Most of us know that job loss is emotionally difficult, but whats less talked about is the experience of knowing you will be terminated without knowing when. This process can be drawn out and draininga form of anticipatory griefan emotional response to a loss before it occurs. Often experienced by the loved ones of terminally ill patients, a version applies in the workplace when job loss is on the horizon. In todays volatile landscape, this kind of professional uncertainty is increasingly common, prompting leadersin limbo due to mergers, acquisitions, funding losses, or downsizingto feel a loss of self-identity, irritability and helplessness at not being in control.
As an executive career coach and former headhunter, I have worked with dozens of leaders facing these circumstances. Here are four practical strategies to help you stay grounded, proactive, and resilient during uncertain times.
1. Plan for the future (even when you dont feel ready)
Its tempting to wait for clarity on your situation before taking action. But even during the fog of ambiguity, creating time for thinking is beneficial. One of my clients, Matt, was a director at a global finance firm that was being acquired, creating duplicate functions. He agreed to stay on to lead the reorganization and focused all his time on the business priorities, not his own. He was so dedicated he didnt start planning for his future until his boss was let go and reality hit home that it could be him at any moment.
Give yourself the gift of forward planning by scheduling time to reflect on what is important to you in your work and life both in the short and longer term. Ask yourself a series of questions to determine what you want your ideal future to look like and steps to move you towards it:
Where do I see myself in 10 years? Be as specific as you can about what you would love to do, not just what you could do. You may even consider creating a career vision board for your future using images and statements.
With that vision in mind, what experience do I want to gain in my next organization? For instance, if you aspire to be a nonexecutive director long term, you may wish to strengthen your committee experience in the roles you hold between now and then.
What are my nonnegotiable and desirable criteria in my next role? For example, you might want to be on the same time zone as corporate HQ but are flexible about the business size. Or increasing your compensation may be nonnegotiable, but you would be willing to travel more.
2. Refocus on what you need to thrive in the short term
Take an honest look at your role and what you want to prioritize. One equity partner I worked with in consulting, Claire, knew the firm would be sold at some stage but the date was ambiguous. As the time stretched on, she became disengaged and frustrated, especially in meetings which were becoming increasingly political. She was ready for a change but was tied into the business financially. She realised shed moved away from the work where she most excelled.
Ask yourself: What activities energize you at work? What activities drain you? For example, perhaps you thrive on being client facing, selling the services of the business, but you find writing the proposal document dull. Perhaps you love leading teams but find large leadership meetings sap your energy. This will help you identify your strengths. The more you use them the happier, more energized and resilient you will feel.
Claire negotiated changes to her role that protected her future package whilst moving into a client practice she excelled in. She took on more mentoring work internally, negotiated greater flexibility, and relinquished elements she no longer enjoyed such as the board meetings.
While many leaders would avoid making waves, when the timeline is unknown, its worth a discussion with your line manager about ways to do more of the activities you thrive on, build experiences you want to gain, and make your remaining time more meaningful. You may be there longer than you think and its beneficial to exit on a high.
3. Reconnect with your external network
When I surveyed more than 100 leaders for a forthcoming research project, the vast majority (nearly 90%) said they would like to network more, yet only a handful proactively scheduled time for it. They regarded it as importantbut never urgentso consistently let their regular responsibilities take priority.
Your wider network is an important source of executive leadership positions. Dont wait until you exit and are job hunting, instead reach out now. Begin with genuine connections you havent spoken to in a whileyour weak ties. Be discreet, but where you can, open up and seek support. If its been some time since you were last in touch, acknowledge this, and offer support in return.
A simple message might look like this:
Hi [Name], I hope you are well. Ive been thinking back to our conversations at [Company/Project] and I always valued your insights. Id welcome your perspective on a work challenge I am navigating. Would you be open to a short coffee or video call soon? Let me know how I can support you in return.
4. Expect and respect your emotions
When significant change is coming in your work, it is normal to feel a rollercoaster of emotionsworry, sadness, resentment. Serena Williams shared the emotional difficulty of approaching the end of a long-term role, describing transitioning from professional tennis as painful.
Emotions are interpretations of your feelings and it helps to understand them. Instead of ignoring or suppressing them, pay attention to them and explore what they are telling you. For instance, the sadness you are feeling may, more specifically, be guilt about letting your family down or disappointment that you didnt achieve everything you hoped for in the role.
Reflective writing has been linked to improved mental well-being and laid off professionals being more quickly rehired. Get a notebook, set a timer and let your thoughts flow freely. The Feelings Wheela tool that lists 114 emotionscan help you recognize and articulate what you’re experiencing.
