Tag: News

• The Greek government defended its new six-day workweek policy amid backlash, according to CNBC.
• The policy allows extra hours in specific industries as "an exceptional measure."
• Employees will receive 40% more pay for extra hours worked under the new regulation.

The Greek government responded to backlash about its new six-day workweek policy and said the regulation doesn't change the current workweek, according to a CNBC report published Tuesday.

"It is important to note that this new regulation does not in any way affect the established 5-day/40-hour working week mandated by Greek law, nor does it establish a new 6-day working week," Greek Minister of Labour and Social Security Niki Kerameus told CNBC.

Instead, Kerameus said it provides the option of working an additional day "in limited circumstances" and as "an exceptional measure," according to the report.

The new regulation gives employees in some industries the option to work 48 hours a week. Employees can do so by working an extra two hours daily or adding an eight-hour shift to their week.

Kerameus said the businesses impacted are only those that operate 24 hours a day, five to seven days a week, with rotating shifts. The policy will apply to industries like agriculture, retail, and some service industries. Food and travel businesses are excluded from the policy.

The Greek government has said a 48-hour workweek could boost productivity as the country struggles with a worker shortage and an overall population decline.

But the policy has been controversial since it was approved in September, especially as other countries experiment by going the other way with a four-day workweek. After it was proposed, thousands of workers went on strike to protest the package of new labor laws.

Even though the policy is voluntary, labor unions and other critics have expressed concern about it expanding to other industries. There are also concerns about it leading to employees being overworked and compensated unfairly.

But Kerameus said the extra working day is only applicable in situations of increased workload, the report said. She also said the new policy would allow employees to declare extra time legally so that they can be compensated fairly. Employees who work the extra hours will see a 40% jump in pay for that time.

Kerameus said the law also provides more protection for workers, like guaranteed days off, set working hours, and measures to prevent wrongful termination, the report said.

Although six-day workweeks are uncommon in Europe, the European Union has similar guidelines. According to its website, employees shouldn't work more than 48 hours a week on average. In the US, there are no federal limits on the total hours an employee can work so long as they receive overtime pay after working more than 40 hours.

The Greek government did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• I embarked on my first European cruise through the Mediterranean Sea in July 2023.
• Looking back, I wish I had booked more time on the continent before or after my voyage.
• An extended trip would have given me more time to explore, making the long flights worth it.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" A fellow passenger asked me on the last night of my first European cruise.

I was on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise on the luxury, adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise line. Starting and ending in Barcelona, I sailed to ports in Italy, France, and Spain last summer.

"Flying home," I replied.

My fellow cruisers told me they'd be in Barcelona for a few more days to explore. Immediately, I realized what a mistake I made, especially as it was my first time visiting Spain.

While it never seemed like a must to extend my Caribbean cruise to spend more time sunbathing on additional beaches, I recognized that flying to Europe from the US and not leaving time on either end of the cruise to see more of it was a missed opportunity.

I wish I had more time in Europe, and if I ever find myself on a Mediterranean cruise again, here's why I'll be sure to plan things differently.

I didn't have enough time to explore destinations

Although I'd never departed from an international port, the Mediterranean cruise wasn't my first journey at sea.

In the past, I cruised on one other sailing in the Caribbean, which left out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

One thing I realized I love — and hate — about cruises from that experience is that port stops give me just a short preview of each destination. At every stop, I was allotted only a few short hours to explore, sometimes just a half day, and was left longing for more time.

This was especially true in Barcelona, where I boarded and disembarked my Mediterranean cruise.

I flew in the night before my voyage and went straight to the cruise terminal the next day. When we returned, I headed to the airport as soon as I got off the ship. I had no extra time to sightsee in the city I had never visited before or anywhere else in the surrounding area, like Madrid or Montserrat Mountain, where I've always wanted to go.

Once I was on the cruise ship overlooking the city from my balcony, I saw a wide view of the landscape and was mesmerized by the architecture. I longed to see the historic buildings up close.

"Next time," I thought.

An extended stay would make flying a long distance feel more worthwhile — and it's better for the planet

I took a seven-hour red-eye flight to Barcelona from New York. The return trip was even longer, with a layover.

Long-haul flights are taxing for me. I struggle with motion sickness and sitting still for long periods. Additionally, flying can cause dehydration, a flight attendant previously told Business Insider.

To me, more time in Europe would have made the long, difficult flight more worthwhile.

A longer stay also may have made my trip more sustainable. Flights made up 8% of transportation carbon emissions in 2021, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

And because of transportation carbon emissions, sustainable travel experts previously told BI that taking fewer, longer trips is better for the environment than shorter, more frequent trips.

