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The US has now struck 8 boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. Here are all the Navy ships it’s deployed to the region.

Written by admin on October 22, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on The US has now struck 8 boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. Here are all the Navy ships it’s deployed to the region.

venezuela boat attack — The US has struck eight boats so far in what it has called anti-drug efforts in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
DONALD TRUMP VIA TRUTH SOCIAL/Reuters

The US military has recently increased its military presence in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
It comes as the Trump administration says it is targeting suspected drug trafficking efforts.
The Venezuelan and Colombian presidents have denounced the military move.

The US struck another boat in what it has called anti-drug-trafficking efforts, this time in the Eastern Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday.

The attack, which killed two people, is now the eighth in a series of deadly strikes on vessels in the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela and now in the Eastern Pacific. In total, 34 people have been killed in the attacks.

In recent weeks, the US has ramped up its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying US warships and aircraft amid what the Trump administration is calling “an armed conflict” with drug cartels and growing escalations with Venezuela‘s military.

The boats, according to Hegseth and President Donald Trump, were trafficking drugs to the US. The administration has not provided evidence supporting the claims, leading US lawmakers and Venezuelan officials to question the attacks’ legal justification.

In September, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro — who faces charges of narcoterrorism in the US, which he has denied — called the US military buildup “an extravagant, immoral, and bloody threat.” The country has also begun mobilizing troops and enlisting militia members.

More recently, tensions have expanded beyond Venezuelan coasts. Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the US of murdering a Colombian fisherman during one of the strikes in September and recalled the Colombian ambassador to the US. In response, Trump announced he would increase tariffs and cut aid to the South American country.

Republican senators recently blocked a resolution that would have required the president to seek congressional approval for future strikes in the region.

“Every American should be alarmed that their president has decided he can wage secret wars against anyone he calls an enemy,” said Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, an Army veteran who retired as a major, and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Associated Press reported.

Col. Chris Devine, a senior spokesman for the Department of Defense, told Business Insider in a statement that the deployed warships are part of an effort to support the president’s “directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), and counter narco-terrorism to defend the homeland.”

From destroyers packed with missiles to ships carrying Marines and aircraft, see 10 US Navy ships that have been deployed in the region.

USS Jason Dunham

USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was in the region as of October 14, a Navy official confirmed to Business Insider.

The 510-foot-long, 9,500-ton destroyer was named after Cpl. Jason Dunham, a 22-year-old Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless actions in a 2004 attack in Iraq. It was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and was launched in 2009.

The vessel is equipped with a 5-inch/62 caliber naval gun, missile cells able to carry anti-ship and air-defense missiles, torpedo tubes, close-in weapons systems, and other defenses. The vessel can carry a deployed helicopter.

After a nearly nine-month-long deployment to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, the ship returned to its home port of Mayport, Florida, on June 8.

On August 27, The Washington Post reported that the destroyer was in the Eastern Caribbean.

A week later, two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets conducted a flyover of the ship as a “show of force” as tensions in the region grew.

USS Gravely

USS Gravely (DDG-107), another Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer built at the Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Mississippi, was also operating in the area as of October 14, a Navy official confirmed.

On March 15, it was deployed to the Pacific coasts near the US southern border and areas of the Caribbean, US Northern Command said. The action followed Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the US-Mexico border.

The deployment of the Gravely — which previously spent nine months in active combat during the armed conflict with the Houthis in the Red Sea — to the border was unusual, as the region is typically secured by US border authorities and Coast Guard missions.

On August 27, The Washington Post reported that the destroyer was operating in the Eastern Caribbean.

USS Iwo Jima

USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), an Ingalls-built Wasp-class amphibious assault vessel and helicopter landing deck that serves as the flagship of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, was also operating in the region as of October 14.

The USS Iwo Jima amphibious ready group is composed of two support transport dock ships, the USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale. Together, they can house up to 4,500 sailors and Marines.

On August 27, The Washington Post reported that the Iwo Jima ARG had departed its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, and was en route to the Caribbean.

On September 29, photos released by the Navy showed the ship carrying the MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor transport craft and AV-8B Harrier II fighters as it traveled.

Local US Virgin Islands outlet The Virgin Island Daily News reported over the weekend that the ship had been spotted in St. Thomas.

