• A Ukrainian brigade said it used an FPV drone to deliver an escape bike to a trapped soldier.
• Its chief of staff said it took three tries with a Heavy Shot drone to make a successful drop.
• It's one of the first recorded instances of an FPV drone being used for such logistics in a warzone.

A Ukrainian brigade said it used first-person-view drones to deliver e-bikes to a surrounded soldier, marking a rare instance where such devices were used to airlift a vehicle in battle.

In a video published on Wednesday, the "Rubizh" 4th Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard said it dropped the roughly 88-pound e-bikes so the soldier could escape mostly Russian-controlled territory.

While the brigade didn't say in the video when the operation occurred, it said the soldier had been trapped at a shelter near Siversk, a town in Donetsk, where fighting is still ongoing.

"The enemy was in front, behind, and on both flanks. Completely surrounded," Mykola Hrytsenko, a junior lieutenant serving as the brigade's chief of staff, said in the video.

The soldier, whom the brigade identified by the call sign Tankist, was the only survivor of four Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the area, Hrytsenko said.

"The Siversk direction is known for incredibly difficult logistics. Almost none exists there. Guys have to walk six to seven kilometers on foot to reach a position," he said.

Hrytsenko said his team crafted an evacuation plan that involved heavy cargo drones, such as the Baba Yaga or Heavy Shot, carrying a bicycle with an electric motor to the exhausted soldier's position.

Such drones are typically used in Ukraine as bombers and are designed to deliver payloads of about 40 to 50 pounds, though they can also airlift cargo.

Carrying a nearly 90-pound e-bike, Hrytsenko said, would push the drone to its limits and shorten its range to roughly 2 kilometers.

It took three attempts, brigade says

Hrytsenko said his team initially lost two drones trying to deliver e-bikes to the soldier. The first was shot down with the bike, while the second crashed because its motors burned out, he added.

But the "Rubizh" brigade published clips of the third drone carrying the bike via a winch system and the soldier appearing to receive the bike. Business Insider could not independently verify the authenticity of the brigade's footage.

Hrytsenko said the bike's parts were disassembled and brought to a nearby position on the frontline. Afterward, the vehicle was put together and flown to the soldier, he added.

"Everyone in HQ was shouting and crying like we'd just launched the first plane in the sky," Hrytsenko said of the moment when the bike arrived.

The brigade also showed surveillance drone footage of a soldier riding an e-bike through the battlefield.

Hrytsenko said that while the soldier later struck a land mine, he was able to walk several hundred meters to a nearby friendly position, where drone pilots flew in another e-bike so he could fully exit the combat zone.

"The operation cost us two lost e-bikes, around $100,000, and two lost HeavyShot drones, $15,000 each," Hrytsenko said.

The brigade said the soldier evacuated safely and showed interview clips of a man it said was Tankist. BI could not independently verify his identity.

Hrytsenko added that the e-bikes were funded via donations from volunteers, a common occurrence in Ukraine, where units have to crowdfund for drones and weapons.

"If you see a strange fundraiser for an e-bike, or a unicycle, don't be surprised. Maybe it will save a life," he said.

First-person-view, or FPV, drones have been used for many non-combat functions during the war, such as dropping small items on the battlefield or compelling soldiers to surrender via loudspeaker.

However, this marks one of the first times such a drone has been used to deliver a large asset like a vehicle during ongoing fighting. Given that the size of the payload may make a drone easier to spot while limiting its range, it's unclear if this tactic will become more commonplace.

• Dario Amodei made one thing clear: Anthropic won't join the Big Tech talent bidding war.
• Massive salary changes could "destroy" the company's culture by treating people "unfairly," he said.
• Employees turned down the offers — some "wouldn't even talk to Mark Zuckerberg," the CEO said.

When top engineers at Anthropic started receiving job offers from tech giants like Meta, Dario Amodei made one thing clear: The company wouldn't play the bidding war game.

On the "Big Technology Podcast" published Wednesday, Anthropic's CEO said he posted a message to staff declaring the company was "not willing to compromise our compensation principles, our principles of fairness" in response to outside offers.

He said Anthropic uses a level-based compensation system.

"When a candidate comes in, they get assigned a level, and we don't negotiate that level," Amodei said. "We think it's unfair. We want to have a systematic way."

"If Mark Zuckerberg throws a dart at a dartboard and hits your name, that doesn't mean you should be paid 10 times more than the guy next to you who's just as skilled," he added.

Amodei said that such massive salary changes could "destroy" a company's culture by treating people "unfairly."

Many of his employees have rejected the outside offers, and some "wouldn't even talk to Mark Zuckerberg," he said.

"This was a unifying moment for the company where we didn't give in," Amodei said. "We refuse to compromise our principles because we have the confidence that people are at Anthropic because they truly believe in the mission."

"What they are doing is trying to buy something that cannot be bought," he added.

Mark Zuckerberg highlighted some of Meta's new hires on Wednesday's earnings call.

"We're building an elite, talent-dense team," Zuckerberg said. "I've spent a lot of time building this team this quarter."

Meta and Anthropic did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Bidding war for top AI talent

Amodei's comments come as Big Tech companies are paying top dollar to recruit elite AI talent, a trend that's likened to sports franchises competing for superstar athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo.

The competition reached another level when Meta recruited Scale's CEO, Alexandr Wang, last month as part of a $14.3 billion deal to take a 49% stake in his company. Then, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, said Meta had tried to poach his best employees with $100 million signing bonuses.

Just weeks ago, Google paid $2.4 billion to hire the CEO and top talent of AI startup Windsurf and license its intellectual property. OpenAI had planned to buy Windsurf for $3 billion, but the deal fell apart.

"It's not a hard choice" for the team at Anthropic because "people here are so mission-oriented," the startup's cofounder, Benjamin Mann, said on a recent episode of "Lenny's Podcast."

Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, said on a recent episode of the podcast "Decoder" that Big Tech companies need to ensure that employees are motivated by mission as well as money.

"You're encountering new kinds of challenges. You feel a lot of growth, you're learning new things. And you're getting richer, too, along the way. Why would you want to go just because you have some guaranteed payments?" he said.

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg predicts not wearing smart glasses will become a "cognitive disadvantage."
• Zuckerberg sees glasses as the "ideal form factor" for AI.
• Meta has been ramping up its glasses business by partnering with Ray-Ban and Oakley.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks smart glasses are the future.

During Meta's second-quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg doubled down on the idea that smart glasses will soon become the main way people interact with AI and replace other devices as "primary computing devices."

"I continue to think that glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI," he told investors on Wednesday's call, adding that wearables with cameras, microphones, and displays will unlock new levels of utility.

"I think in the future, if you don't have glasses that have AI or some way to interact with AI, I think you'd probably be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage compared to other people," Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg's bullish sentiments on AI wearables echo his letter earlier in the day, which predicted the rise of "personal superintelligence."

"Personal superintelligence that knows us deeply, understands our goals, and can help us achieve them will be by far the most useful," wrote Zuckerberg in the letter published on Meta's blog.

