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Photos of the 5 locations Taylor Swift mentions in her new album, 'The Tortured Poets Department'
Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images
Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," name-drops five locations in the US and UK.Some of these places, like London's The Black Dog pub, have found fame since the album's release.Here's what the five locations look like.Locations in the US and UK are enjoying newfound fame after Taylor Swift referenced them in her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department."
Among them are The Black Dog pub in London and Destin, Florida, which have both seized on their name-drops for self-promotion. Jennifer Adams, Destin-Fort Walton Beach's tourist director, told Thrillist last week: "We've not only seen more searches on Google, but we've had a lot of inquiries into the welcome center."
It's the latest example of "Taylor Swift Effect," where everything the pop star touches has the potential to turn to gold. Earlier this year, Business Insider reported that a small fashion brand in Scotland hit its monthly sales target in one day after Swift wore one of their dresses. When Swift began publicly dating NFL football player Travis Kelce last September, sales of jerseys carrying his name spiked by 400%.
Swifties love buying clothes that Swift wears, ordering her favorite food and drink, and going to places the singer has referenced in her songs, all in an effort to be closer to their idol.
Here are the five new Swiftie landmarks.
Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
The Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan, New York, also known as the "Chelsea Hotel," is mentioned in the chorus of the album's title song:
"You're not Dylan Thomas, I'm not Patti Smith / This ain't the Chelsea Hotel, we're modern idiots."
Built in 1884, the Chelsea Hotel is a bohemian landmark thanks to the numerous famous actors, poets, and writers who have stayed there over the years, from Bob Dylan to Mark Twain.
Stockbyte / Getty Images
Iconic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who died in 1953, and renowned singer-songwriter Patti Smith are among the Chelsea Hotel's famous guests.
In the self-deprecating lyrics, Swift and her lover are not two legendary artists but "modern idiots."
Moment / Getty Images
Verse two of "So Long, London" is thought to reference Hampstead Heath:
"I left all I knew, you left me at the house by the Heath."
Swifties believe "So Long, London" is about her former boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, whom she dated for six years.
The last time Swift wrote a song about the UK city was in her 2019 track "London Boy" from the album "Lover," which is thought to be about Alywn, too.
Moment / Getty Images
Hampstead Heath is an area of greenery in an upmarket area of North London with ties to both stars.
Alwyn, who grew up in North London, told the Evening Standard in 2019 that, after his death, he would like to be cremated and have his ashes "scattered on Hampstead Heath, for all the dog walkers."
In 2023, Rosy Khalastchy, the head of a property agency in North London, told the Evening Standard that Swift was looking for a house in Hampstead Heath.
E+ / Getty Images
Track 8 references the tourist resort of Destin:
"So you work your life away just to pay / For a time-share down in Destin."
In "Florida!!!," Swift and Florence + the Machine's lead vocalist Florence Welch sing about escaping to Florida after a bad breakup.
Swift uses Destin in the pre-chorus as an example of a city where no one will ever recognize her, and she can reinvent herself.
Destin's mayor, Bobby Wagner, was pleased by Swift's mention of his city and shared a picture of a sand sculpture dedicated to the pop star on Instagram.
Moment / Getty Images
Swift could have chosen anywhere to escape to, but she said in an Amazon Music Commentary clip that she was inspired by "Dateline" to choose Florida.
"I'm always watching 'Dateline.' People have these crimes that they commit. Where do they immediately skip town and go to? They go to Florida," she said. "They try to reinvent themselves, have a new identity, blend in."
Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Swifties have been flocking to The Black Dog pub in London, since it was referenced in the first verse of track 17:
"And so I watch as you walk / Into some bar called The Black Dog" and "I just don't understand / How you don't miss me in The Black Dog / When someone plays "The Starting Line."
The term "the black dog" is often used as a metaphor for depression, but Swifties believe the bar in the first verse refers to a small neighborhood pub in South London with the same name, and is about her British exes, Matty Healy or Alwyn.
Ayomikun Adekaiyero
The Black Dog's events and social media manager, Lily Bottomley, told Business Insider on Monday of the interest from Swifties: "It's been a real whirlwind. There's definitely been a massive impact on sales. The Taylor Swift effect can't be underestimated."
She added that the weekend after the album release was their busiest ever, and they hired more staff to handle the new customers.
Moment / Getty Images
On track 29, "The Bolter," Swift sings:
"When it's all roses, portrait poses / Central Park Lake in tiny rowboats / What a charming Saturday."
Swift has visited Central Park numerous times and even performed there twice, in 2010 and 2019.
Russian troops advance and capture large parts of village after apparent Ukrainian blunder left front line unmanned
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS
A mistake by Ukrainian troops appears to have let Russian forces advance and capture large parts of a village.The incident occurred during a rotation between Ukraine's 47th and 115th Mechanized Brigades.It marks the second time a Ukrainian unit has failed on the eastern front in recent weeks.A blunder by Ukrainian troops appears to have allowed Russian forces to advance and capture large parts of a village unopposed.
Russian troops were able to take most of Ocheretyne, northwest of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, after an apparent rotational error involving Ukraine's elite 47th Mechanized Brigade and its 115th Mechanized Brigade.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade was due to be relieved by the 115th along the front line just east of Ocheretyne.
But as the 47th pulled back, Russia's 30th Motor Rifle Brigade attacked, taking advantage of a gap left by the pending arrival of the 115th.