USS San Antonio

USS San Antonio (LPD-17) is the lead ship of its class and an amphibious transport dock built by what was then Northrop Grumman Ship Systems at the Ingalls yard. It has been in service since 2006, most recently traveling with USS Iwo Jima as part of an amphibious ready group.

The ship can house over 300 sailors and 600 enlisted troops and is designed with certain stealthy features.

A Navy official confirmed to Business Insider that the ship was operating in the Caribbean as of October 14.

USS Fort Lauderdale

The second of two transport docks traveling as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) is an Ingalls-built San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship with capabilities in aiding troop landing operations, among others.

Like the USS San Antonio, the USS Fort Lauderdale can launch hovercraft to assist amphibious operations.

A Navy official confirmed it was operating in the Caribbean as of October 14.

USS Minneapolis-St. Paul – yes

Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Detroit — JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Another ship confirmed to be in the region as of October 7 was the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul, a Freedom-class littoral combat ship designed by Lockheed Martin and built at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin.

In March, the US Navy announced the ship’s first-ever deployment as it traveled from its home port of Mayport, Florida, to the Caribbean to support US 4th Fleet operations.

It traveled with the “Valkyries” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50 (HSM-50) Detachment 3, as well as a MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, which would serve as “the ship’s eyes in the sky,” per the Navy’s announcement. The accompanying helicopter’s capabilities include anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and others.

By May 13, US Southern Command had announced the ship’s “third successful interdiction” in operations targeting suspected drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea.

“The USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is delivering decisive blows against transnational criminal organizations,” Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of US Naval Forces Southern Command/US 4th Fleet, said in the announcement. “These interdictions send a clear message: We are vigilant, and illicit trafficking will be interdicted to protect our homeland as well as our regional partners from this threat.”

USS Lake Erie

USS Lake Erie (CG-70), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser built by Bath Iron Works, returned to San Diego from a deployment in the Indo-Pacific region in January.

During its deployment, the ship sailed over 40,000 nautical miles and worked with the embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 35 (HSM-35) Detachment 1 in operations “promoting regional stability and security, and protecting free flow of commerce” in the region, US Pacific Fleet said.

On August 27, The Washington Post reported the cruiser was in the Pacific off the coast of Mexico, and by August 30, the ship had crossed the Panama Canal, entering the Caribbean.

A Navy official confirmed to Business Insider that the ship was operating in the region as of October 14.

USS Sampson

On June 3, USS Sampson (DDG-102) was deployed to the US Northern Command area of responsibility as part of the Department of Defense’s increased presence along the Southern border, US Fleet Forces Command said.

By June 26, the Arleigh Burke-class (Flight IIA) guided missile destroyer had intercepted a suspected drug trafficking operation in the Eastern Pacific along with the US Coast Guard, US NORTHCOM said.

On August 27, the Washington Post reported that the destroyer was in the Pacific off the coast of Panama.

A Navy official told Business Insider that the ship had since left the Caribbean and been replaced by USS Stockdale.

USS Stockdale

USS Stockdale (DDG-106), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, was deployed to the US Northern Command area of responsibility on April 11, US Pacific Fleet’s Naval Surface Forces said.

The ship has been described by some outlets as the most battle-tested postwar naval vessel, due to its role in the Houthi conflict, which was the largest naval conflict faced by the US since World War II.

It “successfully repelled multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks” in the Arabian Peninsula near Yemen in its previous deployment, Naval Surface Forces said. It returned to its home port of San Diego in February.

During the ship’s current deployment, it “will respond to national priorities and a Presidential declaration emphasizing the military’s role in securing US borders,” per the announcement.

In September, USNI News reported that the destroyer was operating in the Eastern Pacific off the coast of Central America, and by September 23, the vessel had traveled across the Panama Canal and was operating in the Caribbean.

A Navy official confirmed to Business Insider that the ship was operating in the region as of October 14.

MV Ocean Trader

Often called a “ghost ship” due to its lack of naval markings or public tracking, the MV Ocean Trader is designed to go unnoticed while supporting covert operations.

The ship provides barracks and a command center for special operations forces, as well as a helicopter base. It’s described as a Special Warfare Support vessel.

On September 25, Task & Purpose reported that the ship, which resembles a commercial cargo vessel, was operating in the Caribbean.