Meta has been ramping up its wearables business with its Ray-Ban smart glasses and a recent partnership with Oakley. The devices let users stream music, take photos, record video, and ask Meta's chatbot about what they're seeing.

Sales have been "accelerating," according to the earnings report, and helped drive a revenue increase of nearly 5% for the Reality Labs division.

Meta has also been investing billions in acquiring AI talent, often from competing companies with jaw-dropping offers. Zuckerberg invested $15 billion in Scale AI to bring its CEO, Alexandr Wang, into the fold and lured at least four employees from OpenAI, one of whom is a co-creator of ChatGPT.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Microsoft's top finance executive sent an internal email to workers calling for "intensity" in 2026.
• Last week, another memo from the CEO attempted to explain big job cuts in the midst of huge profit.
• On Wednesday, Microsoft reported a quarterly profit of $27 billion.

Microsoft employees should strap in for another year of "intensity," according to the software giant's top finance executive.

Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood sent an email to employees on Wednesday after the company reported a $27 billion quarterly profit, telling them the year ahead will require "intensity, clarity, and bold execution."

Hood sends out these emails every quarter when Microsoft discloses its financials. Her missives mostly rehash what the company reports publicly, such as how revenue and profit are growing.

Sometimes, though, Hood's emails provide insight into what the company's top executives deem most important and what they want employees to know.

This time, Hood highlighted updates she said were personal "reminders of the scale and importance of the product and services our customers count on us to deliver." She noted that Azure revenue reached more than $75 billion — the first time the company has disclosed this number — and grew 34%.

What perhaps stood out most was Hood's message to employees, reiterating priorities for the upcoming year, and citing a memo from CEO Satya Nadella last week.

"We're entering FY26 with clear priorities in security, quality, and Al transformation, building on our momentum and grounded in our mission and growth-mindset culture," Hood wrote, mentioning Nadella's email. "Both the pace of change and customer expectations are continuously accelerating."

Hood's email, notably, did not mention Microsoft's recent workforce cuts, which have exceeded 10,000 this year even as profit swells. Nadella's email last week attempted to explain this "seeming incongruence" as the "enigma of success." Some employees weren't satisfied with the explanation.

Hood's email expanded on Nadella's thoughts by telling employees the upcoming fiscal year will require "intensity," which has become a buzzword in the tech industry as companies dial up performance pressure and make significant workforce cuts.

"FY26 will require intensity, clarity, and bold execution," Hood wrote. "I'm excited about what we'll accomplish together as we lead in this next frontier of innovation — driving impact at scale for every customer, every partner, and every community we serve around the world."

Microsoft did not comment on Hood's memo.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at +1-425-344-8242. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Shannon Sharpe isn't returning to ESPN.
• The NFL Hall of Famer settled a lawsuit accusing him of rape in mid-July.
• Sharpe also hosts the "Club Shay Shay" and "Nightcap" podcasts, which are not part of ESPN.

ESPN is cutting ties with Shannon Sharpe after he settled a lawsuit earlier this month that accused him of rape, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to Business Insider.

The media personality and NFL Hall of Famer stepped away from ESPN in late April, when a lawsuit was filed against him by a woman referred to anonymously as "Jane Doe." The lawsuit sought $50 million in damages and alleged that Sharpe raped Doe, among other claims. Doe said in the suit that their relationship began as "rocky but consensual."

Representatives for Sharpe didn't immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Sharpe denied the lawsuit's allegations, calling them "false and disruptive" in an April 24 statement. He said the "relationship in question was 100% consensual" and agreed to temporarily step back from ESPN. Sharpe had said he planned to return to ESPN for the NFL preseason, which begins Thursday night. The Athletic first reported that he wouldn't return to ESPN.

Doe's lawyer announced on July 18 that the case had been settled. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Sharpe joined ESPN in September 2023 and became a regular on ESPN's "First Take," headlined by Stephen A. Smith. Before that, Sharpe spent seven years at Fox Sports, where he cohosted the "Undisputed" sports debate show with Skip Bayless, Smith's former costar.

Sharpe isn't leaving media entirely.

He still hosts the "Club Shay Shay" and "Nightcap" podcasts, each of which posted new episodes just hours before the news of his ESPN departure broke. Those podcasts are on The Volume network, founded by Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd.

• A healthy heart age is key to longevity, and most Americans are aging faster than expected.
• A cardiologist said understanding your heart age can help you reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Try a free online calculator to find your heart age. Improve it with simple habits like daily walking.

Your heart could be older than you think, limiting your potential lifespan by up to a decade. But a cardiologist says a few simple lifestyle changes could help.

New research from Northwestern University School of Medicine shows the average American's heart health makes them four to seven years older than their calendar age.

That's because of risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sedentary routines, driving up their risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US.

You can check your own heart age for free online using a test developed by Northwestern researchers.

If you don't like what you see, incorporating daily habits like regular exercise can improve your heart age, said Dr. Sadiya Khan, a preventive cardiologist and professor of cardiovascular epidemiology who led the team that developed the calculator.

"As we think about our growing, aging population, some people age faster than others, and slowing that down can have a lot of impact for health," Khan told Business Insider.

How to tell if your heart is healthy

Usually, doctors measure heart health in percentages using your vital signs. For instance, a patient with a 7.5% risk of heart disease is considered intermediate risk.

But that doesn't translate well for the average person.

"It's a challenging piece of information to communicate and grasp. What does it mean to have a risk of 7.5%?" Khan said.

That's why Khan's team made an age predictor. It's easier to come up with a plan for your heart health if you understand in real terms what it means for your life expectancy.

The researchers studied 14,000 adults in the US aged 30 to 79, with no prior history of heart disease. They found that, on average, women's heart health age was about four years older than their chronological age, and men's heart age was about seven years older than their chronological age.

The gap widened for people with a lower income and education level; their heart age was as much as 10 years older than their chronological age.

Khan added a caveat: it's important to note that the calculator is meant to be a more accurate predictor of heart health risk, but it's not designed to be used alone to manage your health. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

"There's no exact number that means people should be alarmed or be concerned, but provide some context for what it means to have a heart age that's five years older or 10 years older," she said.

Simple ways to boost heart health

Knowing your heart health age can help you find simple, actionable steps to potentially boost longevity, Khan said.

"We wanted to be sure it was a tool to motivate heart-healthy behavior," she said. "There are things we already know that can help with your heart age and improve it."

To boost your heart health:

• Stop smoking: If you're a smoker, quitting is the number one change you can make to improve your heart health, Khan said. That's not just tobacco — marijuana has been linked to worse heart health, even in edible form.
• Optimize your workout: Regular physical activity, including low-intensity movement like walking, helps to strengthen your heart, and every added minute counts.
• Get the right macros: Whole foods rich in fiber and healthy fats like omega-3s help support your heart. Avoid processed foods and added sugars.
• Manage your stress: Rest and relaxation are crucial to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol low and prevent strain on your heart.

If you're already young at heart, following the above tips can help you stay that way for years to come.

"If your heart age is a good spot, it's about strategies to maintain it," Khan said.