You may not be able to control the situation of your impending job loss, but you can control how you respond. Invest time in yourself and your future plans. Harness your professional relationships and manage your emotions. With the right mindset and actions, this unplanned change could serve as a catalyst to a positive career step.
Is the future of concert venues more spheres? It seems so.
Following on the success of Sphere in Las Vegas, plans are underway to bring a smaller-scale version to the National Harbor in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, announced on Sunday that the state and Prince Georges County are working with Sphere Entertainment Co. and Peterson Companies to develop a 6,000-seat sphere, its second venue in the U.S.
This will be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince Georges County history, Moore said in a statement. Were excited for what this means for our people, and how it will showcase the best of what Maryland has to offer to everyone who visits.
The collaborators are estimating that Sphere National Harbor could generate an economic impact in excess of $1 billion annually and support 4,750 jobs once operational. Though theres not yet an estimate of the cost of construction, this project could receive state, local, and private funding to the tune of approximately $200 million.
MORE SPHERES COMING
Located across the Potomac River from Alexandria, Virginia, National Harbor already draws tourists and convention-goers alike. Its attractions include the Capital Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel, and an MGM resort that boasts more than 135,000 square feet of gambling and a 3,000-seat concert venue. A rendering of the new Sphere indicates a potential location set off from the Harbor and next to the MGM.
Even at a smaller size, the sphere would still feature the same Exosphere as the one in Las Vegas, which is an exterior LED display that allows the venue to take on different looks. Inside, the venue would feature the highest-resolution LED screen, haptic seating, 4D environmental effects, and other advanced technologies found in the original that seats more than 17,000 people.
Construction is well underway for Sphere Entertainments second Sphere in Abu Dhabi, and National Harbor would mark the first smaller-scale version of the concert venueand potentially pave the way for others.
Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities, James L. Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, said in the statement. He also praised local and state lawmakers for recognizing the potential that a Sphere at National Harbor could elevate and advance immersive experiences across the area.
There is no estimate on timing for the new Sphere yet, as the proposed venue is still being negotiated and requires various approvals.
NOT SOLD ON SPHERES
Though the planners behind the project boasted that Sphere in Las Vegas topped rankings by Billboard and Pollstar for top-grossing venues worldwide, many people havent been entirely sold on the venue. It has an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 on Tripadvisor, while panning events held there has become somewhat of a sport for some influencers.
Whats more, the Sphere has been the topic of much criticism since it opened in 2023. Most recently, some film fans fumed because The Wizard of Ozcurrently showing at the Sphere for tickets starting at $104 per seatused generative AI to reimagine aspects of visuals from the classic to fit the venues capabilities.
Even so, such criticisms havent slowed Sphere Entertainments meteoric rise. Its stock has surged 134% in the past year.
U.S. Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” two European officials said Monday.Trump’s message to Jonas Gahr Stre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark. To force European countries that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland toward talks, Trump on Saturday announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight nations, including Norway.Those countries issued a forceful rebuke. But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to de-escalate tensions on Monday. While the White House has not ruled taking control of the strategic Arctic island by force, Starmer said he did not believe military action would occur.“I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion,” he said.Still, the American leader’s message to Gahr Stre could further fracture a U.S.-European relationship already strained by differences over how to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine, previous rounds of tariffs, military spending, and migration policy.In a sign of how tensions have increased in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post Monday that the tariff threats would not change the their stance.“We will not be pressured,” he wrote. “We stand firm on dialogue, on respect, and on international law.”
Trump sends a message to the Norwegian leader
According to two European officials, Trump’s message to Gahr Stre read in part: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”It concluded: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said it had been forwarded to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. PBS first reported on the content of Trump’s note.Gahr Stre confirmed Monday that he had received a text message from Trump but did not release its contents. The White House did not respond to questions about the letter or the context for Trump sending it.Gahr Stre said Trump’s message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders.“Norway’s position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter,” Stre said. “As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to president Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government.”The Norwegian Nobel Committee is an independent body whose five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.Trump has openly coveted the peace prize, which the committee awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado last year. Last week, Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump, who said he planned to keep it though the committee said the prize can’t be revoked, transferred, or shared with others.