The commander of the 47th, Mykola Melnyk, famed for losing a leg during the summer offensive, wrote on Facebook: "The drastic advancement of the Russians became possible because certain units just fucked off.
"Hope they get retrained as assault troops," he added.
Vadym Chornyy, a spokesperson for the 115th Brigade, told the Financial Times that the allegations were "not true."
"The unit did not abandon its position," he said.
Melnyk said the only reason Russia was unable to continue its advance was because the 47th Brigade rejoined the fight.
"The holes were clogged by those who were planning on taking a break," he said. "The 47th brigade is back in business. Another month and that will make it a year without rotation."
An update on the Ukrainian Deep State website, which tracks changes on the battlefield, showed that Russian forces had captured large parts of the village.
Images shared on Telegram also claimed to show a Russian flag flying over a building in the war-torn village.
Ukrainian Police walk past destroyed buildings and debris during the evacuation of local residents from the village of Ocheretyne on April 15, 2024.AFP/Getty Images
Earlier this week, the think tank the Institute for the Study of War said that Russian forces appeared "to be aiming to make a wide penetration of Ukrainian lines northwest of Avdiivka," but it added that its efforts would likely be hindered by upcoming deliveries of US and Western aid.
The ISW said that attacking Ocheretyne was part of Russia's "operational-level goal of reaching the Donetsk Oblast administrative boundary via Pokrovsk."
It comes after part of Ukraine's 67th Mechanized Brigade was broken up by Ukraine's defense ministry while it was defending Chasiv Yar, a city north of Avdiivka and close to Bakhmut.
David Axe, a military correspondent and blogger, wrote in an article for Forbes that the 67th was broken up due to disputes between its commanding officers, many of whom he said were members of far-right political groups.
Chasiv Yar is a crucial city in the battle for Ukraine's Donetsk region, and capturing it would put Russian forces within striking distance of Ukrainian operational and supply centers in the area.
The commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces said earlier this month that Russian troops had been tasked with capturing Chasiv Yar by May 9.
Frustrated Sephora workers say their makeup freebies and hours are drying up
Izusek/Getty Images, Westend61/ Getty Images, Iryna Veklich/Getty Images, Abanti Chowdhury/BI
Sephora employees have spoken out about a change they said has led to a lack of hours and perks.A new "flex" position means no more guaranteed shifts or free products for them to try at home.It's part of an initiative known as "Project Shift," employees told Business Insider.For years, makeup enthusiasts considered Sephora a "fun" job. But a recent policy change has axed the benefits that many counted on to make it all worth it.
Business Insider spoke to six recent and current Sephora employees who said an initiative called "Project Shift" saw them or their coworkers unexpectedly reclassified as "flex" employees instead of part-time in February.
BI verified their identities and employment at the cosmetics retailer. They asked to be kept anonymous to protect their careers in the beauty industry and within Sephora.
The difference, they said, is that as flex employees, their hours aren't guaranteed. A document viewed by BI showed that they should expect to work between zero and 19 hours a week.
Before, employees said they were divided into full time, part time, and partial part time categories. Under the new rules, those who can't promise three days of availability a week must be classified as flex, according to a document viewed by BI. Those who are available for at least three days are considered part time.
For some now-flex workers, that means they've had to go months between working shifts. For all of them, it means they'll no longer receive the same free makeup products as their part-time and full-time colleagues.
No more freebies
It's known as "training product," or "gratis," and it's a monthly bag of free beauty products that can range from $250 to $1,000 in value.
One former employee — who asked only to be referred to by her first name, Grace — said she received roughly $700 worth of products in her monthly gratis bag during her time as a licensed beauty advisor. Grace left Sephora in the summer of 2023.
For employees earning between $16 and $20 an hour, going home with luxurious serums and concealers made up for the lack of pay, they said.
"Any benefit I have outside of an employee discount has been taken away," a current employee who asked to remain anonymous said.
Multiple employees told BI that May will be the last month that flex workers receive gratis. Typically, gratis is ordered months in advance, but workers who are now classified as flex said that they haven't been asked to request any products for June or later.
When frustrated workers flooded the r/SephoraWorkers forum, a photo of a poster was uploaded that depicted the benefits flex employees earned compared to their coworkers.
In a statement to BI, Sephora said its changes "offered the opportunity to more than 4,160 employees, including part-time employees who previously were not eligible" to have access to health benefits and sick time based on their working hours.
The company confirmed that flex and temporary employees don't receive gratis but said they can get free products from brands who visit their stores.
For one employee, the loss of her monthly gratis prompted her to walk away from Sephora months shy of her 16-year anniversary.
She asked not to be named, but the worker told BI that Sephora "crossed the line" by taking away gratis. After over a decade of working there, she said she witnessed the changes to the company happening over time.
"Over the years, it was all about helping a customer — talking with them about makeup that I love," she said. "Then, it just became so numbers-driven."
'Sell, sell, sell'
And her sentiments were echoed by other employees who viewed Sephora as a fun reprieve from their full time jobs or useful added money and perks.
Many said their hours are nearly nonexistent now.
In one instance, an Ohio-based employee said she works "maybe once every six to eight weeks." Another said she hasn't had a shift at her store since January.
With only their 30% off employee discount left, they said, it's not worth it.
"We're all being pushed to sell, sell, sell," a current employee told BI.