• Mercedes-Benz says it has paused orders of its electric vehicles in the US.
• Mercedes cited "market conditions" for the decision.
• A Mercedes-Benz representative said he thinks demand for EVs will pick back up in the future.

Mercedes-Benz says it is pausing orders for its electric vehicles as demand wanes among American drivers.

A spokesperson for the German automotive company told Business Insider the decision affects all variants of the EQS Sedan, EQS SUV, EQE Sedan, and the EQE SUV. Vehicles that were scheduled for production before September 1 will still be delivered.

"As a company with global activities and more than 30 plants worldwide, including in Alabama and South Carolina, Mercedes-Benz continuously optimizes its production network and uses its high flexibility to react quickly to market conditions," the spokesperson said. "We continue to assemble all of our models meant for export to global markets, as well as adapt to meet local market demand."

The spokesperson said it cannot say when US order banks for EQ models will reopen "for competitive reasons."

In its Q2 earnings report on Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz said the total unit sales for its battery electric vehicles (BEV) had slipped by almost 25% compared to the same time last year: 45,843 units to 35,027 units.

In 2022, Mercedes-Benz began manufacturing two all-electric vehicle models — the EQS SUV and EQE SUV — at its Alabama plant. In 2023, it also added the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.

The company's decision to pause orders comes after President Donald Trump's spending bill, which he signed into law this month, eliminated the $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicles. Industry experts previously warned that axing the tax incentive could make EVs unaffordable, affecting companies like Tesla, Cadillac, and Chevrolet. The tax incentive will end on September 30.

EV sales in North America rose just 5% in the first four months of 2024, compared to 25% in Europe and 35% in China, according to EV research firm Rho Motion.

During Wednesday's earnings call, a Mercedes-Benz Group representative said he thinks American interest in electric vehicles will rebound over time.

"In spite of the announcement that they would take the 7,500 credit away, we don't believe that the BEV demand in the United States goes to zero," he said. "We still think that the medium to long-term adoption rate of BEVs in the US will creep upward. Maybe it will creep upward slower than if the previous regulatory trajectory had been kept in place, but nevertheless, we believe in the mid to long term it will creep upward."

• Microsoft reported its fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday.
• Shares in the tech giant jumped after earnings came in above estimates.
• CEO Satya Nadella said that cloud and AI continue to drive the company's growth.

Microsoft isn't slowing down.

The world's second-largest company by market cap reported blockbuster fourth-quarter earnings, sending shares surging so high after hours that the tech giant became a member of the exclusive $4 trillion club.

Shares were up over 9% after hours following Microsoft's strong earnings report. As a result, Microsoft joined Nvidia as the only other company to reach over $4 trillion in market cap.

Microsoft reported fourth-quarter revenue of $76.4 billion and earnings of $3.65. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected quarterly revenue of $73.89 billion and earnings of $3.37 per share.

CEO Satya Nadella said that cloud and AI continue to fuel the company's growth.

"Cloud and AI is the driving force of business transformation across every industry and sector," Nadella said in a statement. "We're innovating across the tech stack to help customers adapt and grow in this new era, and this year, Azure surpassed $75 billion in revenue, up 34 percent, driven by growth across all workloads."

CFO Amy Hood said during the earnings call that "demand remains higher than supply" as Microsoft races to bring more data centers online.

Wednesday's earnings look different than those in the past. That's because for the first time, Microsoft detailed the revenue it is making from Azure, its cloud computing platform.

The company was so famously tight-lipped about how much revenue its Azure cloud generates that even former CEO Steve Ballmer once called for more transparency.

Microsoft said it would spend $30 billion in capital expenditures in the coming quarter, more than analysts expected.

"I feel very good that the spend that we're making is correlated to basically contracted, on-the-books business that we need to deliver," Hood said during the earnings call.

Ahead of the release, analysts said that they were paying close attention to Microsoft's capital expenditures, particularly since Google said it would spend $85 billion. Tech companies continue to push capex spending higher amid fierce competition over the future of AI.

• I asked ChatGPT's study mode to help me decide if I would buy my first car.
• Study Mode is meant to guide thinking instead of giving users an answer.
• I was surprised that AI helped me examine my feelings and resist the pressure of car ownership.

For months, I've been paralyzed with indecision every time I walk past a car dealership.

It all started earlier this summer when my partner bought his first car — a five-year-old black Ford Fusion — ahead of a move to Indiana for his Ph.D. program.

Since then, we've both been using the car we named Raven, and I've become used to picking up groceries with ease and leaving home 10 minutes before a dinner party starts. But with him leaving in three weeks and taking Raven along for the ride, I've become overwhelmed with confusion every time I ask myself: Should I buy a car?

So I asked ChatGPT.

And not just any ChatGPT: I chose Study Mode, a new iteration that appeared this week in the toolbar as a book icon. OpenAI says it "helps you work through problems step by step instead of just getting an answer." It can also quiz its users and prompt them to explain their reasoning.

I did not have high hopes, having witnessed many disastrous ChatGPT-generated essays that friends in academia have had to grade. Still, the Study Mode asked me enough well-rounded questions to help me make the unexpected decision to remain car-free.

What I knew before turning to ChatGPT

I live in a co-housing community with a garage to store and charge cars. I also happen to live downtown in a Bay Area city, two blocks away from a Chinatown, where I can find just about any food I need.

Still, having a car would mean not having to frequently turn to Instacart because shopping often overwhelms me. It would mean being able to access our regional park full of redwoods, where there is no cell signal and no chance to Uber back home.

I prefer EVs because they emit less, and I like the peace of mind of knowing that the price of oil, which fluctuates with geopolitics, won't affect my budget as much.

Most of my friends own cars and started sending me their hot takes. I started watching Instagram reels on car recommendations, until they had fully taken over my "For You" page.

Based on those criteria, I found options like a used Nissan Leaf and a pre-owned Tesla.

A used 2017 Nissan Leaf would only have between 50 and 80 miles of range per charge, but it could cost as little as $7,000, not including taxes. Teslas are a more expensive option, but they do have decent range and technologies that compensate for my lack of skills, plus many people are looking to sell.

In my head, I felt like I spent plenty on rides and deliveries to match the convenience a car could provide.

Fortunately, ChatGPT Study Mode explained to me that not only was I wrong, but there was so much more to consider.

Study Mode asked me surprising questions and taught me new concepts

Study Mode started by asking me what level of studies I'm at, to which I explained that I have already gone through grad school, but have other pressing life problems.

I then gave a general description of my circumstances and asked whether I should buy a car.

The AI commended me for making a "thoughtful, not impulsive" decision and explained the concept of being "car poor," meaning buying a fancier car than necessary or having monthly payments cut into other life expenses.

Since I mentioned grocery deliveries and Uber trips, Study Mode then prompted me to think about how many times I use these services a week. I get grocery deliveries about three times a month, plus about two Uber trips and two takeout deliveries a week.

Study Mode crunched the numbers for me. The conveniences I see as indulgences actually cost me around $3,000 a year, but a car would cost me between $6,000 and $8,000 a year, not including the down payment I would need to buy the car.

