potluck club, I attend various meet-up groups, and I even run a book club.

As an introvert, knowing people here are generally friendly has made it easier for me to come out of my shell. I'm not intimidated by going to social events with strangers because I feel confident that people here will make me feel welcome.

I actually spend more time and money socializing now than I did before. I feel like a real part of my community.

Overall, I'm happier and more relaxed here than I ever was in the city

For the first time in my life, I live somewhere that doesn't have constant foot or vehicle traffic right outside my window. I rarely hear sirens.

In my quieter neighborhood, I feel less tense throughout the day, which makes it easier for me to have energy for a social life. After struggling with insomnia for years, I find it easier to sleep through the night because I'm not hearing constant noise.

I don't mind living in a less walkable place, either. Traffic isn't as big of an issue here as it was in the cities, especially during rush hour.

I spend a little more on gas, but I save a lot of time. I prefer driving to and from the post office in 10 minutes instead of having to walk 15 minutes there and 15 minutes back like I did in Jersey City.

In fact, I now drive to most essential places — such as pharmacies or grocery stores — and local events in under 15 minutes.

Life in the suburbs has been good to me, and I can't see myself wanting to go back to a major city anytime soon.

• A basic income program in rural Romania has helped children succeed — and even become Olympians.
• The kids spent the money on food, clothes, textbooks, therapy, and sports gear.
• Researchers reported improved mental and emotional health, financial stability, and other benefits.

A basic income program in rural Romania has helped disadvantaged children build successful careers, overcome family problems and emotional challenges, and even become Olympic athletes.

The initiative is an offshoot of universal basic income — the idea of giving cash to everyone in a society regardless of their wealth and with no strings attached, to provide a safety net and combat poverty.

The Romanian program began in 2007 with a single family of four but has grown to about 80 participants.

Researcher Alexandru Ureche launched it with the support of a nonprofit called the Children Aid and Development Organization. He outlined the results in a paper published in Oblìk ì fìnansi, a peer-reviewed accounting and finance journal.

Ureche and his team gave participants enough money to meet their basic needs, and budgeted for other expenses such as school books, winter clothing, and medical bills. They also provided extra funds for occasional health costs such as dental work.

The amount of money given wasn't disclosed in the paper. Business Insider has contacted Ureche for more details.

The researchers tracked participants' physical, mental, and emotional health, trust, goal setting and reaching, academic progress, engagement in extracurricular activities, personal achievement, and overall financial stability.

Three success stories

1. Christian, who became the program's first participant at age 15, grew up in a cash-strapped household. He excelled in school and graduated with a computer science degree from a top Romanian university.

   He soon landed a job at video-gaming titan Electronic Arts and went on to work at companies including Microsoft. He also volunteered at nonprofits to help impoverished Roma families.

   Christian and his then-fiancée saved enough money to purchase their first home and pay it off completely in four years. They've since bought a second home as an investment and source of passive income to supplement their wages. Christian now works at the United Nations.

   "Christian is happily married, and enjoying the financial stability he always wanted," Ureche wrote.

   Christian's well-being score improved from 6.3 to 8.9 during his nine years in the basic income program. His final scores across nine categories were all 9s except for an 8 in physical health — a stark contrast from his initial scores of 4 in financial stability and 5 in both goal setting and achieving.

2. Laurel, also called Laura Coman, joined the program in ninth grade. Ureche and his colleagues encouraged her to take up a sport, so she tried rifle shooting. She rose to become the national champion, went on to win multiple gold medals at international competitions, and competed in the 2020 Olympics where she ranked in the top 10.

   However, Laurel initially struggled with the intense demands and emotional pressures of elite sports. The researchers worked with her to become more disciplined.

   Off the range, Laurel won entry into Romania's top business school, ASE Bucharest. She needed more money to pay for her schooling and training, so the program organizers boosted her cash stipend to help her afford food, clothes, textbooks, therapy, and sports gear.

   "She is by far the only Romanian woman athlete who has enjoyed this level of success in her sport," Ureche wrote. "Her achievements owe a lot to her newfound physical and mental fortitude, made possible by a modest (at times) basic-income stipend."

   Laurel earns a stable income from her job with the Romanian police. Her well-being score rose from 6.7 to 9.3 after nine years in the program, with scores of 10 in physical and emotional health and extracurricular activities.

3. Gabriel grew up in poverty with divorced parents. He was raised by an alcoholic father and lived with various neighbors during his teenage years. He joined the basic income program in fifth grade.