Sephora, which is owned by LVMH, celebrated hitting $10 billion in sales in 2023 by sending out cookies to its store employees in January. The move left some saying they felt unheard by the company.
Weeks later, Project Shift had some getting called into their manager's office to learn they'd also be losing gratis soon.
The Ohio employee continued: "All y'all could do was give us those cookies, and then take our gratis and tell us we're forced to be flex employees?"
One former Sephora employee previously told BI that Sephora had changed from being a dream job for makeup lovers to "just a transaction" after several years. When Project Shift happened, they said it was time to go.
"They should take the f out of Project Shift," the employee who left after 15 years told BI.
Take a look at the superyacht the Jefferies CEO just bought from the Houston Rockets' billionaire owner
Charl van Rooy/SuperYacht Times
Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million of stock — some of which he used to buy a superyacht.He purchased Boardwalk from billionaire friend and client Tilman Fertitta.Here's a look at the multimillion-dollar superyacht.Earlier this week, Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million worth of stock in the investment bank — enough to warrant a press release — partly to buy a yacht from his friend and client, hospitality billionaire and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.
"My sale of shares today was a gift to myself and my family," Handler said in the release.
It's a pretty good gift. The boat in question is a 50-meter superyacht named Boardwalk.
According to the yacht's shipyard, Westport Yachts, the off-market deal was pending as of last month. The sale price isn't public.
Boardwalk, which is currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was originally delivered in 2010. She features a spa pool and helipad on her sun deck, as well as multiple bars and 15 bathrooms, of which at least one has a television. The master cabin has a dressing room and a private study, and there are scooters on board to make getting around easier — and more fun.
The ship's stern features a helipad, and her sun deck has a spa pool.Charl van Rooy/SuperYacht Times
She can fit 12 guests and 12 crew members, according to industry source SuperYacht Times.
"It isn't cheap, I can tell you that. I just love it," Fertitta told a local ABC affiliate in 2017, referring to Boardwalk's $40 million price tag.
While Boardwalk is technically part of "a series" — one of a fleet of boats built by the shipyard of this size and general design — Fertitta made many custom adjustments, adding lights throughout and opening up spaces to create a less formal feel, he told Yachts International in 2011.
Handler has been a guest on the yacht before, landing on its deck via helicopter when it was moored in St. Barts, according to a video posted on Fertitta's Instagram account in 2018.
"It's a shame when you have to pick your friends up to come see you. This is @handlerrich roughin' it to the @boardwalk164," he wrote in the caption.
"It's one of those things that I've always wanted and I'll always have," Fertitta said during the 2017 interview.
While he won't always have this exact boat, Fertitta, who is worth $9.3 billion, per Forbes, will likely always have a yacht and appears to have traded up.
He teased his new, fully custom vessel — a 77-meter giant built by Dutch shipyard Feadship — in 2019. It was delivered in 2021 and is also named Boardwalk.
The new Boardwalk has a more modern design. The gym has a Peloton and a Mirror; there's a sauna and beauty salon; and there are six sit-down bars — appropriate for a hospitality billionaire.
"This takes it to a whole new level," his son, Michael, told Boat International.
Looks like Handler still has something to aspire to.
I stayed in 2 of Arizona's top hotels, and they couldn't have been more different. Take a look.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider, Hermosa Inn
Scottsdale, Arizona, has become a popular destination for luxury travelers.The Phoenician and Hermosa Inn are among Arizona's top luxury hotel offerings.I stayed in both and had two completely different experiences.Arizona is a hot spot for luxury travelers.
The state is known for its award-winning travel offerings, from high-end resorts and spas to pristine golf courses and awe-inspiring desert landscapes, Condé Nast Traveler reported in 2023.
This is especially true in Scottsdale.
In 2022, the city outside Phoenix hosted roughly 11 million tourists, from day trippers to overnight visitors, who spent a total of $3.2 billion, according to the city's Tourism and Events department.
I recently visited the Southwest desert town and stayed at two of Arizona's four-star top hotels — The Phoenician in Scottsdale and the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, a nearby town known as "the Beverly Hills of Arizona."
The Phoenician was named "Arizona's Leading Resort" in the 2023 World Travel Awards. It also received the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Award in 2024 for the 22nd time in a row, according to the hotel's website.
Meanwhile, the Hermosa Inn is a boutique establishment that Travel + Leisure named the best hotel in Arizona in 2023.
I had top-tier VIP experiences at both establishments, but the vibes at each couldn't have been more different. Ultimately, I think they were made for two different vacations.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
From the moment my cab turned into its entrance, the Phoenician felt like a mega-resort. The 600-acre property was dotted with fountains, golfing greens, and several large buildings.
A winding road led to the main building, where the lobby and several accommodations, restaurants, shops, and event spaces were located.
After exploring the entire resort on foot the next day, I got lost on the way back. It took me about 30 minutes to find my room from the far end of the site.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Open since 1998, the luxury Marriott Hotel has gone through several interior renovations. Most recently, the accommodations were redesigned in 2016, and public spaces were revamped in 2018.
The lobby was huge. The warm hues of beige and red paired with geometric patterned fabrics reminded me of the desert landscape and Southwestern style.
The Phoenician
The deluxe room I booked typically costs about $800 a night when booked a month in advance, according to a search on the company's website. Business Insider received a media rate for the one-night stay.
I thought the furniture and decor were modern, like in the lobby, but there were more grays, making the beige elements feel like accents.