"Are the extra ~$3,000 — $4,000 per year worth the added freedom and independence? Do you feel anxious or limited without a car?" Study Mode asked.

In bullet points, it asked me about factors I hadn't really thought about before, such as whether I like to go out often, if I enjoy driving, and if I have family who lives far away. It also asked me if I wanted to see a cost breakdown of whether it would be worth it to live further from downtown to lower housing costs, and own a car instead.

As an introvert with no family in this country who mostly spends her weekends with her cat and her next craft project, an answer was beginning to emerge.

But I pushed Study Mode further by asking about the benefits of an EV and if it would actually save me money. The AI gave me a cost breakdown that compared a Chevy Bolt to a fully gas-powered Toyota Corolla, and while the former obviously emits less, it gives me only a marginal amount of savings.

Based on my own investigation, the cost difference between the two cars appears accurate, but the AI vastly undercounts the cost of insuring both types of vehicles by more than 50%. A quote on Geico for a 2022 Chevy Bolt and a Toyota Corolla made the same year would both amount to more than $450 a month in premiums.

As alternatives to an EV, the AI asked me to consider if carpooling with friends and renting cars when I truly need them would be better options for my wallet and for the environment.

It also said buying a three-year-old car is optimal because that is when depreciation slows down and before maintenance costs start to rise.

Study Mode said the bottom line was that if I really, really, still wanted a car, it would suggest a 2022 Chevy Bolt.

Still, I think I'll pass, because to answer one of the AI's previous questions: no, I don't enjoy driving. I will save myself the fear of freeways and the panic of not being able to parallel park, and continue my car-free life.

My next question to ChatGPT will be what kind of bike I should get.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Ina Garten has a quick Bolognese pasta that she says is perfect for busy weeknights.
• The dish includes ground sirloin, orecchiette pasta, dry red wine, and fresh basil leaves.
• Garten's Bolognese only took 30 minutes and was packed with so much delicious flavor.

Ina Garten has always been my go-to when it comes to pasta. I've tried so many of her recipes that I've even ranked them.

One of my favorites is her weeknight Bolognese, which is super quick and can be easily adapted with whatever's in your pantry and fridge.

The rich and comforting dish was exactly what I needed after a long day. Better yet? I whipped it up in just 30 minutes.

Garten's weeknight Bolognese is made with ground sirloin, orecchiette, and dry red wine.

To make Garten's weeknight Bolognese for 4-5, you'll need:

• 1 pound of dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells
• 1 pound of lean ground sirloin
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 ¼ cups of dry red wine, divided
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

When it comes to the canned tomatoes, it should be noted that Garten strongly recommends using the San Marzano variety. The "Barefoot Contessa" star is not a fan of plain canned tomatoes.

But Garten does allow for other adjustments. The point, after all, is for this recipe to be pantry-friendly.

You can substitute the sirloin for any ground meat or chopped mushrooms. Garten says it's also fine to "use any dried pasta that you like" for this dish, and that it's OK to skip the cream and basil if you don't have any on hand.

Before I started making the Bolognese sauce, I just needed to do a little prep.

I minced my garlic and chopped my basil.

Then, I began making the Bolognese sauce.

I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and added my meat to the pan.

I used a wooden spoon to crumble the meat, stirring it occasionally. Garten's recipe recommends cooking the meat for five to seven minutes, until it's no longer pink.

After the meat had fully browned, I added my seasonings.

I threw in my minced garlic, along with the dried oregano and red pepper flakes.

It was time for some wine!

After letting the seasoned meat cook for one minute, I poured 1 cup of red wine into the skillet.

Garten's recipe specifies using a dry red wine. A quick Google search showed that I could pick a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot — I went with a pinot.

After pouring the wine, I used my wooden spoon to stir everything together.

Then, I added my San Marzano tomatoes and tomato paste.

I couldn't find crushed San Marzano tomatoes at my local supermarket, so I had to get peeled ones instead. I ran the tomatoes through a food processor before I threw them into the pan, but you could easily use your hands.

After adding the tomato paste, I seasoned everything with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I gave everything a good stir, then brought my sauce to a boil.

Once it began to bubble, I lowered the heat and allowed the pan to simmer for 10 minutes while I got a separate pot of water going for my pasta. (Don't forget to add salt!)

As the noodles cooked, I put the finishing touches on my sauce.

I added fresh basil leaves, along with the nutmeg and heavy cream.

I let my sauce simmer for another 10 minutes while I waited for my pasta to turn al dente.

The sauce smelled delicious and had turned into a comforting deep-red color.

After 10 minutes, the pasta was ready.

I used a slotted spoon to transfer the shells to my sauce.

Per Garten's instructions, I made sure to save my pasta water.

I added another ¼ cup of the red wine and a few spoonfuls of my pasta water.

Then, I started mixing everything together.

After another minute of cooking, the pasta was ready. It looked glorious — and tasted even better.

Bolognese is my favorite type of pasta, so I had some pretty high hopes going into this — and Garten delivered.

The "Barefoot Contessa" star has a knack for giving classic recipes a new twist, and her weeknight Bolognese is no exception. The shells are the perfect vehicle for this dish, catching all of the flavorful sauce so you can have some in every bite.

The nutmeg in the Bolognese nicely balances the kick from the red pepper flakes, and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese I added on top melted beautifully into the warm sauce.

My family, who helped me test the recipe, only had rave reviews.

"It's a very meaty, very hearty pasta," my dad said. "Perfect."

"I really enjoy how the pasta holds onto the sauce," my sister added. "With every spoonful, you get a good amount of meat and a good amount of pasta."

I'll definitely be adding Ina's weeknight Bolognese (along with her five-cheese penne pasta) to my comfort-food repertoire.

• When I was pregnant with my fourth child, I found out he had a life-threatening heart defect.
• He had his first surgery at 5 days old, and I wasn't able to hold him for 55 days.
• A stranger said the words I needed to hear until my son was able to come home.

When I was five months pregnant with my fourth child, I found out I was having a boy — my first after three daughters. I was elated. But that moment of joy quickly blurred into fear when doctors also told me he had only one functioning kidney and a life-threatening heart defect called aortic stenosis. His heart wasn't pumping blood properly. The outlook wasn't good.

Every specialist I saw repeated the same idea: That's a big surgery for such a tiny body. As the pregnancy progressed, the condition worsened. They told me they would try to keep him inside for as long as possible to let him grow stronger, but at 38 weeks, they decided to induce me.

They said if he cried at birth, I'd get to hold him briefly. He let out a cry — a strong one — but I only saw his face for about a second before they whisked him away. He was transported to another hospital where they'd prepare him for open-heart surgery. I was too weak to sit up, so I asked a nurse to take a photo so I could see what he looked like after they cleaned him up and were about to load him into the ambulance. He was beautiful.

I didn't get to hold him for 55 days after that.

On day 5, he had open-heart surgery

Levi was born on October 18, 2023. His surgery took place five days later, on October 23. That was, without question, the most stressful day of my life.