Starmer says a trade war is in no one’s interest
In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated they would be retaliation for last week’s deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenlandthough he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark.European governments said that the troops traveled to the island for Arctic security training in response to Trump’s own concerns about interference from Russia and China.Starmer on Monday called Trump’s threat of tariffs “completely wrong” and said that a trade war is in no one’s interest.He added that “being pragmatic does not mean being passive and partnership does not mean abandoning principles.”Six of the eight countries targeted are part of the 27-member European Union, which operates as a single economic zone in terms of trade. European Council President Antonio Costa said Sunday that the bloc’s leaders expressed “readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion.” He announced a summit for Thursday evening.Starmer indicated that Britain, which is not part of the EU, is not planning to consider retaliatory tariffs.“My focus is on making sure we don’t get to that stage,” he said.Denmark’s defense minister and Greenland’s foreign minister are expected to meet NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday, a meeting that was planned before the latest escalation.
Associated Press writer Josh Boak in West Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.
Aamer Madhani, Geir Moulson and Jill Lawless, Associated Press
Small businesses are planning to hire fewer recent college graduates than they did in 2025, making it likely harder for this cohort to find entry-level jobs.
In our recent national survey, we found that small businesses are 30% more likely than larger employers to say they are not hiring recent college graduates in 2026. About 1 in 5 small-business employers said they do not plan to hire college graduates or expect to hire fewer than they did last year.
This would be the largest anticipated decrease in small businesses hiring new graduates in more than a decade.
Small businesses are generally those with fewer than 500 employees, based on standards from the U.S. Census Bureau and federal labor data.
This slowdown is happening nationwide and is affecting early-career hiring for people graduating from both college and graduate programsand is more pronounced for people with graduate degrees.
Nearly 40% of small businesses also said they do not plan to hire, or are cutting back on hiring, recent grads who dont have a masters of business administration. Almost 60% said the same for people with other professional degrees.
National data shows the same trend. Only 56% of small businesses are hiring or trying to hire anyone at all, according to October 2025 findings by the National Federation of Independent Business, an advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses.
Job openings at small employers are at their lowest since 2020, when hiring dropped sharply during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some small businesses may change their hiring plans later in the spring, but our survey reveals that they are approaching hiring cautiously. This gives new graduates or students getting their diplomas in a few months information on what they can expect in the job market for summer and fall 2026.
How small businesses tend to hire new employees
Our survey, which has been conducted annually at the LeBow Center for Career Readiness at Drexel University, collected data from 647 businesses across the country from August 2025 through November.
About two-thirds of them were small businesses, which reflects their distribution and proportion nationally.
Small businesses employ nearly half of private-sector workers. They also offer many of the first professional jobs that new graduates get to start their careers.
Many small employers in our survey said they want to hire early-career workers. But small-business owners and hiring managers often find that training new graduates takes more time and support than they can give, especially in fields like manufacturing and health care.
Thats why many small employers prefer to hire interns they know or cooperative education students who had previously worked for them while they were enrolled as students.
Larger employers are also being more careful about hiring, but they usually face fewer challenges. They often have structured onboarding, dedicated supervisors and formal training, so they can better support new employees. This is one reason why small businesses have seen a bigger slowdown in hiring than larger employers.
Then there are small businesses in cities that are open to hiring recent graduates but are struggling to find workers. In cities, housing costs are often rising faster than starting salaries, so graduates have to live farther from their jobs.
In the suburbs and rural areas, long or unreliable commutes make things worse. Since small businesses usually hire locally and cannot pay higher wages, these challenges make it harder for graduates to accept and keep entry-level jobs.
Industry and regional patterns
Job prospects for recent college graduates depend on the industry. The 2026 survey shows that employers in health care, construction and finance plan to hire more graduates than other fields. In contrast, manufacturing and arts and entertainment expect to hire fewer new graduates.
Most new jobs are in health care and construction, but these fields usually do not hire many recent college graduates. Health care growth is focused on experienced clinical and support roles, while construction jobs are mostly in skilled trades that require prior training or apprenticeships instead of a four-year degree.
So, even in growing industries, there are still limited opportunities for people just starting their careers.
Even though small businesses are hiring less, there are still opportunities for recent graduates. Its important to be intentional when preparing for the job market. Getting practical experience matters more than ever. Internships, co-ops, project work and short-term jobs help students show they are ready before getting a full-time position.
Employers often say that understanding how the workplace operates is just as important as having technical skills for people starting their careers.
We often remind students in our classes at LeBow College of Business that communication and professional skills matter more than they expect. Writing clear emails, being on time, asking thoughtful questions and responding well to feedback can make candidates stand out. Small employers value these skills because they need every team member to contribute right away.
Students should also prepare for in-person work. Almost 60% of small employers in our survey want full-time hires to work on-site five days a week. In smaller companies, graduates who can take on different tasks and adjust quickly are more likely to set themselves apart from other candidates.