I had a comfy, king-sized bed across from a TV and storage cabinets holding a safe, a mini-fridge, and a Keurig coffee maker.
The Phoenician
The bathroom felt luxurious, with marble flooring and counters. There were two robes hanging inside, too.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The geometric building paired boxy edges with a curvature. I thought it was a neat shape for a hotel.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The complex has five pools, including one water playground and one adult-only pool. The pools are surrounded by lounge chairs, cabanas, and palm trees for shade.
During my stay, there seemed to be enough space for each guest to have a secluded experience. I didn't see crowds in the afternoon.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The resort houses the award-winning restaurants J&G Steakhouse and Mowry & Cotton, and the award-winning lobby bar, Thirsty Camel.
The Phoenician
The Phoenician Spa, which won the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award in 2024 for the fifth consecutive year, has 24 treatment rooms, a rooftop pool, a fitness center, a sauna, and a room dedicated to peace and quiet. There's also a boutique, a dry bar, and a nail salon.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The athletic club has several tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The course is surrounded by views of the Sonoran Desert.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The garden is behind the main building on a secluded, shaded trail. The short walk is dotted with 250 different kinds of plants.
Hermosa Inn
A road in Paradise Valley lined with hilly fields and grand estates led to the Hermosa Inn. The hotel's entrance was a small, traditional adobe structure just a few yards from the main road.
The six-acre property has 43 casita accommodations in individual buildings of the same design style rooted in history, according to the company's website.
In 1936, cowboy and artist Alonzo "Lon" Megargee built the now-hotel to serve as his home and studio until 1941, when it opened as the Hermosa Inn.
Hermosa Inn
Unlike the Phoenician, there's nothing modern about the Hermosa Inn's interior design.
Instead, it transports visitors to the early 20th-century West from the moment they check-in, with adobe bricks, wooden beams, and high-quality rustic furniture. The lobby and rooms showcase some of Megargee's artwork, too.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Instead of being in a secluded space like at the Phoenician, the gardens lined the pathways around the resort.
Guests can access bikes on the property, but I explored on foot.
It was a peaceful and quiet walk to my room. I passed through archways and spotted fountains and vibrant flower beds.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
At the end of the garden path, I had a secluded deluxe casita with a patio.
The room costs about $600 a night a month in advance, according to a search on the company's website. BI received a media rate for the one-night stay.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The interior design was as Southwestern as the lobby, with wooden window shutters and a bed with wooden posts that made me feel like royalty.
Apart from the balcony, this room had all the same amenities as the Phoenician accommodation, from a safe to a mini-fridge.
The Hermosa Inn
Apart from the style, the bathroom at the Hermosa Inn was much like the Phoenician's. It was spacious, with a roomy shower and a soaking tub.
Hermosa Inn
At the Hermosa Inn, there is one pool and one whirlpool. I only saw a couple of guests using it at a time during my stay. Like the Phoenician, the Hermosa Inn also has a spa.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
LON's was named the most romantic restaurant in Arizona by Food & Wine Magazine in 2022. It serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner and has a massive, garden-side outdoor patio as well as indoor seating. LON's Last Drop is the bar next to it, which has an outdoor adobe fireplace.
The Hermosa Inn
The underground room is always kept at 57 degrees.
The Hermosa Inn
The library is often used for wedding receptions and hosts up to 32 guests.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The fitness center at the Hermosa Inn is small, but this makes sense, considering there are so few guests at a time compared to the Phoenician.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The Phoenician provided so many amenities, restaurants, and activities that guests could spend their entire vacation on the property. The resort is ideal for families and those looking to spend their days playing sports and chilling by the pool.
While much less extensive, the Hermosa Inn provides a unique experience for those looking to appreciate culture, peace, and quiet.
How to watch a free MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix live stream from anywhere
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Max Rossi/Reuters
MotoGP heads to Spain for the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia de España. The Spanish Grand Prix will be held at the Circuito de Jerez in Cádiz, Spain, from April 26 to 28. If you're hoping to tune in, look no further. We've compiled all of your viewing options, including how to watch a free MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix live stream via VPN.
Francesco Bagnaia has won the race for the past two years, and he's been having a solid season so far. He won the Grand Prix of Qatar and came in fifth at the Grand Prix of the Americas earlier this month. Bagnaia was the World Riders' Champion in 2022 and 2023, so it's safe to say he's vying for another landmark season in 2024.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about watching the MotoGP race at the Spanish Grand Prix. We've got details on tuning in from the US, UK, Austria, and any other locations. For future races, you can bookmark our free MotoGP live stream guide, which will be updated throughout the year.
See also: Free F1 live stream | Watch NBA Playoffs | Watch NHL PlayoffsMotoGP live stream quick links
USA: Max ($9.99)UK: TNT Sports (£30.99)Austria: ServusTV (FREE) - German and English options availableAccess free live stream from anywhere via ExpressVPNWhen: Sunday, April 28 at 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. BST / 8 p.m. AWSTWhere to watch MotoGP in the US
Max hosts MotoGP coverage in the US, as well as Moto2 and Moto3 races. This live sports streaming option is a newer feature on Max (where subscriptions start at $9.99 a month). The live sports are part of the B/R Sports Add-on, which is currently free with regular subscriptions but will cost an additional $9.99 a month in the future. This add-on will also grant you access to select live NBA and MLB games, among other sports.