A Navy official did not comment on the MV Ocean Trader’s operation.

Read the original article on Business Insider

YouTube’s settlement with Trump is helping pay for the White House demolition and ballroom

Written by admin on October 22, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on YouTube’s settlement with Trump is helping pay for the White House demolition and ballroom

Construction equipment tear down part of the East Wing of the White House to construct Trump's ballroom — Alphabet is helping pay for President Donald Trump’s plan to build a White House ballroom.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Alphabet contributed $22 million to Trump’s White House ballroom project.
The contribution is part of a legal settlement after Trump’s YouTube suspension.
The ballroom’s total cost is estimated at $250 million, with private funding sources.

Alphabet is helping pay for President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom, according to federal court filings.

As part of a legal settlement reached last month with Trump, Alphabet, which owns YouTube, is contributing $22 million toward Trump’s White House construction plans. Trump sued the tech giant after it suspended his YouTube channel for two years, following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Images showing demolition work on the East Wing to make way for the ballroom have sparked scrutiny this week and renewed the question over who’s paying for the estimated $250 million, 90,000-square-foot addition.

According to court filings in Oakland, California, Alphabet’s contribution, which accounts for roughly 10% of the total projected cost, will be made on Trump’s behalf to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit entity dedicated to restoring and preserving the National Mall.

“The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly,” Trump said Monday on his social media platform Truth Social.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

This is a developing story.

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Reddit drags Perplexity in a new lawsuit, accusing it of building up a $20 billion company off stolen data

Written by admin on October 22, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Reddit drags Perplexity in a new lawsuit, accusing it of building up a $20 billion company off stolen data

Reddit artificial intelligence — Reddit is suing Perplexity and other AI firms, accusing them of bypassing digital guardrails to steal valuable data.
Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Reddit has accused Perplexity and other data scrapers of stealing valuable data.
A new lawsuit claims the firms bypassed Reddit’s digital guardrails using Google.
Reddit said the companies have been selling its proprietary data to train AI models.

Reddit filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, along with several other data mining companies, accusing them of stealing the social media platform’s valuable data.

Reddit’s lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, said Perplexity and the three other firms it sued — Oxylabs UAB, AWM Proxy, and SerpApi — illegally circumvented Reddit’s digital guardrails by scraping its content through Google’s search engine results.

“These Defendants are similar to would-be bank robbers, who, knowing they cannot get into the bank vault, break into the armored truck carrying the cash instead,” Reddit’s lawsuit alleges.

Reddit said it sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity in May 2024 demanding it stop scraping Reddit data unless it made a deal with the social media company, as Google and OpenAI had done.

Perplexity said it “was not using Reddit content to train any AI models and that it would respect Reddit’s robots.txt,” according to the lawsuit.

But Perplexity’s citations to Reddit increased “forty-fold after Reddit told it to stop,” the lawsuit added.

“Rather than respect Reddit and its users’ rights, what Perplexity has done in response is simply come up with increasingly devious schemes to circumvent Reddit’s security systems and policies,” the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, Perplexity appears to have used at least one of the data scrapers to ingest the platform’s data into its AI models.

“In other words, Perplexity’s business model is effectively to take Reddit’s content from Google search results, feed them into a third party’s LLM, and call it a new product,” the lawsuit says. “While that business model has somehow translated into a $20 billion valuation, it has not resulted in a willingness to pay for what others (including Google) have.”

Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer said the company “will always fight vigorously for users’ rights to freely and fairly access public knowledge.”

“Our approach remains principled and responsible as we provide factual answers with accurate AI, and we will not tolerate threats against openness and the public interest,” Dwyer said.

A SerpApi representative said the company disagrees with Reddit’s allegations and plans to “vigorously” defend itself in court.

Oxylabs did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Business Insider. AWMProxy, identified in the lawsuit as a former Russian botnet, could not immediately be reached for comment.

A Reddit spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that the company has spent tens of millions of dollars on anti-scraping systems, which the lawsuit says these companies circumvented.

The lawsuit said Reddit caught Perplexity bypassing its guardrails by setting up a test post that acted as a digital “marked bill.”

The test post could only be viewed by Google’s search engine, the lawsuit said, so Perplexity and other AI companies should not have been able to use it for their models.