   "Not having a stable home left some emotional scars, but Gabriel was given outside emotional help and support during this time, and was able to cope well with his situation," Ureche wrote.

   Despite his tough start to life, Gabriel graduated with a law degree from a leading Romanian university and has a steady income working as a clerk for a judge in Transylvania. He's moved in with his partner and they may have children.

   Gabriel's well-being score rose from 6.2 to 8.2 after 10 years in the program. His financial stability score jumped from 3 to 8, and his trust in others rose from 5.5 to 8.

   Plenty of benefits, voluntary exits

   Ureche listed the myriad benefits of receiving a basic income for his program's participants.

   "Recipients have overwhelmingly shown improved mental health, emotional stability, trust and confidence, strong goal setting, as well as the concrete, tangible effects, like improved physical health, school grades, goal-reaching in general, as well as financial stability," he wrote.

   Everyone who's left the program has done so voluntarily, Ureche said. They told the researchers they're confident they can take care of themselves, and they want others to have the same opportunity they did.

• Ian Barnes, turning 90 in December, holds three British records in the over-85s category for running.
• The grandfather of two completed one mile in just eight minutes and 10 seconds.
• His secrets include training five days a week, eating a healthy diet, and having a positive outlook.

When he was 21, Ian Barnes shared the world's astonishment when the legendary British athlete Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in 1954.

"I suppose he's my hero," Barnes told Business Insider.

Bannister's accomplishment inspired him to take up competitive running — a sport at which he still excels at 89.

The retired legal executive holds three British records in the over-85s category: a mile (8:10.40), 1,500 meters (7:38.41), and 3,000 meters (16:34.42).

Since the records are set in five-year age groups, he plans to achieve more after he turns 90 in December.

"These days, I compete against the clock," Barnes said, noting that few people in his age bracket run at a similar level.

He said race organizers frequently use time percentage computers to "age grade" his performance. The statistics show that he regularly beats athletes younger than half his age.

Age adjustment software recently showed that he was among the top 10 fastest runners in a race of 500 participants despite being the oldest competitor by far.

"At my age, you can't expect to win races, so the objective is to win records," Barnes added.

His wife is supportive

As a result, his home in the northeast of England is packed with medals and certificates. Many are stored in boxes in the attic after his wife, Margaret, 89, got tired of the clutter.

"She has been very supportive over the years," Barnes said. "She's spent much time standing in fields waiting for me to run past.

The grandfather of two told BI that he had a "flair" for running in grade school but entered the sport seriously after finishing his national service in the British army.

He'd been stationed in London, where he sat in the stands and watched Bannister and his rivals compete on the track. "It was an exciting time because history was being made," Barnes said.

The experience spurred him into joining local running clubs. He would train after work and run long-distance races at weekends.

"I had some success, but I knew I could only reach a certain level," he said, noting that his job and raising a family took up most of his time.

Then, in middle age, he started to compete in veteran categories — also known as Masters — and won a series of titles in the UK and Europe.

But his biggest achievement, he said, came in 2020 when he broke the British record for over 85s by running one mile in eight minutes and 10 seconds.

The following year, he earned the 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter records for his age group.

"It's been very rewarding," Barnes, who retired from law at 76, said. "It's a nice way to wind down one's career."

But the octogenarian has no plans to stop altogether. He has set his sights on becoming the fastest person in Britain over the age of 90. "Everything has to be certified and official, but it's worth the red tape," he told BI.

Barnes has escaped major injuries as an athlete

He said his aspirations have helped fuel his longevity. "I enjoy challenging myself and having a positive outlook on life," he said, adding that running keeps his mind and body fit.

His weight has remained steady, but, he said, his age has caused him to shrink in stature. "Other than that, I'm doing pretty well," Barnes, who has largely avoided major injuries, said.

He said he eats a healthy diet of mostly non-processed food and drinks liquid with electrolytes to avoid dehydration. He trains four or five times a week — covering a cumulative distance of up to 50 miles — and is the director of the 5K Saturday morning race he established in his hometown in 2012.

Still, he is characteristically humble about his endeavors.

"When I'm running in all weathers, I sometimes wonder if people look at me and think, 'What a silly old fool,'" Barnes joked.