Where to watch MotoGP in Austria
MotoGP races stream on ServusTV in Austria. This free option covers several parts of the Spanish Grand Prix, including the MotoGP race on Sunday. While it's never guaranteed, there's a solid chance you'll be able to find an English-language option if you navigate to the site's live programming section, since the first few races of the season had this feature. You can also check out about half of the F1 races this season through ServusTV, so this is a great hub for motorsport fans.
How to watch MotoGP from anywhere
If you are not in Austria during the race, you can still check out the above stream via a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs are easy ways to change your device's virtual location so that you can still access websites and apps that might not be available while abroad. They're also strong tools for upping your online privacy.
We recommend ExpressVPN, a tried-and-true option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for additional details, and keep reading to learn how it works.
How to watch MotoGP with a VPN
Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.Install it on the device you're using to watch the race.Turn it on and set it to Austria.Navigate to ServusTV.Watch on the live section of the site.Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
From Gen Alpha to boomers, we asked 6 therapists what each generation is talking about in therapy
4x6/Getty, Tyler Le/BI
Different generations love to complain about each other, but therapists say we're all struggling.Younger generations grapple with identity, friendship, and forging their own path. Older generations face challenges with parenting and balancing responsibilities.Baby boomers inherited a thriving economy and ruined it for the rest of us. Millennials are anxious avocado-eaters who'll never own property, while Gen Zers are depressed snowflakes who take liberties at work. As for Gen X, hardly anyone even remembers they exist.
It's too soon to tell how Gen Alpha will be judged, but they practically came out of the womb watching TikTok and already use antiaging skincare products, so things aren't looking good.
Or so the stereotypes go.
So in the spirit of finding some common ground amid all the mud-slinging, BI asked six therapists what their clients from different generations commonly talk about in therapy. Topics include feeling inadequate, relationships, and difficulty navigating life transitions.
It turns out Gen Z are not the only ones struggling with their mental health. In 2022, nearly a quarter of US adults visited a psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist, a Gallup poll found. That's a 10% rise since 2004.
The reasons aren't all bleak: There's less stigma around seeking treatment, particularly among younger people, and a greater emphasis on the importance of good mental health than in previous years, Gallup found. But the stress of the pandemic likely played a part, it said, and women, young adults, and people with lower household incomes were least likely to rate their mental health positively, the poll said.
No matter how old we are, we're all grappling with something, whether personally or collectively. International relations are tense, and it feels like we're constantly on the verge of entering a recession or seeing AI steal our jobs, not to mention the text bombs we're sending each other.
"Every generation is genuinely struggling to make meaning of what their life should look like at this time. What that looks like for different age groups is different," Israa Nasir, a psychotherapist based in New York and the author of the upcoming book "Toxic Positivity," told Business Insider.
But every generation goes through the same life stages necessary to become a fully formed human, she said.
So while headlines and online trends will have you believing that Gen Z is from Venus while boomers are from Mars, we're probably more similar than we are different.
Generation Alpha
Members of Generation Alpha were born around 2010 and later. The oldest turn 14 this year, so they're very much still children.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in five children have a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, with ADHD and anxiety being the most prevalent, but of those, only 20% receive mental health treatment. The CDC data is based on children aged between 3 and 17.
There's been a spike in children being diagnosed with ADHD since 2003, according to the CDC, and anxiety has also increased over time. Between 2016 and 2019, more than 9% of US children were diagnosed with anxiety.
Georgina Sturmer, a UK-based counselor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, told BI that this age group was "hit hard by a perfect storm" — the COVID pandemic plunged the world into turmoil and uncertainty and separated them from their peers, she said.
Generation Alpha is learning how to deal with emotions.Elena Popova/Getty Images
In a more general sense, kids under 13 often stress most about things happening in their immediate environment — "often what is happening that day or that week," Amanda Macdonald, a UK-based BACP-registered therapist, told BI.
Parents typically have a large role in their children's lives at this age, and there is a push and pull between what is allowed, how things are done, and the child's desire for greater independence, she said. Gen Alpha are also forming friendships outside their family and independent of their parents or carers, and that's reflected in what kids worry about.
Thai Alonso, a clinical psychologist based in New Jersey, told BI that the most common concern among kids late in elementary school or middle school is conflict with their parents. Parents' expectations around their child's behavior and how they deal with emotions can cause clashes, she said.
Among preschool-aged Gen Alphas, who are too young for one-to-one therapy, Alonso said she gets a lot of referrals for kids struggling with behavioral difficulties such as emotion regulation, anger, and ADHD.
Gen Z
Gen Zers are typically between 14 and 26 years old. Therapists said that identity, body image, and friendship issues are common concerns for this age group, and they often struggle with anxiety and low moods.
Younger Gen Zers who are in high school or college worry about social hierarchies and dynamics, such as who is "cool" and who is not, which can lead to angst and a sense of not being good enough, Jill Owen, a clinical psychologist in the UK, told BI. Clients often compare themselves to their peers, particularly when it comes to how "popular" or attractive they are. She believes the rise of social media over the past decade has made this worse.
Gen Z grew up on social media and they often compare themselves to others.Getty Images
"Younger Gen Z are developing their own sense of identity, with how they dress, speak, and spend their time, essentially what being 'them' means," Owen said. "With this sense of independence comes anxiety over becoming an adult, and an awareness of wider issues such as climate change and global injustices."