Finally, local networking is still important. Most small employers hire mainly within their region, so building relationships and staying active in the community are key for early-career opportunities.
Murugan Anandarajan is a professor of decision sciences and management information Systems at Drexel University; Cuneyt Gozu is an associate clinicalprofessor of organizational behavior at Drexel University, and David Prisco is a director at the Center for Career Readiness at Drexel University.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Nearly seven tons of ready-to-eat grilled chicken breast products are being recalled over Listeria concerns.
According to a Jan. 16 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notice, the product was distributed by Suzannas Kitchen, a Georgia-based food company known for its prepared meats. The recall targets 10-pound cases containing two 5-pound bags of fully cooked grilled chicken breast fillets with rib meat, which were produced on Oct. 14.
13,720 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken were recalled, per the notice.
According to the notice, the lot code 60104 P1382 287 5 J14 is printed on the side of the case and on the package. The products were distributed to operations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio.
“The problem was discovered when a third-party laboratory sample reported a positive Listeria monocytogenes result in the ready-to-eat fully cooked grilled chicken breast fillets product,” the notice explains.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a potential illness should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
Listeria symptoms can range from mild gastrointestinal issues like fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea to more severe neurological symptoms like headache, stiff neck, confusion, and convulsions if the infection spreads, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also says that the bacteria can be especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Friday’s recall is not the first Suzannas Kitchen has initiated recently. In December, the company issued a recall of 62,550 pounds of fully cooked, bone-in breaded chicken products. The product, which was distributed nationwide, was recalled over allergen concerns. While the product was labeled with a product code that classifies it as non-allergen-containing, the product actually contained soy, one of the “big nine” allergens.
The recall notice also advises concerned customers to direct any additional questions to Dawn Duncan, Customer Service Director, Suzannas Kitchen at dduncan@suzannaskitchen.com.
Struggling to fall asleep is irritating. Struggling to get enough sleep is at least partially debilitating.
Research shows:
People who sleep five to six hours are almost 20 percent less productive than people who sleep seven to eight hours per night.
People who only get six hours of sleep per night have greater difficulty performing any task that requires focus, deep thinking, or problem-solving.
People chronically sleep-deprived (think six hours or less) have a much harder time performing complicated tasks.
So, yeah: Performing at your best requires getting enough sleep. But what if you struggle to fall asleep?
Here are three techniques sleep science says you should definitely try.
The 4-7-8 method
Heres how it works. First, place the tip of your tongue against your two upper front teeth, and keep it there. (The goal is to inhale and exhale around your tongue.) Then:
Breathe in through your nose while you count to four.
Hold your breath while you count to seven.
Purse your lips and exhaleyou should make a whooshing soundwhile you count to eight.
Repeat up to four times.
While inhaling and exhaling deeplyand worse yet, holding your breath in betweensounds like it will make you less sleepy, that pattern activates your parasympathetic nervous system and helps switch your body to rest mode.
Thats especially important if you feel stressed, since anxiety shifts your sympathetic nervous system (think fight or flight) into overdrive. Kick-starting your parasympathetic nervous system helps counteract that effect.
And gives you something else to think about in the process.Keep in mind practice is the key. The 4-7-8 method may not help you fall asleep faster the first few times. But the more you use it, the more youll train yourself to relax.
And even if you dont fall asleep quicker, you will feel a little less stressed and anxious. A 2022 study published in Physiological Reports found that 4-7-8 breathing reduced heart rate and blood pressure for several minutes. Youll feel calmer, more grounded, and better able to relax and let go.
So, as with using the physiological sigh, you can also use the 4-7-8 method to regain focus when you feel anxious.
The military method
The military method is a two-minute routine created by the Navy Pre-Flight School to help pilots fall asleep. Within six weeks, 96 percent of the pilots could fall asleep within two minutes or less, even if they were sitting in a chair, listening to a recording of machine-gun fire, and had just drunk coffee.
Heres how it works:
Relax your entire face. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Then slowly relax all of your face muscles. (If it helps, start with your forehead muscles and work your way down.) Relax your jaw, your cheeks, your mouth, your tongue, everything. Including your eyes; let them go.
Drop your shoulders and hands. Let go of any tension. Relax your neck, your traps; feel yourself sinking into the chair or bed. Then start at the top of your right arm, and slowly relax your biceps, forearms, and hands. Repeat on the other side. And dont forget to keep breathing slowly and deeply.
Exhale and relax your chest. With your shoulders and arms relaxed, that should be easy.