Do you have a powerful story about an activity you pursued in later life that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Please send details to jridley@businessinsider.com

• I made eggplant Parmesan using recipes from Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, and Ina Garten.
• Flay's recipe was the most complex and time-consuming, but I ended up loving it the most.
• I would still make De Laurentiis' and Garten's recipes again on days when I have less time to cook.

Lately, I've wanted to incorporate more eggplant into my diet, but I haven't found a recipe that I really love yet. With the high cost of groceries, I want to ensure I'm not spending money to make a meal that I'm not crazy about.

That's why I decided to try a few eggplant Parmesan recipes from some of my favorite celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, and Ina Garten.

Here's how the three recipes stacked up.

Bobby Flay’s eggplant Parmesan recipe was daunting from the start.

When I first saw Bobby Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe, I knew it would be an all-day affair. Not only does it involve making your own sauce, but it also requires making and drying out the breadcrumbs, breading the eggplant, and finally, deep frying it.

This recipe took longer than the stated time.

The recipe didn't account for the time it took to do things like dry out the bread before making it into breadcrumbs, chop all the veggies and herbs, or roast red peppers for the sauce.

Even after cutting the recipe down to one-third of the original amount since I was the only person eating the meal, it still took nearly four hours to finish making it.

It was quite tedious to make Flay's version of eggplant Parmesan.

Before starting, I roasted some red peppers in the oven. Then, I had to dry out the bread, pulverize it into crumbs with a food processor, and dry out the crumbs for the eggplant breading. The crumbs were mixed with herbs, salt, and pepper to finish.

While the breadcrumbs were drying out in the oven, I also began making the sauce, which was started in a large pot, blitzed in the food processor, and then left to simmer while I fried the eggplant.

After all that, I still had to layer the sauce, eggplant, cheese, and fresh basil and bake the whole thing in the oven.

It was difficult handling all the tasks at once.

It was a bit frustrating to handle so many overlapping tasks in a small kitchen. I have to admit, though, everything looked and smelled amazing as it was cooking.

The breaded eggplant looked golden and crispy while frying, and the smell of the homemade roasted-red-pepper sauce was incredible.

From my first bite, I knew this recipe was worth making again.

Despite the long preparation time, this dish was worth the time and effort. The sauce had a good balance of sweetness, acidity, and fresh flavor from the herbs, and I loved the twist of adding roasted-red peppers. The four different cheeses, added in layers, also made it incredibly rich.

After frying and then baking, the eggplant turned out so soft that it just melted in my mouth. This, plus the cheesy layers, was balanced out by the slight crisp from the golden-brown cheese on top and the breading on the eggplant.

I will definitely make Flay's recipe again for a special meal.

My only complaint is that because the eggplant was fried, this didn't reheat well. In the future, it would definitely be worth making again for a special meal. However, I would probably make the breadcrumbs and sauce in advance to avoid tackling so many tasks at once.

The recipe from Giada De Laurentiis was surprisingly simple.

After spending a full afternoon working on Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe, it was such a relief to see the short ingredient list — including premade sauce and breadcrumbs — in the eggplant Parmesan recipe by Giada De Laurentiis.

Although I was excited to tackle an easier recipe, I wondered if something that could be made so quickly with so many premade ingredients would be any good.

I had to sub the type of eggplant, but the process was otherwise seamless.

My local grocery store doesn't sell Japanese eggplant, which is typically narrower and slightly sweeter than American eggplant.

For this recipe, I decided to substitute it with American eggplant, which is what I used in the other eggplant Parmesan dishes I tested.

De Laurentiis' eggplant Parmesan was quick and easy to make.

Aside from not having the right eggplant, this meal was easy to make.

I sliced the eggplant lengthwise to make slabs. Then, I scored the eggplant, coated it in oil and salt, and roasted it briefly in the oven.

After that, I simply had to top the eggplant with some jarred marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella, and a quick crumble made from panko breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmesan, and oil. I returned the pan to the oven for just 12 minutes before it was ready.

This is a great option for quick, weeknight dinners.

Because it took less than 45 minutes to prepare, De Laurentiis' eggplant Parmesan recipe will be one I turn to again on busier days when I want a nicer dinner.

It still tasted great, with a crispy topping and tender eggplant. I also liked the heat from the red-pepper flakes added at the end and the freshness from the torn basil.

Also, it had far less cheese than any of the other eggplant Parmesan recipes I tried. I love cheese, but it's nice to have an option where I could still taste the eggplant.

Ina Garten’s eggplant Parmesan recipe balanced homemade elements with shortcuts.