Diana Garcia, a therapist in Florida, works mainly with older Gen Zers between 18 and 26. "At this stage of life, they are starting to explore what's important for them, whether they have values similar to or different from those of their family of origin," she said. They're thinking about careers or at the start of that journey and that can create feelings of anxiety, she said.
Millennials
Like Gen Zers, millennials, who are in their late 20s to early 40s, also feel insecure because they compare the "perfect lives" they see on social media with their own, Owen said.
Many are also becoming parents for the first time or considering having children, which can bring up lots of different feelings.
Past generations weren't as aware of the extent to which parenting styles can impact a child's mental health. Social media made this information mainstream, and millennials think more about how their upbringing affected them emotionally and how they can avoid harming their kids, Israa Nasir said.
Millennials are under pressure to get married, own a home, and have kids.Maskot/Getty Images
"I have observed a lot of motivation to look inward and begin to unpack childhood traumas in an effort to protect their own children," Alonso said.
Nasir has seen that as well. "People are actually just straight-up coming into therapy saying, 'I think I had a lot of emotional issues with my parents when I was younger,' or 'I need to deal with my issues with my parents,'" Nasir said.
Many millennials are also hitting traditional milestones like buying properties, getting married, and having kids later. Those who haven't fulfilled these societal expectations or simply chose a different path might come to therapy to discuss those pressures, Sturmer said.
Gen X
Generation Xers are around 44 to 59 years old.
They have higher incomes than millennials, but many still have college debt to pay off or are paying it off on behalf of their kids. They also care for aging parents, have bigger families than millennials, and are expected to "step up" as community leaders, a 2019 Gallup analysis found. "It's a perfect storm of financial, emotional, and time-pressure stress," Gallup said.
Gen Xers have to look after their kids as well as aging parents.Moment/Getty Images
Sturmer, who works primarily with women, said all these pressures, along with dealing with the emotional impact of menopause, take its toll mentally.
Many of her Gen X clients are also trying to help their children deal with mental-health challenges.
She said she sees "tired, overwhelmed, stressed parents who are doing their best to support their children to navigate mental-health services, while also coping with everything that's going on in their own lives."
Boomers
Baby boomers are in their 60s and 70s. BI previously reported that boomers hold half of America's wealth, but it's not spread evenly among them. Many members of this generation are considered economically insecure and do not have enough savings for retirement and long-term care.
Boomers are adjusting to a later stage of life.Halfpoint Images/Getty Images
They're adjusting to a later stage of life, and some are fearful that as they age, they might start to lose their identity or feel a loss of direction.
"Retirement can bring with it a loss of identity, confidence, and sense of purpose. Empty-nest situations can have a similar impact," Owen said.
As people's kids grow up and start families of their own, it can provoke difficult feelings. "If we've always understood our role in terms of our job or our family life, then it makes sense that this might leave us struggling to understand who we are," Sturmer said.
"We often hear people joking about how lucky the boomers are — free university education, rising house prices — leaving us with a stereotypical image of a debt-free couple sailing off into retirement. But this isn't necessarily the reality," she said.
Meet the Gen Zers struggling to stay in work or school — and the parents who are at a loss for how to help
Dave G Kelly/Getty Images, We Are/Getty Images, Texturelabs, Abanti Chowdhury/BI
A rising number of young Americans are disconnected from work, school, and a sense of purpose.Disconnection rates have been increasing since the 1990s, affecting young people's futures.Poor mental health and a lack of a financial safety net contribute to rising disconnection.Destiny's main goal right now is survival.
The 21-year-old grew up in foster care in Florida and left the foster-care system at 16. Retail jobs helped her save enough money for an apartment, and she eventually became a manager at Family Dollar. She enrolled in college and maintained straight A's — for a while.
But Destiny, who asked to go by only her first name for fear of personal and professional repercussions, began to suffer from overwork while having multiple jobs during the pandemic, and her mental health faltered.
"I feel for those who are in my shoes and don't have a connection or a home base," said Destiny, who now lives in a small apartment in Alabama with her boyfriend. "You think you're alone, but there are so many of us who are in this situation. We're hopeless, feel like a failure, and we want to get it together. We just need better resources and time."
Eventually, Destiny dropped out of college and quit her job. She's struggled to get medication for her OCD and find stable employment beyond part-time gig work. She knows she's not alone in feeling stuck when it comes to investing in education or finding the right job.
"When I was a general manager, when I would hire people, I was hiring people who had master's" degrees, Destiny said. "They just couldn't find a job that used that degree or jobs they just weren't qualified enough for with their experience. I think a degree now is just pretty much a baseline education for most people with jobs."
A growing group of America's young people are not in school, not working, or not looking for work. They're called "disconnected youth" or "opportunity youth," and their ranks have been growing for nearly three decades. Experts say it's not just work and school; this group is often also disconnected from a sense of purpose.
It's creating a tale of two Gen Zs: those who have followed traditional milestones and others who are increasingly getting left behind. These aren't all young people taking gap years — the disconnected youth Business Insider spoke with want education and good jobs but are partly victims of economic circumstances outside their control. And that might cost them.
'A long shadow across the whole life course'
Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas indicates the share of disconnected 18- to 24-year-olds has been on the rise since the 1990s. While it fell a bit in the 2010s, it spiked in the 2020s. In 2022, 13.2% of people in that age group were considered disconnected.
