Pope Leo visits Angola's diamond-rich northeast

(The Center Square) – Michigan Secretary of State and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson is facing scrutiny over her past role with the Southern Poverty Law Center following a federal indictment against the organization.

A grand jury indictment announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday charges the SPLC with 11 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Federal officials allege the organization directed more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to individuals associated with extremist groups. Benson served on the SPLC’s board of directors from 2014 through early 2019, which overlaps with the timeframe outlined in the indictment.

The allegations against the SPLC have prompted questions about the role board members, like Benson, played in the alleged crimes.

“This indictment raises serious questions about how the SPLC has been spending donor money,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “As a member of their board, did Jocelyn Benson know that donor money was reportedly being used to fund extremism and violence?”

According to the federal indictment, some of the groups that recieved funding include the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America and the National Socialist Movement, as well as an individual tied to organizing the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

“The SPLC is a nonprofit entity that purports to fight white supremacy and racial hatred by reporting on extremist groups and conducting research to inform law enforcement groups with the goal of dismantling these groups,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a news conference announcing the charges. “The SPLC was not dismantling these groups. It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”

SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said the group is “outraged by the false accusations.”

“Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do,” Fair said. “To be clear, this program saved lives.”

Benson’s office did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square regarding her role on the SPLC board or the federal charges. She has also not released a statement regarding the indictment.

Separately, Benson is also facing multiple lawsuits alleging racial discrimination within the Michigan Department of State, which she leads.

A lawsuit filed just last week by Metro Detroit employees Jaqueline Griffin and Cherylann Sanker alleges they were subjected to discrimination and retaliation. The plaintiffs are seeking $10 million in damages.

The case marks at least the fourth lawsuit in recent years alleging racial discrimination within the department. A separate lawsuit filed in January on behalf of four employees also alleged a “racially hostile environment."

In a sworn statement included in that case, former Assistant Secretary of State Heaster Wheeler said he raised concerns directly with Benson.

“I brought these matters to the attention of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson,” Wheeler wrote. “Ms. Benson did not act to correct this situation.”

Benson’s department has denied the allegations of racial discrimination. Previous disputes have resulted in settlements, including a $775,000 agreement reached in 2024 with a former employee who alleged a "racially hostile" work environment.

This all comes as Benson campaigns for governor and is considered a leading Democrat candidate for the election, which is in just 194 days.

The sad saga of a humpback whale stranded a month ago on the German coast has sparked a flood of compassion but also a media frenzy, angry spats, conspiracy theories and death threats.

As Germans have followed the travails of the sea mammal, dubbed "Timmy" by a newspaper, on their live news tickers, TV screens and influencers' YouTube and TikTok channels, some worry about what its epic struggle says about a nation's collective psyche.

Sociologist Christian Stegbauer said the whale, a highly intelligent and social animal, had become an object of human "projections", with people engaging, especially on social media, in "a kind of competition on who cares most for the animal". 

While rescue workers have exhausted themselves in cold water, the odyssey has also featured heated rifts between veterinarians and self-proclaimed "whale-whisperers",  fundraising scams and esoteric attempts to heal the whale through chanting.

The drama began when the 13-metre (over 40-foot) cetacean was beached on a Baltic Sea sandbank on March 23 at the seaside resort Timmendorfer Strand near Luebeck, far from its Atlantic Ocean habitat, with remains of a fishing net in its mouth and in poor physical condition.

Since then a series of rescue attempts -- involving volunteers, environmental groups, maritime police, work crews with excavators and millionaire sponsors -- have repeatedly raised hopes that were quickly dashed, as the whale has swum off, zig-zagged and ended up beached again.

German media have broadcast the hapless creature lying motionless in shallow water for hours on end, with men in diving suits splashing water on it using kayak paddles.

Tide tables have become the stuff of national interest, and rare moments when the exhausted whale has blown water or flapped its fin have warranted breaking news bulletins.

- Cushions and pontoons -

The wave of sympathy tipped into public anger on April 1 when regional authorities announced they were convinced the badly injured and distressed animal could no longer be saved.