The contents of the post soon appeared in Perplexity, indicating that it or another data scraper it worked with had taken the content without permission.

“Within hours, queries to Perplexity’s ‘answer engine’ produced the contents of that test post,” Reddit’s lawsuit says.

Reddit’s lawsuit quotes a social media post from Cloudflare’s CEO comparing Perplexity to “North Korean hackers” for appearing to try to hide its web-crawling activity.

“Some supposedly ‘reputable’ AI companies act more like North Korean hackers,” Matthew Prince wrote on X in August. “Time to name, shame, and hard block them.”

In a statement to Business Insider, Reddit’s chief legal officer Ben Lee said Oxylabs UAB, AWM Proxy, and SerpApi were “textbook examples” of illegal scrapers.

“Scrapers bypass technological protections to steal data, then sell it to clients hungry for training material,” he said. “Reddit is a prime target because it’s one of the largest and most dynamic collections of human conversation ever created.”

Reddit launched in 2005 as an online discussion forum, but is now trying to add value through a new strategy: search traffic. The decision has put Reddit in competition with companies like Perplexity.

“Reddit is one of the few platforms positioned to become a true search destination. We offer something special: a breadth of conversations and knowledge you can’t find anywhere else,” the company said in its Q2 report in July. “Every week, hundreds of millions of people come to Reddit looking for advice, and we’re turning more of that intent into active users of Reddit’s native search.”

Online search traffic has become a profitable industry led by companies like Google, which announced an expanded partnership with Reddit in March 2024 to train its AI models on the platform’s content. On its end, Reddit gained access to Google’s Vertex AI, allowing the platform to add enhanced search and other features. One month later, Reddit went public with a $6.4 billion valuation.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 10 best and 10 worst cities for retirees in 2025

Written by admin on October 21, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on The 10 best and 10 worst cities for retirees in 2025

An aerial view of two people walking on the beach. — Abstract Aerial Art/Getty Images

WalletHub ranked 182 cities to find the best and worst ones for retirees in 2025.
Activities, affordability, healthcare, and quality of life were the key measurements in ranking.
Cities in Florida excelled, while ones in California struggled with high costs and weak healthcare.

When it’s time to retire, a lot of older adults migrate south for warmer climates, cheaper housing, and lower taxes.

While southern cities like Naples and Fort Lauderdale often dominate as destinations for retirees, the Midwest has emerged as a favorable landing spot — at least, according to WalletHub.

WalletHub looked at 182 cities and ranked the best places for retirees based on four key measures: activities, affordability, healthcare, and quality of life. Each of those four categories was weighted equally, however, other relevant metrics were used inside each category and weighted differently. For example, adjusted cost of living was weighted higher than annual cost of in-home services within the affordability category.

“Rounding out the top 10 are cities that balance affordability, access to quality care, and vibrant lifestyles,” WalletHub writer and analyst Chip Lupo told Business Insider. “These locales all tend to offer a mix of mild weather, strong local economies, and plenty of ways for retirees to stay active and connected.”

Unsurprisingly, Florida accounted for nearly half of the top 10 for best cities, while California took up more than half of the spots for the worst cities to retire in.

“On the flip side, the bottom 10 cities face challenges that make retirement less appealing. San Bernardino, California; Stockton, California; and Rancho Cucamonga, California, rank among the lowest because of their high costs of living and weaker healthcare access,” Lupo said.

Southern cities had a healthy showing in the top 10, but the Midwest also had a diverse selection of cities toward the top.

“Minneapolis, which ranks third, stands out for its strong healthcare system, active senior community, and welcoming job market for older adults,” Lupo said.

Here are the 10 best and 10 worst cities to retire in, according to WalletHub. Median listed home prices are from Realtor.com.