Russia's April oil and gas revenue could double despite Ukraine hammering its oilfields with drones, report says
SOPA Images via Getty
Russia's oil and gas revenue is set to surge despite Ukraine's attacks on energy infrastructure.Revenue from oil and gas is a key way Russia funds its war in Ukraine.Russia says it has successfully rerouted oil supplies and limited the effects of Western sanctions.Russia's oil and gas revenue for April is expected to soar by roughly double year on year despite increased Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure, a Reuters report said.
The news agency projected Russian oil and gas revenue for the month to come in at 1.292 trillion rubles, which is around $14 billion, up from 648 billion rubles, or roughly $7 billion.
Reuters said it made the calculations using "data from industry sources and official statistics on oil and gas production, refining and supplies on domestic and international markets."
The April data is expected to be published by the Russian Finance Ministry in early May, per the report.
Revenue from oil and gas is a key way in which Russia funds its war in Ukraine, and the significant year-on-year rise highlights the difficulty Western countries have had in attempting to impose effective sanctions on its economy.
The West has taken a number of steps to try to limit Russia's income from energy.
Measures have included the US and the UK banning Russian oil and gas, the EU prohibiting the maritime import of Russian crude, and G7 leaders agreeing to set a price cap on Russian crude oil at $60 per barrel.
But Russia says it has largely managed to circumnavigate these moves.
In December last year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said almost all of Russia's oil exports in 2023 had been shipped to China and India, adding that the European share of crude exports had fallen from around 40-45% to just 4-5%.
"The main partners in the current situation are China, whose share has grown to approximately 45-50%, and, of course, India...Earlier, there basically were no supplies to India; in two years, the total share of supplies to India has come to 40%," Novak said.
"As for those restrictions and embargoes on supplies to Europe and the U.S. that were introduced... this only accelerated the process of reorienting our energy flows," he added.
The news comes despite increasing Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
Firefighters extinguish oil tanks at a storage facility that local authorities say caught fire after the military brought down a Ukrainian drone, in the town of Klintsy in the Bryansk Region, Russia January 19, 2024.Russian Emergencies Ministry/Reuters
Earlier this week, a Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters that Ukraine's security service (SBU) had carried out drone strikes on two Rosneft-owned oil depots in Russia's Smolensk region.
The source noted that the SBU was continuing to target "logistics that provide fuel to the Russian army in Ukraine."
"These facilities are and will remain our absolutely legitimate targets," they said.
Despite Russia's strong April revenue projections, it seems Ukraine's strikes are having some success.
Bloomberg reported this week that Russia's oil refining was at an 11-month low because of flooding and Ukraine's drone campaign.
Between April 11-17, Russia processed 5.22 million barrels of crude oil a day, Bloomberg reported, citing a person with knowledge of the industry data.
The report said that that was 10,000 barrels a day below the average of the seven days prior.
F-16s headed to Ukraine this summer will face their most dangerous battlefield ever
Photo by JAN LANGHAUG/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine is slated to receive its much-anticipated fleet of F-16 fighter jets this summer.The American-made aircraft have flown combat missions around the world over the past few decades.But former US military pilots say Ukraine will be the jet's foremost combat test.The long-awaited delivery of F-16s to Ukraine is on the horizon, and these advanced American-made fighter jets can't come soon enough for its forces.
Western-provided F-16s will give Kyiv's current fleet of aging Soviet-era warplanes a major upgrade in capabilities, for critical offensive and defensive roles, and boost their firepower with the right munitions.
The combat-proven Fighting Falcon has decades of experience flying in tough, war-time environments in places like the Middle East and the Balkans. The fourth-generation fighter has racked up an impressive collection of high-profile missions over the years.
But the skies above Ukraine will be the most dangerous battlefield that the fighter jets have faced so far, former US military pilots told Business Insider, as the aircraft goes up against Russia's advanced air-defense systems and long-range air-to-air missiles.
A combat-proven fighter jet
Ukraine first requested F-16s from its Western partners in the early weeks of Russia's full-scale invasion, but the US didn't sign off on a third-party transfer from its allies to Kyiv until last summer.
A F-16 aircraft is pictured after the first delivery of Norway's old F-16 fighter aircraft to Romania at Rygge Air Force Base, Norway on Nov. 28, 2023.Photo by OLE BERG-RUSTEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
Four NATO members — Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands — have collectively promised to send dozens of F-16s to Ukraine, whose pilots are training in the US and in Europe. The fighter jets are expected to arrive at some point this summer, reportedly as early as June.
The F-16s are a notable upgrade over Ukraine's fleet of Soviet-era aircraft; at the start of the war, Kyiv was flying Su-24s, Su-25s, Su-27s, and MiG-29s.
The Fighting Falcon has a more efficient internal layout and better electronic warfare capabilities than many of Ukraine's current jets. It is also a very nimble and maneuverable aircraft, and can be equipped with advanced targeting pods and air-to-surface ordnance to strike ground vehicles and positions.
Since the first F-16 prototype flew 50 years ago, the multi-role fighter has flown sorties in difficult combat environments around the world. It first achieved notable success, though, at the hands of Israeli pilots in the early 1980s.
Israeli Air Force combat aircraft, including F-16s, in June 1982 flew a suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) campaign in Lebanon's heavily fortified Bekaa Valley. Within hours, Israel had destroyed a large number of Soviet-built, Syrian-owned surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and enemy aircraft, without taking any losses. It was a stunning tactical victory after the IDF's heavy losses to SAMs in the Yom Kippur war nine years before.