The eggplant Parmesan recipe from Ina Garten was a middle-ground of the other two extremes.

It didn't take as long as Flay's or as short as De Laurentiis' dishes to prepare, and while it had some homemade touches, like the breadcrumb topping, it also made use of premade ingredients, like marinara sauce.

The dish comes together more like a lasagna or casserole.

Rather than a slab of eggplant topped with sauce and cheese, Garten's recipe layers half-slices of roasted eggplant, sauce, cheese, and basil before topping everything with breadcrumbs.

I started by slicing the eggplant into semi-circle pieces, brushing both sides with oil, and then coating the eggplant in salt, pepper, and dried oregano.

The dish baked for about 25 minutes, and I turned the slices over 15 minutes into the baking time.

I topped the dish with breadcrumbs before putting it back in the oven.

The breadcrumbs, made from a country-style bread loaf, were combined with fresh garlic, fresh parsley, and olive oil. The garlic alone made this part smell incredible.

I layered the baking dish with jarred marinara sauce, eggplant slices, fresh basil, and three different kinds of cheese: freshly sliced mozzarella, freshly grated Parmesan, and some garlic-and-herb goat cheese.

After three layers, I topped this dish off with the breadcrumbs and returned it to the oven.

Although the goat cheese was a little overwhelming, this was an amazing eggplant Parmesan recipe.

I couldn't wait to dig into this meal when I smelled it baking. It smelled so garlicky and delicious, and it came out with a golden, crispy-breadcrumb topping and plenty of bubbling sauce and cheese. The eggplant turned out very soft and melted in my mouth, and the dish was gooey from all the cheese.

While I liked the tanginess and herby flavors from the goat cheese, I thought it was a little overpowering. I'd probably use about half as much next time.

All three recipes were good enough to make again, but Flay’s turned out to be my favorite.

It was hard to choose a favorite between Flay's and Garten's recipes. Although it took a long time to make, I ended up loving Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe the most. Next time, I'll make some of the components in advance to make the process feel easier.

As much as I enjoyed the taste of Flay's fried eggplant Parmesan dish, I'll need to reserve it for weekends or gatherings when I have more time to cook.

For days when I am short on time, I wouldn't mind making De Laurentiis' recipe again. It was quick and easy but still tasted great.

On a normal night, when I'm not rushed for time or looking to spend several hours cooking, I'd turn to Garten's crispy, gooey eggplant parm.

• I've been a teacher for five years. I usually save all my projects and errands for summer break.
• I used to feel guilty for getting two months off while most full-time workers don't. 
• This year, I'm shortening my to-do list and using my summer to rest and spend time with my family. 

I've been a teacher for five years, and I'm finally done turning my summer break into something far from relaxing.

With my job, I know I'll have two months off when the school year ends, so I used to try to make the most of it by cramming my calendar with projects and errands.

Summer was for tasks and DIYs I was too drained to do on weeknights and weekends during the year since teaching took up so much energy.

It was for appointments that must take place during business hours, ones I felt too guilty to take time off of work for. After all, most full-time workers don't get a guaranteed two months off like me.

But by the time summer hit, I'd be stuck with a massive to-do list — and it's not like the season started as an endless empty calendar.

During this time off, many teachers must complete several days of professional development, and most of us spend a lot of time preparing our classrooms and planning for the next school year.

Some teachers don't have summers off at all. According to a recent survey conducted by We Are Teachers, 49% of teachers in the US work a second job during summer break. Many of us are also parents who take on our family's primary childcare duties, too.

Although I love spending extra time with my son, I'm basically switching from working mom to stay-at-home parent every summer, and it doesn't exactly feel like a break.

This year, I've had enough. I really need the summer to recuperate from teaching — and I don't want to feel guilty about it.

Adjusting the way I spend my summer means changing how I use my time all year

I feel immense pressure to show up as my best self for my students every day. But to do that, I have to take care of other parts of my life during the school year and actually rest during summer break.

I'm done pushing my basic needs and self-care management to only two months out of the year.

Maybe if I care for myself during the school year better I'll burn out less often — after all, some data suggests K to 12 teachers have the highest burnout rates in the US.

There's no reason I shouldn't be able to take advantage of vacation days, weeknights, and weekends like folks who work through the year without summers off.

Moving forward, I'll try not to feel guilty for using PTO during school hours for the occasional doctor's appointment. I'm going to push myself to run errands after work and complete small home projects on weekends here and there, too.