At the time, I was freelancing. In theory, I had the freedom to work on my own schedule. But there was no schedule anymore — just fear, doctor's updates, and daily NICU visits. I couldn't focus. I could barely reply to emails. I eventually reached out to my editor and explained that I was emotionally unavailable and needed to step back. I expected silence and maybe a well wish or two. Instead, she told the CEO of the company about what was going on.

And he did something I'll never forget — he started a fundraiser to help us through that time. He didn't share my name, just a picture of Levi and a short version of our story. Donations started pouring in. Strangers left messages of encouragement, prayers, and hope. Within a week, over $10,000 had been raised.

It was humbling. I remember sitting with tears in my eyes, grateful that someone — many people — cared. I emailed some of the donors to thank them. One woman responded kindly, and I sent her a photo of Levi in return. She replied with a message that would become a lifeline for me in the months to come:

"Levi will be home, and he will heal well, and you will be loving him up soon. Of that I am sure."

I didn't know how much I needed those words until they became my anchor

What stood out wasn't just the sentiment — it was the certainty. That confidence from a stranger, spoken without hesitation, felt like a warm blanket wrapped around a shivering soul. It reminded me that sometimes, even when things are falling apart, someone else's belief can keep you stitched together.

Because things did fall apart.

Levi didn't wake up a few days after surgery like many babies do. He was hooked up to tubes and surrounded by machines for weeks. The left side of his heart, which had been compromised from the start, remained weak. Then the right side began failing. He developed two blood infections, then thrombosis in his groin and neck. Fluid built up around his heart and lungs. The complications were relentless. Every step forward was followed by another setback. I began to fear that maybe we wouldn't get the storybook ending.

And yet, that stranger's words echoed in my mind.

I repeated them to myself like a mantra on long rides to the hospital, on tear-streaked days when doctors couldn't give answers, on quiet nights when I'd sit with my girls and pretend everything was normal. Her assurance carried me when I had nothing left to hold onto. That confidence became mine.

He came home

The first time I held him — really held him — was 55 days after he was born. I had dreamt of that moment, but nothing could've prepared me for the wave of emotion that hit. I didn't want to let go. I finally had my son in my arms. He smelled like hospital soap and baby lotion and something uniquely his. I cried, and I smiled, and I told him I was proud of how strong he was.

As the weeks passed and Levi slowly began to heal, I stayed close. I held him through setbacks and celebrated every little win: a removed tube, a better scan, a good day with no new alarms. And then, one day, it was over. No more timed visits. No more sterile gowns and masks. Just me, my baby boy, and the chance to love him freely, just like she said I would.

When we were finally discharged, I wrote that stranger again: "He made it. He's coming home."

She responded with joy, and we still exchange messages now and then. I send her updates, photos, and a small window into the life she had faith he would eventually have.

In a world that can often feel indifferent or rushed, her words were a stillness. They were a pause, a gift, even. She didn't have to say anything at all, but she did. And what she said mattered more than she'll ever know.

• I took my first cruise ever in 2022 — a seven-day voyage on a mega cruise ship in the Caribbean.
• I found the reality of cruising didn't match my expectations from social media and promotional ads.
• I spent much of my time battling crowds, waiting in lines, and sitting on hot tour buses.

In April 2022, I sunbathed in a loud, crowded pool area when I was lucky enough to find a chair. I spent more time waiting in lines than I had anticipated, and I saw much of the Caribbean from behind other people's heads.

I was on my first-ever cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. The seven-day Caribbean voyage on a mega-ship took me round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to port stops in Honduras, Mexico, and the Bahamas. I was hoping for a week of breathtaking views between relaxing afternoons by the pool and exciting port excursions.

But my experience didn't quite meet my expectations.

The disappointment started before I was even on the cruise.

My trip began with a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the night before my cruise, and a stay at a budget hotel near my departure port.

When I arrived at my port city's airport, I waited 45 minutes for a hotel shuttle to pick me up.

This was the first of many crowded bus rides during my trip. Looking back, I wish I had called a cab — especially since the next morning, I piled into a hot bus with several other cruise guests as I headed to the port.

There was a long line to get inside the cruise terminal, and I should have known by this point that I'd stand in many more lines during my cruise.

Inside the cruise terminal, there was another long line to get through security. While I waited, I chuckled to myself as I read signs that said, "Adventure begins here."

Once aboard the ship, I was excited to view the ocean as we sailed away, but I was blocked by tall, thick glass and couldn't find a place to stand.

My obstructed view of the ship leaving Fort Lauderdale was as frustrating as standing behind tall patrons at a concert.

The ship was so large that I got lost several times during my stay.

But I found the maps on each floor to be helpful.

As I explored the ship, I was surprised that even one as large as the Wonder of the Seas could feel overcrowded.

While people seemed to enjoy themselves, many communal decks looked and felt like crowded malls.

The outdoor decks had three large pools and several plunge and whirlpools. These spaces were crowded throughout the day. And even though there were rules against saving chairs with towels, I saw plenty of people doing it, so finding a spot to relax was stressful.

A Royal Caribbean representative told Business Insider that crew members might remove items from lounge chairs after 30 minutes. Still, they must also consider families and groups who may be in the pool or going to the restroom when enforcing rules like these, using their best judgment.

There were crowds and lines virtually everywhere I went.

From the cruise ship buffet to activities like water slides and mini-golf, I felt like I spent more time waiting in line than enjoying the ship. For example, I waited in line for three hours to play a round of laser tag that was less than 20 minutes long.

At port stops, I waited in lines to go through security every time I left and returned to the ship. This wait time was less annoying than the other lines because it made me feel safer.

The lines continued at each port, crowded with others excited to begin their tours.

I often had to battle through crowds just to find signs for my excursions.

It was exciting to explore new places at each stop, though some of this exploration was from the window of another hot bus.

The Royal Caribbean rep told BI that the cruise line worked with local tour operators for its excursions, so air conditioning standards varied.

And when I was finally doing the cool thing I booked, like walking across a suspension bridge amid the treetops, my view was blocked once more by everyone else who booked the tour, too.

I hoped to capture an empty image of this majestic jungle bridge, but it wasn't possible without losing my tour crew.

According to a crew member I overheard, roughly 5,000 other people were aboard the ship, so I understand why the cruise felt so crowded.

The most enjoyable parts of my cruise were early morning walks on the top deck before other cruisers swarmed in. I think that if I were to book a less crowded cruise next time, I might like it more.

• When my son was a senior in high school, he chose to move in with my 77-year-old mom.
• He doesn't have to worry about paying rent in our expensive city, and he's gained independence.
• My mom likes having help with chores, and his moving out has been good for him and our relationship.

When I got divorced, my two children and I moved back to the house I owned before I was married, which we'd kept as a rental property.

At 800 square feet, the two-bedroom cottage is ideal for two people, but it's a tight squeeze for three. My 13-year-old son got the smaller bedroom, while my 9-year-old daughter and I shared the larger one.

By the time my son was in high school and my daughter in middle school, they both desperately wanted their own space and more independence.