The 10 best cities for retirees

Fort Lauderdale, FL — THEPALMER/Getty Images

10. Casper, WY

A scenic view of mountains and water in Casper, Wyoming. — Casper, Wyoming.
Wirestock/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 1

Healthcare rank: 74

Median listing home price: $345,000

9. Madison, WI

The capitol building in Madison, Wisconsin. — Madison, Wisconsin.
RudyBalasko/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 107

Healthcare rank: 8

Median listing home price: $420,000

8. Cincinnati, OH

The Cincinnati skyline from the Ohio River. — Cincinnati, Ohio.
Flick Foto Studio/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 104

Healthcare rank: 50

Median listing home price: $295,000

7. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Aerial View of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
GabrielPevide/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 79

Healthcare rank: 47

Median listing home price: $599,000

6. Atlanta, GA

Atlanta, Georgia.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Affordability rank: 66

Healthcare rank: 56

Median listing home price: $370,000

5. Tampa, FL

Tampa skyline — Tampa is among the Florida destinations booming with business travelers.
RudyBalasko/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 45

Healthcare rank: 106

Median listing home price: $469,900

4. Miami, FL

Miami, Florida. — Miami, Florida
Bilanol/Shutterstock

Affordability rank: 76

Healthcare rank: 26

Median listing home price: $625,000

3. Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Affordability rank: 96

Healthcare rank: 13

Median listing home price: $329,000

2. Scottsdale, AZ

The desert in Scottsdale, Arizona. — Scottsdale, Arizona.
miroslav_1/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 116

Healthcare rank: 40

Median listing home price: $1,100,000

1. Orlando, FL

Orlando, Florida
JillianCain/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 5

Healthcare rank: 14

Median listing home price: $385,000

The 10 worst cities for retirees

Near the river in Newark, New Jersey — Newark, New Jersey.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto

10. Bridgeport, Connecticut

Downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut, at night. — Bridgeport, Connecticut
DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 175
Healthcare rank: 11
Median listing home price: $360,000

9. Salem, Oregon

Affordability rank: 127
Healthcare rank: 146
Median listing home price: $485,000

8. Pearl City, Hawaii

Train tracks in Pearl City, Hawaii. — Pearl City, Hawaii.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 180
Healthcare rank: 104
Median listing home price: $622,000

7. Fontana, California

A neighborhood in Fontana, California — Fontana, California.
MattGush/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Affordability rank: 172
Healthcare rank: 147
Median listing home price: $669,000

6. Fresno, California

Aerial view of Fresno, California. — Fresno, California.
Dee Liu/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 125
Healthcare rank: 144
Median listing home price: $410,000

5. Newark, New Jersey

Aerial view of Newark, New Jersey — Newark, New Jersey
Barry Winiker/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 156
Healthcare rank: 134
Median listing home price: $419,900

4. Bakersfield, California

The city of Bakersfield, California. — Bakersfield, California.
Dee Liu/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 113
Healthcare rank: 169
Median listing home price: $420,000

3. Rancho Cucamonga, California

Aerial view of suburbs in Rancho Cucamonga, California. — Rancho Cucamonga, California.
MattGush/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Affordability rank: 163
Healthcare rank: 128
Median listing home price: $799,000

2. Stockton, California

Aerial views of government buildings in Stockton, California. — Stockton, California.
halbergman/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 133
Healthcare rank: 157
Median listing home price: $454,900

1. San Bernardino, California

Aerial view of San Bernardino city. — San Bernardino, California.
Dee Liu/Getty Images

Affordability rank: 157
Healthcare rank: 174
Median listing home price: $515,000

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I’ve been a chef for years. Everyone should try my recipe for 3-ingredient butternut-squash soup.

Written by admin on October 21, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on I’ve been a chef for years. Everyone should try my recipe for 3-ingredient butternut-squash soup.

Composite of Quartered squash on a blue cutting board; Butternut-squash soup in a bowl with a squash-seed garnish — As a chef, I’ve developed a great recipe for butternut-squash soup using a blender, stovetop, and microwave.
Alissa Fitzgerald

As a professional chef, I know the best way to make a hearty and silky butternut-squash soup.
My easy recipe calls for butternut squash, garlic, and olive oil.
I put ingredients in a blender to eliminate mess and use the squash seeds as a garnish.

During any season, I love using butternut squash to make an impressive side dish, a savory-yet-sweet pasta sauce, or a fun salad.

However, I think this nutrient-rich produce shines brightest in fall or winter in my easy butternut-squash soup.

Here’s my simple recipe, which typically makes about four to six servings.

Cook your squash in the microwave.

A piece of squash with seeds scooped out — Alissa Fitzgerald

First, halve a medium, 2- to 3-pound butternut squash and scoop out its seeds. Wash your seeds until they’re clean, then set them aside on a paper towel to dry.