In 2023, I went to Europe twice. Combining those trips would have been more sustainable since I would have taken fewer flights.

If I could do it all again, I'd book a few extra vacation days in Barcelona to explore the European city on the front or back end of the cruise — or better yet, both.

• Donald Trump is in the final stretch of determining his running mate.
• The former president is facing competing pressures to find his new vice presidential nominee.
• Trump has a lot of choices, from old rivals or MAGA allies.

Former President Donald Trump will have a new running mate in less than a week.

Ultimately, no one but Trump knows how this ends. He is famously mercurial. According to multiple reports, his final shortlist is likely down to North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.

"I haven't made a final decision, but I have some idea of where we're going," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during an interview on Monday night.

Trump added that President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance "might make a difference" in who he chooses depending on how Biden moves forward amid calls from some Democrats to drop out of the race.

Trump is facing a deadline with the Republican National Convention set to kick off in Milwaukee next week.

Each one of the trio would offer something different to a ticket.

Rubio, 53, has focused on foreign policy since his 2016 primary run. He is the top Republican on the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee and would be the first person of color on a GOP ticket in nearly a century.

Vance, 39, has fashioned himself in Trump's populist mold. As a New York Times best-selling author, the Ohioian is not new to the national stage. Having cut his teeth in venture capital, Vance has key relationships with influential players in the tech world.

Burgum, 67, is a billionaire who only got into politics after establishing himself in the private sector, a similarity he shares with Trump. He leads one of the nation's smallest states but is familiar with issues that resonate with the former president's base. Most importantly, Burgum has the backing of some powerful names, including The Wall Street Journal's editorial board.

Here's a look at the shortlist and those who may have just missed the cut :

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida

Rubio once viewed as the GOP's future, is reportedly gaining attention as a possible pick.

Rubio, like DeSantis, endured significant taunting and attacks when he opposed Trump during the 2016 primaries. But the pair have moved beyond the "Liddle Marco" jabs.

The Florida senator was a key ally during Trump's presidency, though Rubio did not support overturning the 2020 election results. After the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, Rubio delivered an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, arguing that it was "a terrible idea" to continue to raise objections to the results.

Like many on this list, Rubio has given combative answers on whether he would accept the 2024 results.

"'No matter what happens?' No, if it's an unfair election, I think it's going to be contested by each side," Rubio told "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker in late May.

Now a third-term senator, Rubio would also have more experience in federal office than Vice President Kamala Harris did when Biden tapped her to be his running mate.

Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was virtually unknown nationally before his brief GOP primary run. It's not even clear if his campaign changed that status. Arguably, one of the biggest news days of his campaign was whether he would attend a primary debate after he injured his leg.

But since ending his campaign, Burgum has maintained a ubiquitous presence as a top-level surrogate all over TV. He's now a serious contender to be Trump's running mate.

If he doesn't get picked, Trump has already suggested including Burgum in his potential cabinet.

Burgum also shares the former president's background of parlaying business success into a political career. He sold his software company to Microsoft for $1.1 billion.

In late June, The Wall Street Journal editorial board, often considered the voice for establishment Republicans, endorsed Burgum out of the potential final three of Burgum, Rubio, and Vance.

"Mr. Burgum would be loyal to Mr. Trump, while also unafraid to offer hard advice or speak an unhappy truth when the moment demands it," the editorial board wrote.

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio

Despite having just been elected to the US Senate last year, Vance has repeatedly been floated as a vice-presidential candidate for Trump.

And he's not saying no. In fact now, he's admitting that he would be disappointed if it doesn't work out.

"I'm human, right?" Vance recently told Fox News. "So when you know this thing is a possibility, if it doesn't happen, there is certainly going to be a little bit of disappointment."

A former venture capitalist and the author of the bestselling book "Hillbilly Elegy," Vance was once a "NeverTrumper" and a fierce critic of the former president. But he has since morphed into one of his staunchest acolytes in the Senate, and he's at the vanguard of a movement that seeks to reorient the party more towards the working class.

Vance and some other top VP contenders made it a point to attend Trump's Manhattan criminal trial. Trump later became the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina

The 58-year-old three-term senator endorsed Trump shortly before the New Hampshire primary. The South Carolinian also largely avoided criticizing Trump in a way that may have foreclosed him being on the ticket.

According to Politico, Scott talks with Trump or texts with the former president nearly every week.

Scott previously stoked speculation that he could be picked by telling the Wall Street Journal that he found his and Trump's contrasting styles "to be very complementary."

It's worth noting that while the former president has a growing list of congressional allies, the Senate has repeatedly been an issue for him.

Scott's fellow South Carolinian, Sen. Lindsey Graham, has continued to pitch his potential even as reports center on other hopefuls.