Maybe I'll even outsource some chores, like preparing dinner, or ask my husband to pitch in more when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

A large part of why I chose to be a teacher was so I'd have the same time off as my son while he's school-age. I want to make the most of my summer by spending quality time with him.

I've prioritized my to-do list so I can take time to rest

Although I still feel I should use my break wisely, I'm shifting my perspective on what it means for my time to be well-spent.

This year, I reevaluated my summer to-do list and determined what would be most helpful to accomplish and which things don't really need to happen.

For example, organizing my desk at home is an important task that will help my school year run more smoothly. But I don't need to paint every bathroom in my house this summer just because I'm craving pops of color.

As I've let myself take these kinds of home projects off of the summer list, I can breathe a little bit easier. Plus, I've caught myself enjoying the planning process much more.

Looking for design ideas in books and online has been exciting — and far more relaxing than tackling a DIY project in between errands I waited months to run.

• Democrats on Capitol Hill are struggling over how to deal with Biden.
• One lawmaker says a "plurality" of House Democrats want him out, but accept that he's staying.
• But some are pointedly refusing to take Biden's "no" for an answer.

One by one, Democratic members of Congress began to stream out of the Democratic National Committee's headquarters on Tuesday morning. Most of them said nothing, offering stone-faced expressions to the more than 60 reporters, some of them from foreign outlets, who had braved the heat and humidity to stake out the closest thing one might get to a "smoke-filled room" in the year 2024.

House Democrats had convened to discuss Biden's future. That's why we were outside the sandstone-colored walls of the DNC, where lawmakers can more freely discuss political matters, rather than in an air-conditioned hallway outside the Capitol basement conference room where these weekly meetings typically take place.

Gaggles spilled into a narrow road already clogged with cars prepared to whisk lawmakers away. Cries of "out of the street!" from nearby security officers pierced the muggy July air. It was chaotic. I check the temperature: It's 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It's only going to get hotter. "This is the worst stakeout ever," a photographer exclaims. The sweat starts to flow. One staffer, waiting to pick up their boss, remarks to me that there may be a stench in the hallways of the Capitol later.

Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee tells reporters that his colleagues are not on the same page. "We're not even in the same book," he barks. Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania dons a pair of large blue headphones, shaking her head as she walks back toward the Capitol. Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, one of the few who has publicly called for Biden to go, awkwardly fields questions from at least 20 reporters as he unlocks his bike. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, among the dozens of lawmakers who have publicly raised concerns about President Joe Biden's viability, slips behind the wheel of a blue Tesla and makes his escape.

If any consensus among lawmakers was immediately apparent, it was that it's time to pipe down, to stop feeding the press with the public waffling, the embarrassing leaks, and even the anonymous quotes that have filled Capitol Hill reporters' stories in the days since Biden's awful debate performance.

"I have heard that repeatedly for the last week: If you feel so strongly about something, put your damn name on it," one House Democrat, granted anonymity because they've all just been told to shut up, told me later on Tuesday.

An uneasy paralysis seems to have set in on Capitol Hill. The number of Democratic lawmakers publicly calling for Biden to withdraw remains in the single digits. The dam that many expected to break remains intact. Scores of Democrats, including members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, have reaffirmed their support for the president. Another cohort is proclaiming their "concerns" with the president's candidacy, offering them the necessary wiggling room to fall back in line while offering less-than-clear instructions on how Biden can achieve that. Some are insisting that Biden will "make the right decision" even though he says he's already made his decision.

A second House Democrat, also granted anonymity, said that "deep divisions" remain within the caucus over Biden and that a "plurality" of House Democrats would like to see a change to the top of the ticket, but that lawmakers have started to accept that the president won't step aside.

"People think it's a fait accompli," the lawmaker said. "He's survived. Absent him having a performance again like the debate, he's going to be the nominee."

The lawmaker went on to suggest that "they'll limit him" — "they" being the president's own campaign staffers and White House deputies — after the conclusion of this week's NATO summit in Washington, DC. "I think he'll survive to the convention if he just limits himself, at this point."

But that's not what the "concerned" crowd wants. Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio, an early adopter of that position, told me that he wants to see Biden "off-prompter, calling into radio shows, TV shows, going to rallies, talking to reporters, talking to voters."

"It is an opportunity that materializes every hour," Landsman said. "That is where I think the majority of Americans are. They want to understand that the person who is going to be running against Trump can do that."