Relax your legs. Start with your right thigh; let it sink into the chair or bed. Then do the same with your calf, ankle, and foot. Repeat the process with your left leg.
Now clear your mind. Granted, its hard to not think about anything. (I end up thinking about not thinking about anything.) If thats you, try holding an image in your mind. Choose something relaxing. Picture yourself lying comfortably in darkness. But if that doesnt work
Try repeating the words Dont think for 10 seconds. If nothing else, that should help distract you from thinking about whatever it is that might otherwise keep you awake.
Like the 4-7-8 method, the military method may take practice. Remember, it took pilots up to six weeks to regularly fall asleep within two minutes. But once youve gained the skill . . .
The 10-3-2-1 method
This routine takes a little longer to execute; think of it as daylong sleep prep. As Jess Andrade describes:
10: Stop drinking caffeine 10 hours before you plan to go to sleep to clear the stimulatory effect from your bloodstream.
3: Eat your last big meal (or last drink of alcohol) three hours prior to reduce reflux and ensure alcohol doesnt impair your natural sleep cycle.
2: Create a to-do list for the next day two hours prior; as Getting Things Done author David Allen says, Your head is for having ideas, not holding ideas. Without exception, you will feel better if you get stuff out of your head.
1: Stop using screens one hour before you go to sleep, both to reduce exposure to blue light and to disengage.
Granted, this technique takes more time and effort. Then again, combining the 10-3-2-1 method with the military or 4-7-8 method can only increase your odds of falling asleep quickly.
Which increases the odds youll get sleep better and hopefully longer tonight.
And be able to perform at your best tomorrow.
Chances are good that many investors are happy today is a holiday, and thus the stock markets are closed. Thats because over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced the threat of new tariffs levied against Americas most prominent European allies.
But this time, Trumps tariff threats arent driven by trade imbalances. Instead, they center around the presidents desire to acquire ownership of Greenland. Heres what you need to know, including how assets that are trading todaygold and cryptocurrencyare reacting.
Whats happened?
On Saturday, Trump took to social media to announce that he would impose additional tariffs on eight European nations that have spoken out against his plan to acquire Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark.
The president announced that, beginning on February 1st, goods from those nations will be charged an additional 10% tariff when they enter the United States. The nations Trump threatened to levy the additional tariffs against include: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
But Trump didnt stop there. He also announced that those additional 10% tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 and will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.
Currently, there is already a 10% tariff on goods from the United Kingdom and a 15% tariff on goods from the other countries Trump cited. The additional Greenland tariffs would raise the levies on goods from those countries to at least 25% next month and at least 40% in June.
Trumps stated reason for wanting Greenland to become part of the United States is its strategic national security importancethe landmass lies directly between North America and Russia. However, Greenland is also home to vast mineral deposits and other natural resources with significant market value.
Trumps desire to acquire Greenland is deeply unpopular with the American public, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found this month, with just 17% of respondents approving of the goal. A 2025 Verian poll of Greenlanders found that an overwhelming 85% of respondents said they did not want their homeland to become part of the United States.
How has Europe responded?
European leaders are in crisis mode. Despite leaders on the continent telling President Trump that Greenland is not for sale, Trumps resolve on acquiring the Danish territory has only strengthened. On Sunday, the European Council (EC) of the European Union issued a definitive statement on the matter.
Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. They are essential for Europe and for the international community as a whole, European Council president António Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen wrote.
They added, The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Dialogue remains essential, and we are committed to building on the process begun already last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the US. Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.
How had gold reacted?
Geopolitical uncertainties tend to send investors fleeing from more volatile assets, such as stocks, to safer ones, such as gold. And Trumps weekend escalation over Greenland is following this trend.
While stock markets are closed today in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, assets such as gold and other precious metals are being traded. Gold, particularly, is seen as a safe-haven asset that investors flee to in times of uncertainty.
As of the time of this writing, gold is currently at an all-time high of $4,671.10 per ounce. Silver is also at an all-time high of $93.20 per ounce.
How have Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies reacted?
Precious metals arent the only assets being traded today. Unlike the stock markets, which are closed on federal holidays, cryptocurrencies trade 24/7.
And unlike gold, cryptocurrencies are generally not seen as safe-haven assets. Cryptocurrencies are historically volatile in the best of times. When geopolitical uncertainties hit, crypto tends to sell off as investors take profits and move into safe-haven assets.
As of this writing, most major cryptocurrencies are retreating amid the rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty between America and its European allies.