"[I]f I were president Trump, I would make sure I pick somebody that could add value in 2024," Graham said on "Face the Nation" in early July.

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida

Donalds, currently in just his second term, has risen rapidly in Congress. Conservatives opposed to Kevin McCarthy's leadership put the Florida Republican forth as an alternative to the then-longtime House GOP leader. Donalds was later added to the powerful House Steering Committee after he switched his support to McCarthy and McCarthy went on to become speaker.

That wasn't his only major flip. Donalds, who had previously been DeSantis' close ally, endorsed Trump last April, part of a string of Florida Republicans that snubbed their governor to back the former president. Donalds has also been floated as a potential successor to DeSantis, who cannot run for reelection in 2026 due to consecutive term limits.

Donalds was also among the six potential names Ingraham suggested to the former president. Trump responded by saying, "They're all good, they're all solid."

Like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Donalds would also have to deal with potential concerns of sharing the same home state as Trump.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York

The chairwoman of the House GOP Conference, Stefanik is the highest-ranking official who is seen as a potential Trump pick.

The New York congresswoman, who ascended to her leadership position on the heels of Liz Cheney's ouster, has notably undergone a sharp shift when it comes to Trump, beginning with the 2019 impeachment hearings.

Trump has reportedly described Stefanik as a "killer" and a potential pick in private, and the congresswoman recently said she "would be honored to serve in any capacity in a Trump administration."

Stefanik has raised her national profile by grilling college presidents over their handling of students who have protested the Israel-Hamas war. The New Yorker has drilled into administrators whom she has accused of being too weak in their response to antisemitism.

Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has remained in Trump's good graces. It likely helps that he's one of the few Trump Cabinet veterans to endorse the former president wholeheartedly.

Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told Sky News Australia in early June that Carson will likely get tapped.

"The one element I think Ben Carson has that none of the other six people on the list have is I don't think Ben Carson wants to be president; I don't think he wants to run for president," Mulvaney said.

Carson is much more conservative than Trump on a key issue: abortion. Carson has previously said he supports a nationwide abortion ban, a position that Trump has strenuously tried to avoid.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida

Trump and his allies spent over a year ruthlessly attacking DeSantis. It was only toward the end of his disappointing primary that the 45-year-old began to return fire.

DeSantis did endorse Trump immediately after dropping out before New Hampshire, but the question remains if either side would want to repair their political alliance.

There appeared to be a brief peace, but that was thrown into after a top Trump campaign official tore into DeSantis. The public attack was in response to a report that DeSantis privately expressed concern that Trump might resort to "identity politics" when selecting his vice president.

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy

Like some other candidates on this list, Ramaswamy is unlikely to be chosen as Trump's next VP. But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who would like to see it.

Ramaswamy was perhaps the only candidate in the race who never dared to issue substantive criticisms of Trump, choosing instead to run as a staunch supporter of the former president who would carry that mantle forward.

He dropped out immediately after coming in 4th in Iowa, endorsing Trump and likely securing himself some sort of future position in MAGA world, if not Trump's actual cabinet.

But while Ramaswamy would be popular with some of Trump's most devoted followers, his penchant for conspiracy theorizing would likely be a liability in a general election.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

Greene, the fire-breathing conspiracy-minded congresswoman from Georgia, wouldn't exactly be a tent-expanding choice for the former president.

But that hasn't stopped her from talking up her own prospects.

"It's talked about frequently and I know my name is on a list," Greene told The Guardian in August. "But really my biggest focus right now is serving the district that elected me."

A second-term legislator with no major policy accomplishments, Greene wouldn't bring much to the equation when it comes to policy chops or broadening Trump's appeal. In fact, it could damage the ticket, given her extremely poor polling.

Greene has also alienated top party leaders over her push to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump has repeatedly praised Johnson as he tried to navigate Greene's challenge.

Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama

Britt quickly built her profile before delivering the Republican Party's official response to Biden's State of the Union address.

Britt's response was widely panned, including by some Republicans. NBC's "Saturday Night Live" enlisted Scarlett Johansson to impersonate the freshman senator.

At just 42, Britt could become one of the youngest vice presidents in recent memory. Only Dan Quayle, then a US senator from Indiana, would have been slightly younger. Quayle was 41 when he began his vice presidency under President George H.W. Bush.

Britt has made her age and the fact she is a mother of school-age children a key selling point in her political career.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

Haley offered a limited endorsement of Trump in late May, ending speculation about who she would vote for in November.

"I will be voting for Trump," Haley said at an event after listing off her disagreements with Biden. She added, "Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me and not assume that they're just going to be with him. And I genuinely hope he does that."

Trump, who previously shot down an earlier report that he was considering Haley to be vice president, said Haley is "going to be on our team in some form."