Meanwhile, Rep. Dean Phillips, the Minnesota congressman who gave up his seat to wage a quixotic primary challenge against Biden almost exclusively over the age issue, acknowledged that he may have been right, and that some of his colleagues had told him that. Of course, he did it with the appropriate amount of solemnity.

"If this is vindication, vindication has never been so unfulfilling," Phillips said on the Capitol steps, stopping short of issuing a drop-out call himself.

'You think he's made his decision, that can be your opinion'

Hours later on the other side of the Capitol, Democratic senators are gathered in the other proverbial smoke-filled room: Their weekly lunch in the Mike Mansfield caucus room, named for the Montana senator who led the upper chamber as it passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and President Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" programs. The stench I'd been warned about — the distinct miasma of body odor — permeates the Ohio Clock Corridor, just outside the room. One could even say the vibes were rancid. Senate Republican leaders are delivering their weekly remarks to the cameras, at times struggling to be heard over the din. In the throng of reporters and staffers, I spot an aide to a Democratic senator. He appears less than thrilled. "I'd like to walk myself into the sea," he tells me.

Democratic senators start to file out. Much like their House counterparts, they're expressionless and mostly unwilling to talk, bolting as quickly as they can from the caucus room to the Senate floor. Much like the crowded street outside the DNC, it's a bit chaotic. "Clear a path!" yell press gallery staffers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer takes to the mics with Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both from Washington state, in tow. The lunch ran 45 minutes longer than usual. The trio spend 10 minutes talking up a trio of abortion-related bills pertaining to abortion rights that the Senate lacks the votes to pass. They'd much rather be talking about this issue than Biden. The assembled reporters, joined by several more TV cameras than usual, struggle to avoid looking impatient.

It's time for questions. Schumer calls on ABC's Rachel Scott, saying that he wants "to call on a woman first" since we're "talking about abortion." Scott asks if the Democratic leader is confident that Biden can win in November and serve for the next four years. "As I've said before, I'm with Joe," he replies. Schumer reiterates that phrase after two more questions about Biden, including one from CNN's Manu Raju about whether Schumer agrees with Murray's Monday evening statement that Biden "must seriously consider the best way to preserve his incredible legacy and secure it for the future." Murray had conveniently walked away less than 20 seconds earlier. "As I've said before, I'm with Joe," Schumer repeats, ending the press conference after just four questions.

It would later emerge that Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Michael Bennet of Colorado all said during the lunch that they believe Biden will lose to Trump in November. Bennet went public with his concerns on CNN later that night.

The truth is, there are no smoke-filled rooms. The Democratic Party is not especially centralized, particularly at this moment. No one can make Biden leave without it being his decision, perhaps as the result of public pressure from majorities of Democrats in each chamber. No one person can really decide what comes after that, whether it's a coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris or a free vote of the nearly 4,700 delegates to the Democratic convention in mid-August.

The president is dug in, but his political prospects seem to fluctuate by the hour, crashing and soaring on successive days as lawmakers either re-proclaim their allegiance to him or join the ranks of the dissenters. On Tuesday afternoon, hours after House Democrats' DNC meeting, Rep. Mikie Sherill of New Jersey became the seventh to call for Biden to step down. The discussion on Capitol Hill doesn't feel quite over. Democrats aren't taking "no" for an answer.

In the face of the paralysis, an emerging strategy seems to be emerging: Nudge Biden out, but make it look like his decision.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi took this tack on MNSBC on Wednesday morning, saying that it's "up to the president to decide if he is going to run" but that "time is running short."

It's also the approach taken by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who faces reelection this November in a state that could be vulnerable if Biden remains the nominee, according to recent polling. On Monday, Kaine said at an event in Richmond that Biden will "put country over self" as he makes the decision that he's apparently already made. "If he has doubts he'll level with the American public… he's going to do what's right for the country," Kaine said.

The president, of course has insisted that he has made his decision, and that he will remain the nominee. I asked Kaine at the Capitol on Tuesday if he thought Biden had made a final decision.

"Yeah, I don't know that you should necessarily assume that about Biden," Kaine said. I pressed him a bit more. After all, Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday re-affirming what he had been saying publicly for days: He's not going anywhere, enough already. In a subsequent interview on MSNBC, the president even dared his doubters to challenge him at the Democratic convention.

"You think he's made his decision, that can be your opinion, but I'm just saying that I would be careful to make an assumption," Kaine said. "It's a little bit beyond the evidence."