Cut each half into three sections and lay the pieces of the squash face down on a microwave-safe plate.

Add a few spoonfuls of water to the plate to ensure there’s enough moisture, cover it with another microwave-safe bowl or splatter guard, and cook for five minutes.

The squash should take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook, but I recommend checking on it after each five-minute interval since some microwaves are stronger than others.

Prepare your garlic.

Garlic cooking in a pan with oil — Alissa Fitzgerald

Now, the real flavor-bomb component: cooking garlic in extra-virgin olive oil.

While your squash is in the microwave, add eight to 12 peeled garlic cloves to a small pan with enough olive oil to cover them, about 3 to 4 tablespoons.

Crank the heat up on your stovetop to medium — there’s no need to go higher than that or you’ll risk burning the oil. Keep a close eye on the garlic, especially the smaller bulbs, making sure to flip them over so they brown on both sides.

Once both sides of the garlic start browning, turn the stove off and let them sit in the hot oil so the residual heat gently toasts the bulbs.

Separate the fully cooked squash from its peel.

A pile of squash next to its peel — Alissa Fitzgerald

By the 15-minute mark, you should be able to pierce the squash’s bright-orange flesh with a fork.

Once the squash is cooked and has cooled, scoop the flesh out with a spoon and place it directly into your blender.

Blend the squash and garlic together.

A blender filled with orange squash — Alissa Fitzgerald

Add ½ cup of water to the squash, then blend. I like to use water to thin the soup so the clean taste of the squash and any other seasonings shine through.

Incorporate the roasted garlic cloves and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth, adding more water as necessary. If the mixture is too thick and stops blending, use a spatula to gently move the squash around, allowing water to reach the bottom.

Mix until smooth and creamy. Add salt to taste.

Next, fry the seeds from the squash to use as a garnish.

Butternut-squash seeds in a pan with oil — Alissa Fitzgerald

A bowl of soup wouldn’t be complete without a garnish. Take those reserved butternut-squash seeds and toss them back into the garlic oil.

Turn the heat up to medium and let them cook for three to four minutes.

Garnish your soup, and it’s ready to serve.

Butternut-squash soup with a pumpkin seed and oil garnish — Alissa Fitzgerald

To serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with garlic oil and the squash seeds.

If you want to be fancy, you can even add a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar.

This story was originally published on November 27, 2022, and most recently updated on October 21, 2025.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Only 30 songs in history have debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there — here they all are

Written by admin on October 21, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Only 30 songs in history have debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there — here they all are

Mariah Carey Taylor Swift split image thumb wide — Mariah Carey in “Fantasy” and Taylor Swift in “The Fate of Ophelia.”
Mariah Carey/Taylor Swift/YouTube

Only 30 songs have debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and remained there for a second consecutive week.
Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” is the most recent song to achieve the feat.
Swift has the most hits on this list, followed by Mariah Carey.

The Billboard Hot 100 is widely considered the definitive all-genre singles chart in the US.

The chart was officially launched in 1958. Billboard began using modern airplay and sales data in 1991, allowing for more time-sensitive calculations and accurate rankings.

Although plenty of songs have debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, many of those proved to be flashes in the pan, especially in music’s modern streaming era. Only a handful managed to remain atop the chart for a second consecutive week — indicating a hit with both immediate success and enduring appeal.

The 30 songs that have achieved this feat (so far) are listed below in chronological order.

1. “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey

mariah carey fantasy — “Fantasy” was released in 1995.
Mariah Carey/YouTube

“Fantasy,” the lead single from Carey’s fifth studio album “Daydream,” was the first song in the modern era to retain its top position on the Hot 100 for two straight weeks. It debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 30, 1995.

The song spent eight weeks total atop the Hot 100.

2. “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men

“One Sweet Day,” the second single from “Daydream,” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated December 2, 1995.

The song spent a historic 16 consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100, setting a record it held for 23 years.

The record was tied by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber) in 2017 and finally broken by Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus) in 2019.

Lil Nas X’s record has since been tied by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

3. “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans, featuring 112

i'll be missing you puff daddy — Bad Boy Entertainment/YouTube

“I’ll Be Missing You” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 14, 1997. It was the second single from “No Way Out,” the debut album from Diddy, then known as Puff Daddy.