Toward the end of her primary challenge, Haley repeatedly said she's not interested in being anyone's vice president. She praised Trump when she served as his UN ambassador, but was highly critical of him during the GOP primary.

Biden has also shown greater interest in bringing Haley's voters than Trump.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas

No one on this list knows Trump like Sanders. As his second White House press secretary, Sanders turned her turn at the podium into a governorship. As Arkansas governor, she's pursued an array of conservative policies.

She has endorsed Trump's campaign, but she has hinted that she wouldn't be interested in returning to the White House as vice president.

"Look, I absolutely love the job I have. I think it's one of the best jobs I could ever ask for, and I am honored to serve as governor, and I hope I get to do it for the next seven years," Sanders previously told CBS News.

Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was once the most surprising name under Trump's consideration. The former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate may now have her eyes set on a different Cabinet post.

In early June, Gabbard said during an interview that serving as either Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense would be one of the ways she could best serve the country under a possible second Trump administration.

Her politics have changed drastically since then. In 2022, she announced that she was formerly leaving the Democratic Party. Over time, the four-term former congresswoman became a fixture on Fox News and at political events. According to The Washington Post, Gabbard has also advised the former president and his team about defense policy.

She was also among the six names Ingraham asked Trump about in terms of potential running mates.

Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota

The second-term South Dakota governor was once, perhaps best known nationally for flouting COVID restrictions during the pandemic. That was until Noem decided to include a story in a forthcoming book about her decision to kill the family's 14-month-old dog after she claimed it proved to be untrainable and overly aggressive.

Since then, the consensus is that Noem has greatly damaged her prospects of becoming Trump's running mate.

Before the dog episode, Noem faced concerns after she posted a bizarre infomercial-esque video touting a dental procedure she received in Texas.

Noem may have even confirmed that her chance is over after she admitted that she had not received any vetting paperwork that others on this list did.

"I've had conversations with the president, and I know that he is the only one who will be making the decisions on who will be his vice president," she said.

• I tried vanilla ice cream from Whole Foods, Wegmans, Trader Joe's, and Costco to find the best one.
• The 365 vanilla ice cream from Whole Foods was tasty, but nothing about it stood out to me.
• Costco's Kirkland Signature vanilla ice cream, which had a great flavor and texture, was my winner.

My family consumes a lot of ice cream, as it's one of the best treats to help us through the muggy New York City summer.

But with practically every supermarket offering its own house brand of ice cream, there seems to be countless options out there. According to market intelligence company Skyquestt, the ice-cream market, worth just over $82 billion in 2023, is projected to grow to nearly $120 billion by 2031.

To find the tastiest option, I compared store-brand vanilla ice cream from Whole Foods, Wegmans, Trader Joe's, and Costco. For consistency's sake, I chose what seemed like the most basic version of vanilla ice cream at each store.

Here's how the vanilla ice cream stacked up, from worst to best. 

The 365 vanilla ice cream from Whole Foods had a distinctive yellow color when I opened it.

When I opened the 365 carton from Whole Foods, the dessert had a distinctive, eggy-yellow color that set it apart from the other ice-cream brands I tried. The 1 ½-quart container (48 ounces) of ice cream was $5.50.

The 365 ice cream was pretty good, but there wasn't anything special about it.

Choosing a last-place ice cream wasn't easy because all four were tasty — I wouldn't regret buying any of the store brands I tried. In fact, my kids proved incapable of ranking them, declaring them all equally delicious.

The 365 vanilla ice cream wasn't bad, but it was a bit on the bland side, with a much less noticeable vanilla flavor than the other three brands I had. On the bright side, it had a good, pleasantly creamy texture.

Wegmans' Madagascar vanilla ice cream came in the smallest container of the four.

According to Wegmans' packaging, this ice cream is made with vanilla from Madagascar, where 80% of the world's vanilla is grown. However, I didn't see any noticeable flecks of vanilla bean in this ice cream.

The pint-sized container I bought was the smallest of the options I found, which wasn't necessarily bad. Sometimes, you don't need that much ice cream, and a pint is the right size for one person.

Unsurprisingly, the small portion size meant this ice cream had the highest cost per ounce, at $4.50 for one pint (16 ounces).

Wegmans' ice cream was pretty tasty.

I liked the buttery texture of Wegmans' vanilla ice cream because it reminded me a lot of the Häagen-Dazs brand. It had a nice level of sweetness, though it wasn't overwhelming.

There wasn't anything distinctive about the vanilla flavor, which was warm and pleasant but fairly mild. I wouldn't seek this ice cream out again, but I might pick it up if I was shopping at Wegmans and needed a dessert.