Crypto king Bitcoin is currently down more than 2% to $93,170 per coin. Ethereum is down nearly 3%, XRP is down nearly 4%, and Solana is down nearly 6%. Memecoin Doge is down nearly 7%.
Where do things go from here?
Right now, no one can say where Trumps Greenland escalations go from here. Most of the political establishment in America and the overwhelming majority of the international community are deeply concerned about the presidents insistence on acquiring the landmass.
Numerous observers, including European leaders, have said that Trumps threats could undermine the very foundation of NATO, of which the U.S., Greenland, and European countries are part.
Right now, European leaders are debating how to respond to Trumps threats if the president does not back down. If diplomatic efforts fail, the next most likely step would be for Europe to threaten economic countermeasures against America, including tariffs of its own on American goods, and perhaps even invoking what is colloquially called the big bazookaofficially known as the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI).
As CNBC noted, the ACI is a trade policy tool in the EU’s arsenal designed to counter coercion by economically and militarily powerful countries. The ACI is a deterrent instrument that, if enacted, could restrict not just trade with a country, but also place a cessation on foreign investment and intellectual property rights. The ACI was created in 2023, but it has never been enacted before.
All eyes will be on Trump when he is in Europe on Wednesday, where he will address world and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Each year on the holiday that bears his name, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his immense contributions to the struggle for racial equality. What is less often remembered but equally important is that King saw the fight for racial equality as deeply intertwined with economic justice.
To address inequalityand out of growing concern for how automation might displace workersKing became an early advocate for universal basic income. Under universal basic income, the government provides direct cash payments to all citizens to help them afford lifes expenses.
In recent years, more than a dozen U.S. cities have run universal basic income programs, often smaller or pilot programs that have offered guaranteed basic incomes to select groups of needy residents. As political scientists, we have followed these experiments closely.
One of us recently co-authored a study which found that universal basic income is generally popular. In two out of three surveys analyzed, majorities of white Americans supported a universal basic income proposal. Support is particularly high among those with low incomes.
Kings intuition was that white people with lower incomes would support this type of policy because they could also benefit from it. In 1967, King argued, It seems to me that the Civil Rights Movement must now begin to organize for the guaranteed annual income . . . which I believe will go a long, long way toward dealing with the Negros economic problem and the economic problem with many other poor people confronting our nation.
But there is one notable group that does not support universal basic income: those with higher levels of racial resentment. Racial resentment is a scale that social scientists have used to describe and measure anti-Black prejudice since the 1980s.
Notably, in our research, whites with higher levels of racial resentment and higher incomes are especially inclined to oppose universal basic income. As King well knew, this segment of Americans can create powerful opposition.
Economic self-interest can trump resentment
At the same time, the results of the study also suggest that coalition building is possible, even among the racially resentful.
Economic status matters. Racially resentful whites with lower incomes tend to be supportive of universal basic income. In short, self-interest seems to trump racial resentment. This is consistent with Kings idea of how an economic coalition could be built and pave the way toward racial progress.
Income is not the only thing that shapes attitudes, however. Some of the strongest supporters of universal basic income are those who have higher incomes but low levels of racial resentment. This suggests an opportunity to build coalitions across economic lines, something King believed was necessary. The rich must not ignore the poor, he argued in his Nobel Peace Prize lecture, because both rich and poor are tied in a single garment of destiny. Our data shows that this is possible.
This approach to coalition building is also suggested by our earlier research. Using American National Election Studies surveys from 2004-2016, we found that for white Americans, racial resentment predicted lower support for social welfare policies. But we also found that economic position mattered, too.
Economic need can unite white Americans in support of more generous welfare policies, including among some who are racially prejudiced. At a minimum, this suggests that racial resentment does not necessarily prevent white Americans from supporting policies that would also benefit Black Americans.
Building lasting coalitions
During his career as an activist in the 1950s and 1960s, King struggled with building long-term, multiracial coalitions. He understood that many forms of racial prejudice could undermine his work. He therefore sought strategies that could forge alliances across lines of difference. He helped build coalitions of poor and working-class Americans, including those who are white. He was not so naive as to think that shared economic progress would eliminate racial prejudice, but he saw it as a place to start.
Currently, the nation faces an affordability crisis, and artificial intelligence poses new threats to jobs. These factors have increased calls for universal basic income.
Racial prejudice continues to fuel opposition to universal basic income, as well as other forms of social welfare. But our research suggests that this is not insurmountable.
As King knew, progress toward economic equality is not inevitable. But, as his legacy reminds us, progress does remain possible through organizing around shared interests.