However, we live in Denver, one of the most expensive cities in the US. Upgrading to a bigger home wasn't an option — and my son couldn't afford his car and rent for his own place on the income from his part-time lifeguarding job.

So, he chose to move in with my 77-year-old mother during his senior year of high school.

Now, he's got more independence without the burden of rent

At my mom's house, my son has a spacious bedroom with a full bath in her finished basement, which includes a laundry, gym, and living room.

By living with his grandmother, he's able to avoid paying rent (and save money) while still having the independence that comes with having his own space.

When he moved in, my mom laid out clear rules and expectations of what he needed to help with around the house.

So far, he's been making dinner for her a few nights a week and helping with cleaning and other items on her to-do list. It's been a great lesson in independence for him, and it's been nice for my mom to have extra help around the house.

The move has also been beneficial to my relationship with my son. We set intentional boundaries that could bridge living at home and being 100% independent.

He doesn't have to coordinate all of his plans with me anymore, but he's also responsible for knowing what needs to be done with his schoolwork and housework and making it happen.

Now, he manages his schedule so he sees his friends plenty — and I'm no longer stressing about nagging him about homework and chores.

My son has also matured in a way that's really surprised me

After a couple of months of this living arrangement, a new confidence emerged in my son's personality and attitude.

As he got closer to graduation, he hit his stride with finishing school, working, saving money, and managing his household responsibilities.

Over several weeks, we were also able to have a lot of mature conversations about what he thought his future would look like.

Through high school, my son was unsure about attending college — he'd simply say he didn't know what he'd major in and didn't want to take out loans for tuition.

After a few months of his newfound independence, though, he was able to share his anxieties about college with me with more clarity and detail and less apathy.

Ultimately, he's decided to attend an affordable local community college in the fall and transfer to a university next year. I'm pleasantly surprised by how he was able to make such an important, mature choice on his own.

All in all, this unconventional living situation has been great

Even though this living arrangement is unconventional, it's been a game changer for all of us.

My son has gained so much independence. We've also improved our relationship, taking space as needed and coming together for meaningful conversations about his future.

And, of course, it's been helpful for my mom on a practical level.

Based on this experience, I'd encourage parents to think outside the box when it comes to living arrangements that an older teen might benefit from.

My son has been thriving after having a taste of what it means to live on his own as an adult — and, at my house, my daughter is thrilled to finally have her own space to decorate.

• A gunman's shooting rampage at a Manhattan office tower left four people dead.
• The victims include a police officer, a real estate exec, a Cornell grad, and a security guard.
• Here are glimpses of the lives they lived before the shooting at 345 Park Avenue.

A police officer, a real estate power player, a top Cornell University grad, and a security guard.

These are victims who were fatally gunned down on Monday when a man with an assault rifle stormed into a Midtown Manhattan office tower at the workday's end and opened fire.

Public figures, employers, and educational institutions have reacted to the victims' deaths in statements and on social media. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in an X post on Wednesday, "Our city mourns each of these innocent lives taken from their families and communities far too soon."

Here's how some who knew the men and women killed at 345 Park Avenue remember them:

Didarul Islam, 36

Islam, an NYPD officer with less than four years on the job, was off-duty at the time of the shooting, but was instead working a paid security detail at the building that's home to major financial institutions and the NFL's headquarters.

The married father of two, with a third child on the way, was one of the first people shot in the attack, city officials said.

Islam was an immigrant from Bangladesh and served in the department's 47th Precinct. He was hailed as a hero by city officials in the aftermath of the shooting.

"He put himself in harm's way. He made the ultimate sacrifice, shot in cold blood, wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to this city. He died as he lived — a hero," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Wesley LePatner, 43

LePatner, a mother of two, was a star executive in the real estate business for the private equity giant Blackstone, which was headquartered in the building.

She served as the $1.2 trillion firm's global head of Core+ real estate and the CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, the company's real estate fund for individual investors.

The 11-year Blackstone veteran was known at the firm for championing women, developing mentorship opportunities at the company.

Blackstone, in a statement, said LePatner "was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone."

The LePatner family called her the "most loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and relative, who enriched our lives in every way imaginable."

Julia Hyman, 27

Hyman, a Manhattan native, was a distinguished 2020 graduate of the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Late last year, Hyman began working as an associate for the property firm Rudin Management, which owns 345 Park Avenue and has its headquarters on the 33rd floor.

The dean of Cornell's hotel school, Kate Walsh, told The Cornell Daily Sun that Hyman was an "extraordinary student whose academic achievements and intellectual curiosity made a lasting impression."

"She exemplified the drive and excellence we strive to cultivate at the Nolan School," Walsh said.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said in a statement that the university is "devastated for Julia's friends and family, including her parents and sister Ali," also a Cornell grad.

Rudin Management referred to Hyman as a "cherished" colleague in a statement and called the shooting a "senseless tragedy."

Aland Etienne, 46

Etienne, a father of two, was working as a security guard in the lobby of the Manhattan high-rise at the time of the shooting.

He was shot by the gunman while taking cover behind a security desk just as the shooter made his way to the elevator bank and before the attacker traveled up to the 33rd floor, the NYPD commissioner said.

Etienne's brother, Gathmand, said in a post on Facebook that his sibling was "more than just a brother."

"He was a father, a son, and a light in our lives," Gathmand said. "Our hearts are shattered."

In a statement, Manny Pastreich, the president of the 32BJ SEIU union, which Etienne belonged to, called Etienne "a dedicated security officer who took his job duties extremely seriously."

"Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such," Pastreich added.

Rudin Management called Etienne a "beloved" employee.

• The Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady, aligning with market expectations.
• Strong job growth and rising inflation likely influenced the Fed's decision to maintain rates.
• Two Fed governors dissented from the decision, preferring lower rates.

America's central bank is once again holding interest rates steady, although two Fed governors disagreed with the move in a rare departure from the committee's typical unanimity.

The Federal Open Market Committee announced Wednesday that it will not cut its benchmark rate, holding for the fifth time this year. It's a decision in line with forecasts: CME FedWatch, which anticipates interest-rate changes based on market moves, had projected a 96.9% chance of a hold in July. The Fed said in its July 30 statement that strong jobs numbers and a recent uptick in inflation contributed to the call.

Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle W. Bowman dissented from the hold decision, saying they preferred a rate cut.

"What you want from everybody, and also from a dissenter, is a clear explanation of what you're thinking and what your argument is, and we had that today," Chair Jerome Powell said at the press conference. "It was a good meeting, and people really thought about this."

Powell added that "the majority of the committee" believes that current inflation and employment markers call for "moderately restrictive policy for now."

The chair said that the US is in a "solid position" economically, and the labor market is in balance. There's a slowing supply of jobs and demand for workers, contributing to a historically-low unemployment rate, he said. And, while Powell said the full impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs "remain to be seen," he said the price of many consumer goods are rising, which is a contrast from easing inflation on service prices.

"If we cut rates too soon, maybe we didn't finish the job with inflation. History is dotted with examples of that," Powell said. "And if we cut too late, maybe we're doing unnecessary damage to the labor market. We're trying to get that timing right."