Trader Joe's French-vanilla ice cream looked a little less creamy than the others.

Trader Joe's ice cream looked fairly similar to Wegmans' — white and solid, with no visible flecks of vanilla bean.

It seemed a touch less creamy than the other desserts I tried, but I probably wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't comparing them side by side. The $4.50 quart (32 ounces) seemed reasonably priced.

Trader Joe's ice cream had a very strong vanilla flavor.

Trader Joe's ice cream had the strongest vanilla flavor out of the four I tried. However, I thought the rich flavor was possibly a touch too reminiscent of straight vanilla extract.

I liked it, but I could imagine it being a bit much for anyone who doesn't especially like the taste of vanilla. This is your best option if you want to taste the distinct flavor of vanilla ice cream buried among hot fudge, whipped cream, and sprinkles.

I shop at Trader Joe's frequently, so I'll likely pick this up again. It's a good size for entertaining and could anchor a make-your-own-sundae station if my kids have a couple of friends over.

The Kirkland Signature super-premium vanilla ice cream came in a large box.

The Kirkland Signature ice cream came in a large box containing two half-gallon cartons (64 ounces each). If you choose this option, you'll need to be willing to buy a ton of ice cream at once.

When I opened a carton, I noticed this brand shined a little differently in the container and was visibly less icy than the other versions I tried.

The entire box of ice cream cost $14, so per ounce, it was priced similarly to the 365 carton.

The Kirkland Signature ice cream was my winner.

I didn't expect there to be such a clear winner in a taste test of four vanilla ice creams. But from the first spoonful of the Kirkland Signature vanilla ice cream, I could tell it was the best of the group. 

It had a nice, familiar vanilla flavor, but its texture set it apart. It was extremely creamy but not too heavy — almost like a soft serve. I talked my wife into taste-testing all four brands the day after I did, and she also identified Kirkland Signature's ice cream as the best. 

If you're planning a summer barbecue and looking for an easy dessert, this is the ice cream I'd recommend. It would work well independently or in a sundae, and there's definitely enough to please a crowd. Whenever freezer space allows, we'll keep this ice cream stocked moving forward. 

• I worked as a hair and makeup artist for more than six years, and I love drugstore products.
• High-end products from brands like NARS and Too Faced are great, but ELF and NYX are on par.
• For hair, I love the Dove felxible-hold hairspray — its the closest I've found to my holy grail.

I've been doing hair and makeup professionally on and off for over a decade. For about six years of that time, I was with a wedding-focused team and did quite a bit of freelance work for photoshoots, high-school and college events, showers, birthdays, and more.

Everyone's kit is unique to them, and testing products to find new go-tos can be part of the fun. But it isn't always budget-friendly — after all, the global cosmetics industry is set to be worth more than $101 billion by 2027.

Feel free to splurge on top industry products. But if you're looking for budget-friendly alternatives, I'm your girl.

Here are some of the best drugstore makeup and hair products that I think are total dupes for luxury items.

ELF's entire Halo Glow line rivals brands like Charlotte Tilbury.

For years, Charlotte Tilbury's base makeup and contours have been the talk of the town — every makeup artist I know keeps the brand's Flawless Filter ($50) in their kit.

But ELF — one of my favorite inexpensive brands for bold looks — has introduced a Halo Glow line that I think is almost identical to Charlotte Tilbury's more upscale products.

The drugstore brand's Liquid Filter ($14) product is the perfect base for a dewy glow.

Maybelline’s Fit Me foundation is a dead ringer for a product that costs five times more.

When I first started as a makeup artist, NARS was the most lavish foundation ($52) I could invest in. Over the years, its formula has stayed in the top rankings.

Yet Maybelline's Fit Me foundation ($10) is so good that I don't even consider buying NARS' anymore.

NYX’s Bare With Me gives some fan-favorite concealers a run for their money.

I've always believed that concealer is a multifaceted product. It can hide blemishes, prep skin for makeup, and help pigment colors.

For that reason, I like having multiple concealer options in my kit, and NYX has one of my favorites.

I'm shocked by how the brand's Bare With Me concealer ($12) works very similarly to the popular Too Faced Born This Way ($30) and Kosas Revealer ($30) ones that have been all over the internet.

NYX's I Know That's Bright eyeshadow palette is just as good as some luxury products.

It's existed in many names and forms over the years, but NYX's $20 Brights eyeshadow palette (currently called I Know That's Bright) is one of the most pigmented drugstore palettes I've ever used.

It's what I always reach for when I'm going for bold looks, bright liners, and any reincarnations of Hayley Williams' Bonnaroo 2018 look.

It's also a fantastic alternative to MAC's Connect In Colour ($55), ColourPop's Fade Into Hue ($35), and Anastasia Beverly Hills' Norvina Pro-Pigment ($60) palettes.