Tarah Williams is an assistant professor of political science at Allegheny College and Andrew Bloeser is an associate professor of political science; Director, Center for Political Participation at Allegheny College.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Being a field dependent on big developer clients and even bigger sums of money, rarely do architects get to pick the projects they work on. Would they if they could? Absolutely.
Fast Company asked architects and designers from some of the top firms working around the world to think about the kinds of projects they wish they could do, clients, budgets, and possibly reality notwithstanding. From the abstract to one very specific (and notorious) train station, seven architects shared building projects they’d love to tackle in 2026.
Here’s the question we put to a panel of designers and leaders in architecture: What’s your dream project in 2026?
An urban district reimagined
The dream project for me isn’t a skyline object or spectacle, it’s a long-life systema project whose structure is reused, materials are upgraded and recycled rather than replaced, and performance improves over time. Where sustainable strategies arent hidden in basements, or rooftops, but become part of the architectural experience. A dream project would be an urban district reimagined, edited with a scalpel (rather than a sledgehammer) with its declining building stock given a new life through subtle upgrades, modest interventions, and attention to craft and building performance.
Trent Tesch, Principal, KPF
Solutions to current crises
My dream project would be to design beyond the scale of a single buildingat the district scaleto define a new way of living. We have the ability to overcome the segmentation we have created in the built environment and move toward convergent places where people can not only live, work, and play in the same space, but also innovate, learn, and care for ourselves and each other. Embedded in this approach are solutions to current crises like housing, access to food and care, and more: to think about community-building and what people need around them to ensure a safe, vibrant, and supported life.
David Polzin, executive director of design, CannonDesign
An example of where design needs to go
My dream project should break ground right near the end of the year the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island. It will be arguably the most sustainable project ever undertaken in the city and an example of where design needs to go in the coming decade.
Colin Koop, partner, SOM
A tangible vision of a ‘heaven on earth’
A dream project with a design ethos grounded in simplicity, sustainability, and the clear expression of engineering functions, this project would function as a living laboratory at a district-to-regional, maybe even country scale, exemplifying human-centered, climate-responsive urbanism. It would demonstrate how architecture can create healthier built environments, advance decarbonization, promote human well-being, foster thriving ecosystems, and deliver scalable models for resilient cities worldwidea tangible vision of a heaven on earth in a built environment.
Luke Leung, sustainable engineering studio leader, SOM
Breaking down silos
Our firm’s portfolio has always been shaped by the idea of architecture as social and civic infrastructure, rather than isolated objects. Our dream project in 2026 is one that will allow us to further break down overly prescriptive disciplinary and programmatic silos, to the benefit of those who use the spaces we create. This could take the form of a new kind of mixed-use district, a daycare-driven residential building, woodland cabins, or reinvented urban infrastructure, but it would be guided, as all our work is, by the idea of long-term stewardship and deep collaboration with community and our peers in architecture, engineering, and beyond. We are most interested in projects where design builds capacity and trust, and where success is measured not only by what gets built, but by what it enables over time.
Claire Weisz, founding principal, WXY architecture + urban design
Destinations for learning and gathering
There is growing need for cultural and community catalysts that bring people together, especially in communities that are lacking destinations for learning and gathering. Design can support a sense of belonging and grounding to the physicality of architecture that is important in this day of instant gratification.
Nick Leahy, co-CEO and executive director, Perkins Eastman
A nightmare-turned-dream?
Pennsylvania Station!
Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder, PAU
Most organizations still hire for culture fiteven those that loudly champion diversity and inclusion. The phrase sounds benign, even wise: who wouldnt want colleagues who fit in? But behind this feel-good notion lies one of the biggest obstacles to innovation and progress in modern workplaces. Culture fit has become a euphemism for cultural cloning: selecting people who already look, think, and behave like the incumbents. Its a polite way of saying, we want people like us, because theres nothing more comforting than workingand hanging outwith people who are just like you!
The irony, of course, is that such homogeneity kills the very things organizations claim to want: creativity, adaptability, and innovation. As Adam Grant notes, originality thrives in contexts that tolerate dissent and deviance, not conformity. Yet the more organizations glorify fit, the more they drift toward cultish sameness. The difference between a culture and a cult, after all, is just one letterand often one lawsuit.
This tendency isnt new. Social psychology has long shown that were drawn to those who resemble us; similarity reduces friction and uncertainty. But comfort is the enemy of progress. Uniformity might make life easier for recruiters and managers, but it makes systems fragile. Nature offers a cautionary tale: the Irish potato famine. For decades, Ireland depended almost entirely on a single potato variety, the Lumper. When a blight struck in 1845, the lack of genetic diversity turned one crop failure into a national catastrophe. Organizations that over-rely on a single type of employee risk the same fatea cultural monocrop vulnerable to shocks, blind spots, and collective stupidity.