Romanian air force F-16 fighter planes fly above the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru
The US Air Force first flew the F-16 in combat during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq during the early 1990s. The fighter flew more sorties than any other aircraft, and was used to attack enemy airfields, missile sites, and military production facilities.
Later that decade, F-16s were deployed to the Balkans for NATO's Operation Allied Force air campaign against Yugoslavia. There, they flew SEAD, close-air support, and counter-air missions, while destroying enemy radars, fighter jets, and armored vehicles.
During these operations in the 1990s, the Air Force only lost 17 aircraft in combat — a tiny number compared to the tens of thousands of sorties that were flown, according data from the Defense Technical Information Center. Five of those aircraft were F-16s.
Other militaries — like Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt — have also operated the F-16 in conflicts of varying intensities over the years. More recently, the F-16 has operated above Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and has also been used to thwart the Islamic State.
'The toughest scenario that the F-16 will have'
Despite flying in many challenging operating environments over the last 50 years, F-16s are still likely staring down their most dangerous battlefield yet, former US military pilots say.
US Air Force F-16's stand ready with bombs loaded to take off during the first daylight attack to liberate Kuwait in 1991.Reuters file photo
"Going into Desert Storm, arguably against the third largest army in the world and a very robust air force — that was a very, very tough situation," John Baum, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel who has logged over 2,300 hours as an F-16 pilot, told BI.
"F-16s from Ukraine going against Russia — absolutely, without a doubt, the toughest scenario that the F-16 will have off of its nose," said Baum, now a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Ukraine has already lost at least 86 aircraft since the war began, according to the open-source intelligence site Oryx, which tracks war losses, underscoring the danger that pilots face in the skies.
Among the threats that Ukraine's F-16s will be facing are advanced Russian air-defense systems like the S-300 and the highly advanced S-400, a formidable fleet of Su-35s and MiG-31s armed with long-range R-37 air-to-air missiles and powerful radars, and early warning aircraft that can detect them hundreds of miles away.
"There is a gazillion ways to detect these F-16s," Brynn Tannehill, a defense analyst and former US Navy aviator, told BI.
A Russian soldier walks near Russia's air defence system S-400 Triumf launch vehicles (C) at the military exhibition "Oboronexpo-2014" in Zhukovsky outside Moscow, on August 13, 2014.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV
Russia's arsenal of surface-to-air systems, specifically, are more modern and advanced than the ones that the F-16 went up against in past conflicts, like the SA-2s, SA-3s, and SA-6s of Bekaa Valley.
"The Russians are bringing high-end equipment" to the Ukraine war, Tannehill said, adding that past F-16 foes in the Middle East like Iraq and Syria were "typically operating legacy Soviet equipment and probably weren't quite as well-trained or equipped" as Moscow is now.
Experts say the F-16 would be a valuable asset to go after Russia's formidable arsenal of air-defense systems and carry out SEAD and destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD) missions.
Ukraine already possesses US-provided, air-to-surface AGM-88 HARM, or high-speed anti-radiation, missiles, which can hunt down enemy radars. But Kyiv's Soviet-era aircraft were not designed to interface with these missiles, while the F-16 was actually made to carry them — allowing for more effective and dynamic targeting.
Russia has "probably one of the most robust and advanced integrated air-defense systems in the world, but the F-16 will have a capability to build situational awareness and feed that picture" to the rest of the Ukrainian forces, Baum said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second right, and Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte, center, look at F-16 fighter jets in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Aug. 20, 2023.AP Photo/Peter Dejong
The fighter jets can then leverage its HARM targeting systems and missiles to strike the Russian radars.
Perhaps one of the biggest issues the fighters will face is the physical layout of the operating environment, Baum said. When Ukrainian F-16s take off, they could be immediately within range of Russian surface-to-air systems, rather than enjoying neutral territory that they can use to their advantage to safely approach the battle space.
Ukrainian pilots may be "looked at and targeted before they even get to begin to do their own tactics," Baum said.
Softening the battlefield
In a defensive role, F-16s can add an extra layer to Ukraine's air-defense network, which has been stretched thin in recent months as Kyiv waited for US lawmakers to approve additional funding that could replenish its dwindling stockpile of critical interceptor munitions.
Ukraine already has AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles in its arsenal, and can outfit its F-16s with these munitions to intercept Russian one-way attack drones, cruise missiles and the fighter-bombers pounding Ukraine's troops with glide bombs. This would help complement Kyiv's existing air defenses, made up of Soviet-era systems and Western ones like US-provided Patriot batteries and NASAMS.
Patriot air-defense systems are seen at the airport of Rzeszow-Jasionka in Poland on Nov. 22, 2023.INA FASSBENDER
Meanwhile, Ukraine has increasingly gone after Russian air-defense and detection capabilities over the past few months — possibly softening the battlefield for the arrival of F-16s.
In March, for instance, Western intelligence said Moscow had likely grounded its fleet of A-50 early warning and control aircraft after Ukraine shot down two of these planes within a matter of weeks. More recently, in mid-April Kyiv used long-range missiles to take out multiple S-400 launchers and radar stations at a Russian base in the occupied Crimean peninsula.
"Ukraine has been doing a lot to degrade Russia's capabilities to counter-detect their own aircraft," Tannehill said. "And this may be a sign that some of this may have been done in anticipation of getting F-16s, and being able to push them a little further forward."
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