Dove flexible-hold is the best drugstore hairspray in the business.

Dove's flexible-hold hairspray ($9) is the most affordable item I've found that can compare to my beloved Kendra Perfect Medium Spray 13 ($21).

I'd say its hold is somewhere in between Kendra's 10 and 13 sprays.

The Dove product mists on lightly, has a pleasant scent, and doesn't flake.

L’Oreal’s Magic Root Cover-Up is a cheaper way to get expensive-looking results.

Hair loss and thinning are completely natural and don't need to be covered up. But if you're trying to make your hair look thicker, L'Oreal's Magic Root Cover-Up ($12) is a great choice.

I keep three colors in my bag that blend naturally into my hair and look seamless after I add a little root powder.

Sure, a spray won't ever be a perfect dupe for hair transplants and custom extensions, which can cost three to five figures, but it's so affordable that I'd say it's close enough.

Cotton swabs rival some makeup brushes.

I have multiple sets of makeup brushes and applicators. But when those are out of reach, cotton swabs are my go-to solution. They may not be perfect dupes, but they are a constant fixture in my kit, and you can get hundreds for as little as $1.

They're great tools for a myriad of things, including makeup application and fixing mistakes. I've found that cotton swabs also tend to apply color more boldly, and I prefer the way they blend to any disposable eyeshadow applicators (and most brushes) I've used.

If you wet the swab before adding product to it, it applies with more precision. I often create colorful or bold eyeliner looks with this method.

• Some Philips Hue bulbs have reportedly been randomly turning to full brightness.
• Parent company Signify confirmed to The Verge that a fix is coming within the next week.
• The company advised users to temporarily disconnect the Hue Bridge from Matter.

If your smart bulbs are acting strangely, you're not alone.

Some owners of Philips Hue bulbs have recently noticed their lights randomly turning to full brightness despite being set to dimmer levels, taking to social media to flag the issue.

One person wrote to the brand on X, formerly Twitter, complaining that the issue had been going on "for a few weeks."

Others have brought the matter to Reddit, asking for help with their rogue bulbs. One thread, titled "Lights randomly go up to 100% brightness," received multiple comments relating to the problem.

One person wrote in the thread that they had "tried everything" to fix the issue, including moving the smart bulbs to new lamps or outlets.

"Wife and I settled on ghosts and bugs," they said.

Well, impacted owners can now rule out one of those two things — Philips Hue's parent company, Signify, confirmed on Monday to The Verge that an "interoperability issue" is the reason, and a solution is coming within the next week.

"After extensive analysis, we have identified an interoperability issue with the Matter smarthome standard, in which random temporary radio traffic disruptions are incorrectly recognized as legacy switch power toggles, turning low brightness lights to full brightness," a spokesperson for Signify, Kate Helander, told The Verge.

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

It's unclear whether the issue lies with Signify or Matter, the smart home connectivity standard integrated with the Philips Hue Bridge smart lighting hub. Signify told The Verge that users can disconnect the Hue Bridge from Matter through their phone settings and their Matter controller app.

The company told the tech publication that only "a small percentage of users" have been affected by the bug and assured that a "permanent fix for the issue is in progress and will be rolled out within the next week."

So if your smart bulb is ruining your mood lighting, just know that help is on the way — you'll just need to wait a bit longer for your smart light bulb to receive a software update.

• Billionaires and business moguls are touching down in Sun Valley for the Allen & Company conference.
• The annual event, known as 'summer camp for billionaires,' draws the biggest names in tech and media.
• Their planes are taking over the local airport, causing heavy traffic and logistical challenges.

The annual cacophony over Sun Valley, Idaho, has officially begun as billionaires and business moguls descend to coopt the small town — population: 1,783 — for the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference.

Every year for more than four decades, just after the July 4th holiday, the sleepy ski town has hosted the richest and most powerful people on Earth, who show up to discuss the hot topics of the day. Sun Valley is where Jeff Bezos agreed to buy the Washington Post, and the seeds of an ABC-Disney merger were planted, for example.

This year at the "summer camp for billionaires," the Israel-Gaza war, the 2024 election, and artificial intelligence are surely on the agenda, along with rounds of golf and guided hikes.

While an official guest list is not publicized, the private planes touching down at Sun Valley's Friedman Memorial Airport give us a preview of the shoulder rubbing to come this time around.

Tuesday morning, the airport began experiencing heavy traffic hailing from tony locations like Aspen, Colorado, and Nantucket, Massachusetts, before the conference kickoff. According to the aircraft-tracking website FlightAware, over 165 private planes are scheduled to fly in throughout the day.