The song spent 11 weeks atop the Hot 100.

4. “Honey” by Mariah Carey

mariah carey honey — “Honey” was released in 1997.
Mariah Carey/YouTube

“Honey” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 13, 1997. It was the lead single from Carey’s sixth album, “Butterfly.”

The song spent three weeks atop the Hot 100.

Carey has the second-most hits on this list with three to her name.

5. “Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John

elton john something about the way you look tonight — Elton John/YouTube

“Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 11, 1997.

The song spent 14 weeks atop the Hot 100. The double A-side single later became the first song ever to be certified diamond.

6. “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion

my heart will go on celine dion — “My Heart Will Go On” was released in the US on February 10, 1998.
CelineDion/YouTube

“My Heart Will Go On” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 28, 1998.

The famous ballad was written for the soundtrack of “Titanic” and served as the movie’s main romantic theme. It was also released as a single from Dion’s fifth English-language album, “Let’s Talk About Love.”

The song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100.

7. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith

Aerosmith, I Don't Want To Miss A Thing — YouTube screencaps

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 5, 1998. It was recorded for the film “Armageddon,” starring Liv Tyler, the daughter of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.

The song spent four weeks atop the Hot 100.

8. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill

lauryn hill doo wop that thing — “Doo Wop (That Thing)” was released in 1998.
Ms. Lauryn Hill/YouTube

“Doo Wop (That Thing)” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 14, 1998. It was the lead single from Hill’s debut album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

The song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100.

9. “This Is the Night” by Clay Aiken

clay aiken american idol season 2 — Clay Aiken was the runner-up on season two of “American Idol,” finishing second behind Ruben Studdard.
SGranitz/WireImage

“This Is the Night” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 28, 2003. It was Aiken’s debut single after competing on season two of “American Idol.”

The song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100.

10. “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

born this way lady gaga — “Born This Way” was released in 2011.
Lady Gaga/YouTube

“Born This Way” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 26, 2011. It was the lead single from Gaga’s second studio album of the same name.

The song spent six weeks atop the Hot 100.

11. “Harlem Shake” by Baauer

“Harlem Shake” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 2, 2013.

Billboard’s chart methodology is updated at least once a year to reflect rapidly evolving listening trends. The Hot 100 began incorporating digital sales data in 2005 and YouTube data in 2013.

Because “Harlem Shake” became a dance trend that went viral on YouTube, it benefited from that recent adjustment.

The song spent five weeks atop the Hot 100.

12. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

shake it off taylor swift — “Shake It Off” was released in 2014.
Taylor Swift/YouTube

“Shake It Off” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 6, 2014. It was the lead single from Swift’s fifth album, “1989.”

The song spent four weeks atop the Hot 100.

13. “Hello” by Adele

hello adele — “Hello” was released in 2015.
Adele/YouTube

“Hello” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 14, 2015. It was the lead single from Adele’s third album, “25.”

The song spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100.

14. “God’s Plan” by Drake

“God’s Plan” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 3, 2018. It was the lead single from Drake’s fifth studio album, “Scorpion.”

The song spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100.

15. “Nice for What” by Drake

nice for what drake music video — “Nice for What” was released in 2018.
Drake/YouTube

“Nice for What,” the second single from “Scorpion,” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 21, 2018.

The song spent four consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 and eight nonconsecutive weeks.

16. “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

this is america childish gambino — “This Is America” was released in 2018.
Childish Gambino/YouTube

“This Is America” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 19, 2018. It was released as a standalone single.

The song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100.

17. “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande

“Thank U, Next” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 17, 2018. It was the lead single from Grande’s fifth studio album of the same name.

The song spent three consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 and seven weeks total.

18. “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande

ariana grande 7 rings — Ariana Grande/YouTube

“7 Rings,” the second single from “Thank U, Next,” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 2, 2019.

The song spent eight weeks atop the Hot 100. It remains Grande’s biggest hit on the chart.

19. “WAP” by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion

cardi b megan thee stallion wap — The music video for “WAP” was released on August 6, 2020.
Cardi B/YouTube

“WAP” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 22, 2020.