Fed policy has gotten pushback from the Trump administration

While there's still time for the Fed's two penciled-in cuts in 2025, some economists and Trump administration leaders hoped for a change sooner rather than later. They've put the central bank — and Powell — in the hot seat.

President Donald Trump has consistently pushed for Powell to cut rates, writing in a July 8 Truth Social post that "'Too Late' Jerome Powell," "has been whining like a baby about non-existent Inflation for months, and refusing to do the right thing. CUT INTEREST RATES JEROME — NOW IS THE TIME!" Trump has also suggested removing and replacing Powell before the end of his tenure next year, though Wall Street leaders and top CEOs have warned that changing the Fed's leadership could have significant market consequences.

Trump's cabinet members have echoed his criticisms. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview last week that the Fed is "fear-mongering over tariffs," and "I think that what we need to do is examine the entire Federal Reserve institution and whether they have been successful." Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that Powell is "doing the worst job" and "I don't know why he's torturing America this way. Our rates should be lower."

Waller, the dissenting Fed governor, also pushed for a rate cut ahead of Wednesday's meeting: "With inflation near target and the upside risks to inflation limited, we should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate."

The Fed's play to keep rates steady is a response to key indicators of economic health. The US labor market exceeded expectations by adding 147,000 jobs in June — due mostly to growth in the healthcare and hospitality sectors — and unemployment cooled to 4.1%. Consumer sentiment and retail spending are making a small recovery from early summer dips, and GDP rose more than expected this month. Inflation climbed to 2.7% in June from 2.4% in May, moving further from the Fed's 2% goal. Keeping rates unchanged is a strategy to curb further inflation while the Fed still sees positive momentum in the job market, Powell said.

Powell has also said that he's watching Trump's tariff agenda closely. The White House's next planned tariff deadline is August 1, which could place new levies on top trade partners. The president struck a deal with the European Union earlier this week, which sets a 15% tariff on most imported European goods, a reduction from Trump's planned 30% tariff.

The Fed chair emphasized at Wednesday's press conference that his top priorities are to promote maximum US employment and stable prices, regardless of politics and policy.

"The credibility of the Fed on price stability is very, very important. People believe that we will bring inflation down," he told Congress last month, adding, "That credibility once lost is very expensive to regain."

Going forward, Powell said he is thinking about the reliability of the economic data. These concerns come as the White House's DOGE office continues to cut staff and agency budgets across the federal government.

"The government data really is the gold standard in data," he said. "We need it to be good and to be able to rely on it. We're not going to able to substitute that. We'll have to make due what what we have, but I really hope we have what we need."

• Some High Noon alcoholic beverages were mislabeled as Celsius energy drinks.
• A can supplier mistakenly sent Celsius cans to High Noon, according to an FDA recall notice.
• No illnesses or "adverse events" have been reported as a result of the mistake.

Some Celsius drinkers looking for an afternoon energy boost might've accidentally gone straight to happy hour instead.

Some cans of High Noon vodka seltzer were mislabeled as Celsius energy drinks, according to a recall notice from High Noon posted on the Food and Drug Administration's website on Tuesday.

The alcoholic beverages were incorrectly labeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Sparkling Blue Razz Edition, according to the notice. The mistake happened after a supplier to the two brands sent empty Celsius cans to High Noon.

"Consumption of the liquid in these cans will result in unintentional alcohol ingestion," according to the FDA notice.

No "adverse events" or consumer illnesses have been reported, the notice reads.

"We are working with the FDA, retailers, and distributors to proactively manage the recall to ensure the safety and well-being of our consumers," a spokesperson for High Noon said.

The recall affects some beverages sold in High Noon Beach Variety 12-packs. The mislabeled beverages were shipped between July 21 and July 23 and reached Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

• Reid Hoffman says Democrats have themselves to blame for Silicon Valley's shift toward Donald Trump.
• He told Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale that attacks on crypto and Big Tech drove some in tech away.
• Hoffman also expressed frustration that Texas is more amenable to autonomous vehicles than California.

Reid Hoffman said it's not surprising that some of his Silicon Valley pals have left the Democratic Party.

"I regret this and wish it didn't happen, but I think the Democratic Party really did alienate a section of Silicon Valley and the tech people, whether it was attacks on crypto, whether it was kind of just attacks on Big Tech, all these things," Hoffman told Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale on a recent episode of Lonsdale's "American Optimist" podcast.

A Democratic megadonor, Hoffman, spent billions trying to help Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, only to see some of his former collaborators, including Elon Musk, go all out for Donald Trump. Hoffman said some in tech began to see Democrats as wanting to snuff out innovation.

"One of the things that I think Silicon Valley shares is this like deep view that the way you make massive progress for humanity is creating scale technologies," Hoffman said. "And the principal way of creating scale technologies is companies, and so if you're attacking that and limiting it, then you have all kinds of problems."

Hoffman expressed frustration that, despite being the cradle of tech, California's regulatory environment makes it difficult for companies to pursue some innovations. He pointed to Aurora Innovation, a now publicly traded autonomous trucking company that Hoffman's Greylock invested in, as an example. In May, Aurora said it had successfully tested a driverless commercial truck on I-45 in Texas.

"I mean, look, so Aurora, a company headquartered in California, but, of course, in the modern regulatory environment, where are we driving our first heavy-duty trucks? Texas, of course," Hoffman said.

Hoffman said he sends everyone he talks to a copy of Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's bestseller "Abundance" because it shows that Republican-led states have better policies for things like autonomous vehicles and construction.

"Abundance, while you could argue that it's written from a progressive standpoint, is very clearly there are a bunch of things that red states are doing better than blue states, and we should learn from them," Hoffman said. "We should do them."

• Pamela Anderson has found love many times in her life.
• She and her "The Naked Gun" co-star Liam Neeson sparked dating rumors while promoting their film.
• Here's a look back at her romantic history, from Kid Rock to Julian Assange.

When it comes to falling in love, few in Hollywood can match Pamela Anderson.

Since the late 1980s, Anderson has been linked to hard rockers, surfers, and even Julian Assange.

Most recently, Anderson, 58, sparked dating rumors with her "The Naked Gun" costar Liam Neeson, 73. The two played coy about their offscreen relationship while appearing on "Today" to promote the movie, but according to People, the stars are in a "budding romance."

Reps for Anderson and Neeson did not respond to a request for comment.

Here's a look back at Anderson's dating history.

Jon Peters

In the late 1980s, Anderson dated "Batman" producer Jon Peters. They then rekindled their relationship in 2019 and reports claimed they'd married in a private ceremony in 2020. Twelve days later, Anderson told The Hollywood Reporter that the marriage paperwork was never formalized and that the two were going their separate ways. In a 2024 interview, Anderson again denied that she and Peters ever married, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "it was just a funny moment."

Scott Baio

During Anderson's Playboy modeling days, she dated Baio, who got her one of her first acting gigs as a guest star on his hit show, "Charles in Charge."

Bret Michaels

Anderson's attraction to bad boy rockers started with Michaels, but she and the Poison frontman only lasted a year.