Some private aircraft are associated with companies. Nike's Gulfstream G650 jet, for example, is on FlightAware's list and likely carrying regular Sun Valley attendee, CEO John Donahoe. Brokerage firm Invemed Securities has a Bombardier Global 5000 private plane scheduled to fly in, too, likely carrying its billionaire CEO and major Republican donor Kenneth Langone.

Other notable names reported to be on the invite list include OpenAI's Sam Altman, Shari Redstone, who just sealed a deal to sell Paramount to Skydance Global, and Disney CEO Bob Iger, who is rumored to bring his potential successors along.

Some may take a page from the book of regular Sun Valley attendee and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has taken to chartering flights instead of using corporate planes to avoid jet trackers.

Dozens of Idaho-bound charters from companies like NetJets, FlexJets, and Vista are also scheduled to fly in — the latter company Taylor Swift used to try to fly incognito to February's Super Bowl.

FlightAware doesn't include planes using privacy protection programs set up by the Federal Aviation Administration to block their travels from jet-tracking websites that use FAA data. Sun Valley-goers Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, for example, regularly cloak their flights.

However, these programs do not impact public websites like ADS-B Exchange, which uses third-party flight data and makes tracking celebrity planes flying to the conference still possible.

Sun Valley's influx of private jets can be a headache for the small airport due to limited parking space and the congested skies.

In years past, the airport spent months preparing for the increased operations to minimize the traffic jams. In 2022, The New York Times reported the airport had to accommodate over 300 flights compared to the typical 40 planes on a normal day.

At the time, airport director Chris Pomeroy said that jets would sometimes have to circle the airport for over an hour, waiting for a runway to open.

This year, the airport's fixed-based operator, Atlantic Aviation, which provides things like fuel and parking to private aircraft, has added a special event fee due to the increased airport traffic. A spokesperson for the airport did not respond to a request for comment.

• Kamala Harris is sticking by Biden's side, though she remains his likeliest replacement.
• Harris would likely choose a relatively moderate white man as her running mate.
• A few governors, some from swing states, are emerging as favorites, sources told the NYT.

Kamala Harris may be publicly sticking by Biden as he fights to save his campaign, but that's not stopping other Democrats from considering her as his most likely replacement. Should Harris soar to the top of the ticket, she would probably choose a moderate white man as her vice president, two people close to the Biden-Harris camp told the New York Times.

Harris would become the first Black and Asian American female nominee of a major party, and a palatable veep would help temper the shock of her nomination in this age of identity politics. Govs. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are emerging as potential candidates, the aides said.

Cooper looks like the favorite right now. A southern moderate, he has worked alongside North Carolina's Republican legislature since winning a tough battle for the governorship in 2016. Before serving as governor, Cooper was the state's attorney general for nearly 16 years. He met Harris during that time, when she was the attorney general in California. Some Dems think that North Carolina is up for grabs in November and Cooper could help potentially flip the state.

As the governor of Kentucky, Beshear doesn't offer the same opportunity to turn a red state blue. He did, however, attract some attention after winning another term in deep-red Kentucky last year. Beshear also served as attorney general prior to his governorship, giving him an additional point of connection to Harris.

Shapiro has something that the White House sorely lacks at the moment: good polling numbers. According to a poll from January, he has a higher approval rating than other recent Pennsylvania governors, with 59% approving of his performance. Pennsylvania is a key swing state and Beshear's popularity there could help tip the scales in Democrats' favor.

As whispers about Harris turn to light chatter, she is staying silent on the question of her candidacy, let alone her potential vice president. She knows that these discussions would risk a leak, and a leak would risk undermining her loyalty, allies told The times.

But so long as Biden keeps teetering, the question about her potential running-mate remains wide open.

• The US economy will avoid a recession due to AI, immigration, and high-income consumers, said Michael Arone.
• AI will boost productivity and immigration will dampen inflation, the State Street investment strategist said.
• "A restrictive Fed won't stop the music this time around because the economy's moving to a new rhythm," Arone said.

The US economy will keep growing and ultimately avoid a recession thanks to artificial intelligence, immigration, and rich people.

That's according to State Street chief investment strategist Michael Arone, who said in a recent note that even as the Federal Reserve keeps monetary policy in restrictive territory via high interest rates, that won't be enough to send the economy into a tailspin.

"The risks are growing that the stubborn Fed gradually then suddenly puts the economy in recession," he said. "But the economy may narrowly escape the dreaded recession outcome for these three reasons."

'Artificial intelligence is the real deal'

Even though AI technologies are in the early innings, Arone says they hold a lot of promise for boosting economic productivity, increasing company profits, and igniting further growth for businesses.