The collab between Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion spent two consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100, and then returned for an additional two-week stretch.

20. “Dynamite” by BTS

bts dynamite music video — “Dynamite” was released in 2020.
HYBE LABELS/YouTube

“Dynamite,” BTS’ first all-English-language single, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 5, 2020.

The song spent two consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100, then returned for a third.

21. “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo

drivers license olivia rodrigo 5 — Olivia Rodrigo/YouTube

“Drivers License,” the lead single from Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album, “Sour,” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 23, 2021.

The song went on to dominate the Hot 100 for eight straight weeks.

22. “Rapstar” by Polo G

polo g rapstar — “Rapstar” was released in 2021.
Polo G/YouTube

“Rapstar” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 3, 2018. It was the third single from Polo G’s third album, “Hall of Fame.”

The song spent two consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100.

23. “Butter” by BTS

“Butter” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 5, 2021.

The song remained atop the Hot 100 for seven straight weeks, then returned to No. 1 for a total of 10 weeks.

24. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift

taylor swift anti hero music video — Taylor Swift in the “Anti-Hero” music video.
Taylor Swift/YouTube

“Anti-Hero” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 5, 2022. It was released as the lead single from Swift’s 10th album, “Midnights.”

It became the first song of the year to spend a second week at No. 1 immediately following its debut in the top spot (although “As It Was” by Harry Styles and “First Class” by Jack Harlow both returned to No. 1 eventually and charted for several nonconsecutive weeks).

“Anti-Hero” remained atop the chart for six consecutive weeks, then returned later for two more, becoming Swift’s biggest hit on the Hot 100.

25. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus

miley cyrus flowers music video — “Flowers” was released on January 12, 2023.
Miley Cyrus/YouTube

“Flowers” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 28, 2023. It was released as the lead single from Miley Cyrus’ eighth album, “Endless Summer Vacation.”

It remained atop the chart for six consecutive weeks before returning later for a seventh and eighth.

26. “Rich Men North of Richmond” by Oliver Anthony Music

oliver anthony rich men north of richmond — radiowv/YouTube

“Rich Men North of Richmond” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 26, 2023.

While the country song was initially boosted by conservative pundits — who praised its anti-greed and pro-worker message — it topped the chart for a second week after Oliver Anthony criticized its political use.

“It was funny seeing my song at the [Republican] presidential debate because I wrote that song about those people,” Anthony said in a YouTube video.

27. “Like That” by Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar

future metro boomin we don't trust you — “Like That” was released in 2024.
Future/YouTube

“Like That” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 6, 2024, after it was included on Future and Metro Boomin’s collaborative album “We Don’t Trust You.”

The song sparked chatter of a rap feud thanks to Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse, in which he disses J. Cole and Drake.

Once “Like That” topped the chart, Cole responded with his own diss track about Lamar, “7 Minute Drill,” which continued to fuel interest in their dispute. However, Cole apologized shortly after. Drake also responded, didn’t back down, and his feud with Lamar quickly went nuclear.

Meanwhile, “Like That” held firm at No. 1 for three consecutive weeks.

28. “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone

taylor swift fortnight music video — Taylor Swift in the “Fortnight” music video.
Taylor Swift/YouTube

“Fortnight” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 4, 2024. It was released as the lead single from Swift’s 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

It topped the chart for a second consecutive week.

29. “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen

post malone i had some help music video — “I Had Some Help” was released in 2024.
Post Malone/YouTube

“I Had Some Help” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 25, 2024.

The country duet topped the chart for a second consecutive week, followed by hits like Lamar’s diss “Not Like Us” at No. 2 and Billie Eilish’s sapphic bop “Lunch” at No. 5.

In total, the song notched six nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1.

30. “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift in the music video for "The Fate of Ophelia." — Taylor Swift in “The Fate of Ophelia.”
Taylor Swift/YouTube

“The Fate of Ophelia” debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 18, 2025. It was released as the lead single from Swift’s 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”

“Ophelia” held its position atop the chart for a second consecutive week. Eight other songs from the tracklist also remained in the chart’s top 10, including “Opalite” at No. 2 and “Elizabeth Taylor,” which dropped from No. 3 to No. 5.

Swift has four hit songs on this list, the most of any artist.

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