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The cost of fitting in too well
Empirical research supports this. Studies show that while culture fit predicts short-term satisfaction and commitment, its often negatively related to long-term innovation and change readiness. A large meta-analysis by Kristof-Brown, Zimmerman, and Johnson found that personorganization fit strongly predicts employees attitudes but not their creativity or performance in changing environments. Similarly, Michele Gelfands cross-national study on cultural tightness found that organizations and societies that enforce conformity underperform in dynamic contexts, while looser culturesthose that tolerate rule-bending and deviance, are more innovative and adaptive.
There are also considerable costs for businesses that hire for culture-fit: when everybody thinks alike, nobody thinks at all! In line, cultural homogeneity reduces innovation, creativity, and curiosity, as well as increasing conformity and resisting change. By contrast, organizations that value constructive misfithiring people who stretch or challenge the dominant moldshow higher rates of creativity and problem-solving. Googles famous Project Aristotle study on team effectiveness found that the best-performing groups werent the most harmonious or homogenous, but those with psychological safetyteams where people felt free to disagree without social punishment. The best cultures, in other words, dont eliminate tension; they use it productively.
Unfortunately, many companies still confuse alignment with excellence. Fit becomes the criterion for hiring and promotion, even as executives pay lip service to diversity. As illustrated in Dont Be Yourself: Why Authenticity is Overrated and What to Do Instead, in practice, bring your whole self to work often means bring the parts of yourself that look and sound like the rest of us. The result is a well-intentioned echo chamber. Everybody belongsand nobody thinks.
The case for the moderate misfit
So, what happens if you dont quite fit in? If youre the person who feels slightly out of sync with the corporate rhythmtoo analytical for the sales culture, too candid for the political one, too global for the parochial one? At first, its uncomfortable. Youll have to work to fit in, even as the company insists you shouldnt have to. Inclusion sounds effortless, but it usually requires emotional laborthe cognitive gymnastics of decoding unspoken norms, managing impressions, and adapting without losing yourself.
Yet being a moderate misfitsomeone who respects the system but doesnt worship itcomes with real advantages.
You bring a different perspective. You see what insiders cant because you arent fully hypnotized by the culture. Research on task conflict shows that moderate levels of disagreement improve decision quality and innovation, as long as theyre respectful. The worst decisions in history (from Enron to the Challenger disaster) share one trait: too much agreement.
Youre more likely to become a change agent. Because you dont fully identify with the status quo, youre less invested in preserving it. Decades of research on minority influence show that consistent dissenters (even when initially unpopular) eventually shift group norms.
Youll stay an independent thinker. Irving Janiss classic work on groupthink revealed that cohesive groups under pressure tend to suppress dissent, leading to catastrophic decisions. Misfits disrupt that comfort. Theyre less likely to self-censor or outsource their thinking to the hive mind. Even when they play along, they keep a mental escape hatch opena capacity for self-reflection that prevents total ideological capture.
And you might even grow. Working alongside people who arent like you forces you to reconsider your assumptions. A widely cited meta-analysis shows that exposure to difference reduces prejudice and increases cognitive complexity. Growth happens when youre challenged; when you collaborate, debate, and adapt outside your comfort zone.
Leadership, progress, and the art of misfitting
Ultimately, leadership is not about comfort but progress. As Gianpiero Petriglieri reminds us, leadership is always an argument with tradition, a dialogue between what is and what could be. Fitting in completely, therefore, is not a strength but a symptom of stagnation. When everyone agrees, nobody leads; they merely administer.
The playwright George Bernard Shaw put it even more bluntly: The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
Moderate misfits are those unreasonable people, balanced enough to survive within the system but different enough to question it. Theyre the ones who stretch cultures, challenge orthodoxies, and prevent organizations from fossilizing. Yes, it can be exhausting to swim against the current. It takes empathy, restraint, and strategic impression management. But the payoff is immense: you remain curious, independent, and relevant in a world that worships conformity. To be sure, many dont survive so pragmatically it is worth wondering whether you want to be part of an organization or system that regards and treats you as an outlier or part of the outgroupit requires a great deal of willpower and resilience . . . the struggle is real!.
So, heres to the misfits, the ones who dont quite belong, who ask inconvenient questions, and who resist the seductive comfort of sameness. They may never win the culture fit award, but theyre the reason culture evolves at all . . . if we are brave to hire them in the first place!
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