"Recent studies assert that AI can improve productivity across a wide range of jobs by 20% to 80%. That compares favorably to another general-purpose technology, steam power," he said.

Arone notes that steam power sparked the Industrial Revolution, and that technology increased productivity by just 18% to 22% when it was installed in factories.

If AI can improve productivity by a multiple of that, it could unlock significant economic benefits in the future — and those benefits should more than outweigh any policy mistake by the Fed, Arone said.

'Immigration delivers surprising economic benefits'

Americans can thank immigrants for the continued progress in battling inflation, according to Arone.

"Many people underappreciated the role that increasing immigration has played in stabilizing the post-pandemic labor market without further flattering inflationary pressures," he said.

Wage inflation soared during the early days of the pandemic, which stoked overall inflation to a cycle peak of 9.1% in June 2022. But the influx of more than 1.5 million immigrants in 2023 helped balance out supply and demand in the labor market, Arone said.

"The pace of immigration increases over the past couple of years is consistent with past economic expansions. And, with job openings remaining elevated in immigrant-dependent service industries, participation rates are likely to increase over the next two years, further boosting the labor market," he said.

Arone also notes that the increase in immigrants can have a compounding impact on the US economy overtime. He says while this set of workers will typically take low-skill service jobs upon their arrival in the country, some of them will become entrepreneurs and stoke innovation, consumption, and fiscal contributions.

'High-end consumers are in great shape'

For all the concerns about rising delinquency rates and more than $1 trillion in credit card debt, Arone says the high-income cohort of the US population is in strong financial shape.

He says that's important because people who earn $150,000 or more are responsible for a 40% of US consumer spending.

"They own 85% of stocks, 80% of bonds, and two-thirds of liquid assets. Yet, they only make up about one-third of consumer credit card balances," Arone said, citing data from Empirical Research Partners.

This demographic is on pace to see their wages grow 5% this year, and they are expected to increase their spending by 8% this year, which could be even higher if inflation continues to fall and stock and home prices continue to rise, Arone said.

"In a departure from past periods, higher stock and home prices combined with a significant increase in their interest income has enabled top earners to spend solidly throughout this tighter monetary policy cycle," he said.

Taken together, this suggests to Arone that the US economy is on track for solid growth in the coming quarters and will ultimately avoid a recession, and that should enable a continued rise in the stock market.

"A restrictive Fed won't stop the music this time around because the economy's moving to a new rhythm," he said.

• Russia appears to have changed its tactics in its Monday missile barrage, making it tougher on Ukrainian defenders.
• War analysts say Russia may be innovating its tactics, and possibly its technology as well.
• ISW said the intent is to "maximize damage."

Russia seems to have changed tactics in a Monday missile strike that struck targets across Ukraine, including a children's hospital, to "maximize damage," war analysts said.

"Unfortunately, the enemy is constantly improving not only reconnaissance and strike UAVs, but also other means of air attack — cruise and ballistic missiles," former Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Col. Yuriy Ihnat said on Facebook regarding Russia's latest barrage of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Ihnat said that some of Russia's missiles flew at incredibly low altitudes, with some flying as low as 50 meters, making them more difficult to shoot down.

"People on the ground sometimes squeeze the impossible out of available weapons and equipment to shoot down as many Russian missiles and drones as possible," he said. He said that out of the 44 Russian missiles launched, Ukraine was able to shoot down 33.

The weapons that broke through, like the Kh-101 cruise missile that struck the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, may have been able to do so because the Russians "may have innovated their tactics and/or technology," war experts said, noting Ukraine has been pretty good at shooting down Russian cruise missiles.

Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War suggest that Russian changes are likely intended to "inflict maximum damage on Ukrainian infrastructure by giving Ukrainian air defense practically no time to respond until the missile is already within close range of the ground."

In addition to launching missiles at extremely low altitudes, Ihnat said Russia has also improved the capabilities of its missiles with approaches like heat trap technology designed to fool air defenses. Other innovations may make weapons harder to detect.

"Russia has consistently adapted the strike packages it uses against Ukraine to take advantage of Ukraine's air defense shortages," ISW said, "and the July 8 strikes represent a new and adapted strike package that Ukraine will need to learn to respond to with requisite levels of Western-provided air defense systems."

Russia's missiles struck targets in several cities, including the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, on Monday, killing at least 39 people, per the latest figures.

The Russian Ministry of Defense denied claims that it intentionally targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and argued that the weapon that struck the hospital was actually a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile.

Although Russia has attacked civilian centers on many occasions, the Kremlin has often claimed that it does not target civilian infrastructure.

In the aftermath of Monday's strike, weapons and war experts, citing visual evidence of the strike, argued that Russia is "gaslighting" because the weapon that struck the hospital was definitely a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.