Kelly Slater

Anderson dated her "Baywatch" costar on and off for years beginning in the mid-1990s and up until she became smitten by another hard rocker.

Tommy Lee

When Anderson met Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in 1995, she thought she'd found her soulmate. Four days after meeting, they married; they went on to have two children together.

Anderson and Lee's three-year-relationship quickly became a focus of the tabloids. When their sex tape was leaked to the public, they catapulted into pop-culture infamy. The sex tape saga would go on to become the basis of the 2022 Hulu limited series "Pam & Tommy."

The two tried to rekindle their relationship in the early 2000s, but it didn't last.

Marcus Schenkenberg

After Tommy Lee, Anderson had a very brief romance with this male model from 2000 to 2001.

Kid Rock

Anderson nabbed another bad boy rocker in 2001. She and Kid Rock were briefly engaged during their two years together. They married in 2006, but divorced less than a year later.

Laurence Hallier

Anderson and real-estate mogul Hallier dated for five years. They split in 2010, which resulted in them both suing each other over projects they were involved in.

Rick Salomon

Anderson's third (and fourth) husband is someone who has been close to her for years. She and the professional poker player first married in 2007; that only lasted a year. They tried again in 2014, but again, for only a year.

Jamie Padgett

Between marriages with Salomon, Anderson briefly dated this surfer.

Julian Assange

In 2017, at the height of Assange's political asylum inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Anderson had a fling with the WikiLeaks founder.

Adil Rami

Anderson's relationship with the French soccer pro ended messy, as she accused Rami of infidelity and abuse.

Dan Hayhurst

Anderson's last marriage was to her former bodyguard. They tied the knot on Christmas Eve in 2020. The two divorced in 2022.

Liam Neeson

Anderson and Neeson had never met before costarring in "The Naked Gun." Rumors that they were dating began to swirl when the two began doing press for the movie in July 2025.

While appearing on "Today," the two were asked about the dating rumors.

"It's like, 'Oh, this is nice. Let's not mold this. Let's just let it breathe,'" Neeson said. "And that's what we did."

The same day they were on "Today," People reported that the two are dating. A source told the outlet: "It's a budding romance in the early stages. It's sincere, and it's clear they're smitten with each other."

• A bill to ban politicians from trading stocks just passed a key Senate committee.
• Lawmakers would have to sell off stocks starting next term, and the VP and president in 2029.
• Trump condemned the bill, saying it could be used against him.

A bill to ban politicians from trading stocks in office moved one step closer to a vote — but only after an hour of intense argument and insults between Republicans.

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed the bill on an 8-7 vote.

All Democrats voted for it, while every Republican voted against it except one: Josh Hawley of Missouri, who sponsored the bill.

It is unclear when or if the bill would become law — the next step would be a Senate vote. But hours after the bill passed, Trump condemned Hawley in a Truth Social post and said that the bill could be used to target him.

"I don't think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the 'whims' of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!" Trump wrote.

Trump had previously said he would sign a congressional stock trading ban into law, and earlier on Wednesday, he had told reporters that he liked Hawley's bill "conceptually."

The legislation is broadly similar to a bill that passed the same committee last summer, but never received a Senate floor vote.

This version would ban members of Congress, the president, and the vice president from buying stocks immediately upon enactment, and would block them from selling stocks beginning 90 days after that.

It would then require lawmakers to divest entirely from their stock holdings at the beginning of their next term, and it would require the president and vice President to do so beginning in 2029 — after President Donald Trump's current term.

It also would not allow for blind trusts, which sets it apart from other similar bills.

"I think we have to accept that the American people think that all of us, Democrats and Republicans, are using our positions and our access to enrich ourselves," Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said during the hearing. "People don't believe that we are here for the right reasons. We have a problem."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that he believes current disclosure laws are sufficient, while House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed cautious support for a ban.

'I'm not a billionaire, unlike others on this committee'

The bill ultimately passed despite the furious objections of several GOP senators on the committee — and tense intraparty debate.

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who was the CEO of a plastics manufacturing company before he was elected to the Senate, argued that the stock divestiture requirements would discourage businesspeople from seeking federal office.

"We make it very unattractive for people to step up to the plate," Johnson said. "This piece of legislation, really, it's legislative demagoguery."

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chairman of the committee, said that existing laws banning insider trading and requiring stock trade disclosures were sufficient, calling Hawley's bill a "solution looking for publicity."

Another key issue was how the bill would apply to the president and vice president — it would block them from buying and selling stocks, but wouldn't force them to divest any holdings during their current terms.

Trump owns individual stocks, while Vance divested from his individual stock holdings during his Senate tenure.

Paul argued that the bill would "protect Donald Trump" by not requiring divestiture before 2029, arguing that provision demonstrated that the bill was "crummy."

Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said the bill was an attack on Vance and Trump.

"Trump has gone through unbelievable hell," Scott told reporters after the hearing, referring to his indictments and impeachments. He said the bill would "allow the Democrats to go after the President of the United States."

Much of the hearing was taken up by Hawley sparring with fellow Republicans on the committee. After Scott raised a question about a provision of the bill applying to illiquid assets, Hawley snapped back at him, pointing out that he supported last year's bill.

"It's the same one you voted for last year," Hawley said.

At one point, during a tense exchange with Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma over the bill's elimination of blind trusts, Hawley made a passing reference to Scott's wealth.

"I practice what I preach. I don't have individual stocks, I don't trade in stocks," Hawley said as Scott sat beside him. "I'm not a billionaire, unlike others on this committee."

Scott, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, is one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Minutes later, he said it was "disgusting" to criticize lawmakers for their wealth.

"I don't know when in this country it became a negative to make money," Scott said as he described his modest upbringing. "This idea that we're going to attack people because they make money is wrong. It's absolutely wrong."

• Jefferies analysts predicted a $50 price increase for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
• The price hike would aim to offset tariff costs, likely affecting Pro and Pro Max models.
• Analysts expect Apple to beat estimates coming off a surge of iPhone demand in May and April.

iPhone panic buyers might've been onto something in April.

If Apple maintains its tradition of introducing a new iPhone lineup in September, Jefferies analysts expect the mysterious iPhone 17 will cost more than its predecessors. In a note published on Wednesday, the analysts predicted a $50 price increase — a 4% to 5% jump from 2024 — to offset the impact of tariffs.

The price hike would likely exclude the base model, Jefferies said, and affect the Pro, Pro Max, and the rumored slimmer iPhone model.

As of Wednesday, the retail price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199.

Jefferies assumes 40% of the iPhone 17 will be made in China for US consumers. If the average cost to build it goes up by $20 to $25, a $50 bump in price "may barely cover the above cost increases."

During its last earnings call, Apple told investors to expect a $900 million tariff hit for the June quarter

Despite the expectation of a price hike over tariff costs, Jefferies analysts expect Apple to report a strong June quarter on Thursday. They think increased demand for iPhones from consumers who feared price hikes drove higher sales.

However, the spike in demand sparked by tariffs in April and May seemed to cool in June, UBS analysts estimated. They expect a softened demand for the iPhone 17 in September.