Activists quickly staged beach protests on the island of Poel near Wismar, where the animal had by then ended up, demanding further rescue attempts.

Various government officials, veterinarians and green groups received hate mail.

"The citizens participating in the debate react emotionally, while the scientists try to argue rationally," Stegbauer, the sociologist with Frankfurt University, told AFP. "The two approaches clash."

Conspiracy theories surfaced online that the whale had been deliberately driven into the Baltic Sea and all had been staged by a cabal of scientists, authorities and environmental organisations.

Till Backhaus, environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, said some rescue workers had received death threats.

Despite experts warning that trying to save the creature would only cause it more pain, two multi-millionaires then jumped in with an elaborate rescue plan involving inflatable cushions and pontoons.

"I believe that life is the most important thing we have, and I simply felt that I had to do something," Walter Gunz, founder of a large consumer electronics retail chain, told the Neue Osnabruecker newspaper.

- 'Managed to death' -

News magazine Der Spiegel ran a long report about a local church on Poel island where the guestbook was no longer filled with personal reflections or prayers, but with messages about Timmy.

"You can do it, big boy!" read one.

During a press conference about the last-ditch rescue effort, veterinarian Janine Bahr‑van Gemmert was heckled by a man who burst through a security cordon.

"We have a right to know why this whale is being managed to death," he demanded.

Speaking to Welt TV, psychiatrist Borwin Bandelow said the whale may have become a symbol of Germans' wider and deeper dissatisfaction with a struggling economy and politics in general.

"The government is perceived as incompetent," he said. "Just as it can't solve many other everyday problems, it now can't solve this problem either."

A commentary in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung argued the saga had largely ignored more complex ecological issues and focused on the plight of a single animal, showing how modern society has lost touch with nature.

"In reality, the exhausted animal ... is not being saved for its own sake, let alone for the preservation of its species. It is being saved to spare us the live webcam images of its death."

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Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday said shareholders approved its sale to Paramount Skydance, giving a green light to a hostile takeover bid valuing the combined company at $110 billion.

The agreement ends a lengthy takeover saga and creates an entertainment behemoth whose impact on a struggling media landscape -- and connections to President Donald Trump's White House -- will be closely scrutinized.

The merged entity will include CNN, CBS, HBO and Nickelodeon as well as some of Hollywood's most valuable franchises, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, the DC Universe, Mission Impossible and SpongeBob SquarePants.

"Today's stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders," WBD chief executive David Zaslav said in a release.

"We will continue to work with Paramount to complete the remaining steps in this process that will create a leading, next-generation media and entertainment company."

Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding Warner Bros. shares, implying an equity value of $81 billion -- and $110 billion when including the mountain of debt Paramount will take on.

Paramount made its unsolicited offer for WBD after a contract was already in place for a sale to Neflix, triggering a bidding war that ended when the streaming upstart was unwilling to match its rival's offer.

Questions have pivoted to the Ellison family, which will control a constellation of media properties spanning the globe -- though at the cost of accumulating a pile of debt.

If regulators approve the deal, Paramount chief David Ellison is widely expected to embark on a painful round of cost-cutting to pare down the load.

His father, Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, one of the world's richest men, largely financed the takeover, offering a financial guarantee that finally persuaded the Warner Bros. board.

Larry Ellison is also a longtime ally of Trump, who said he would weigh in on approval of the buy.

The deal still faces regulatory hurdles. The European Commission is reviewing the merger, as are several US states, including California.

The Paramount offer includes financing from three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds -- those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi -- which could also attract extra scrutiny on national security concerns.

- Celebrity ire -

An open letter signed by hundreds of Hollywood heavyweights was published earlier this month opposing the deal.

Actors including Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix and Bryan Cranston, as well as directors JJ Abrams and Denis Villeneuve, are among more than 1,000 people who have added their names to the protest opposing the mega-merger between two of Hollywood's storied studios.

"This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries -- and the audiences we serve -- can least afford it," the petition said.

"The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world."

Warner Bros. is home to mega-grossing franchises including Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

People across Tinseltown fear that the consolidation of two studios will inevitably lead to cuts, especially as the enormous price tag is reportedly set to be financed, meaning the new owners will have to make savings.

"Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major US film studios to just four," the letter said.

Paramount Skydance has pledged to continue cinematic releases at a regular clip.

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The US government on Thursday made it easier for Americans to use cannabis for medical reasons by reclassifying the drug and enabling more research into its safety and efficacy.

Marijuana is now described as having moderate to low addiction potential, "expanding patients' access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions," acting attorney general Todd Blanche said.

The government appears to be catching up with broad societal shifts in the United States -- adult marijuana use for any reason is legal in 24 states and the US capital, and approved for medicinal use in 40 states.

Until Thursday, it was still ranked federally as "Schedule I," a category for drugs, including heroin and methamphetamine, with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Marijuana products approved or regulated by federal or state agencies have now been moved to the third rung of a five-level Drug Schedule.

Schedule III substances, which include ketamine and anabolic steroids, are considered to have medical value and less potential for abuse.

The Department of Justice said Thursday's move followed up on President Donald Trump's executive order in December on increasing medical marijuana research.

It also called for expedited hearings beginning in June that would "provide a timely and legally compliant pathway to evaluate broader changes to marijuana's status under federal law," a DOJ statement said.

- 'Begging' for change -

The long-awaited move does not legalize marijuana use in states where it is still banned or sanction its use as a recreational drug.

But Trump in December said it would make it better available for "legitimate medical uses" such as for people with cancer and chronic pain.

"We have people begging for me to do this. People that are in great pain," Trump said in the Oval Office.

Trump, who was surrounded by white-coated medical experts for the announcement, added that the order "is not the legalization" of marijuana.

The 79-year-old teetotaler added: "I've always told my children, don't take drugs, no drinking, no smoking, and just stay away from drugs."

US presidents cannot unilaterally reclassify a drug. Trump's order directed the Department of Justice to expedite the process.

Democrat Joe Biden's administration pursued reclassification, but efforts were not completed before Trump took office in early 2025.

The US has a patchwork of state-level regulations regarding the commercial distribution, recreational possession and personal cultivation of cannabis. 

The government's move is aimed at lowering barriers to research, as authorizing clinical studies on Schedule I substances can require many layers of approval.

"These actions will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana's safety and efficacy," Blanche said.

It could also be a major tax boost for companies that legally grow and sell cannabis.

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(The Center Square) – The Department of Justice’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center will “increase public scrutiny” of the tax-exempt organization, which has nearly $800 million in assets, a research analyst says.

Senior research analyst at American think tank Capital Research Center Robert Stilson told The Center Square that “at a minimum,” the Southern Poverty Law Center’s indictment will “further increase public scrutiny of a group whose operations were already deeply controversial.”

“Americans might rightly question whether what the SPLC does is aligned with their own understanding of what charities should be doing with their tax-exempt dollars – and this was true before any of the alleged actions in the indictment came to light,” Stilson said.

As The Center Square reported Tuesday, the SPLC was indicted by the Department of Justice “on 11 counts of wire and bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.” The DOJ accuses the organization of secretly funding extremist groups in order to manufacture "the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”

"SPLC created bank accounts in the name of at least five completely fictitious organizations that had no bona fide employees or legitimate business purpose,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “The money was passed from SPLC to one sham account, to a second sham account, and then loaded onto prepaid cards to give to the members of the extremist groups. This was designed to shield the source of those funds, and because of this, SPLC is also charged with one count ... of conspiracy to commit money laundering."

The DOJ’s indictment alleges those groups include the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, and the National Alliance.

“One troubling example, is the SPLC was paying a member of the leadership group that planned the Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, that resulted in the death of one person, and injured dozens more,” Blanche said. The  indictment alleges that SPLC paid an organizer of the protest about $270,000 over the course of eight years.

Although this information was “unbeknownst to donors” previously, the DOJ said, Stilson has noted in the past the bias embedded throughout the SPLC, stating that “its activities are highly controversial and divisive.”

Stilson added: “For context, it is important to recall just how incredibly wealthy the SPLC is.”

“Its most recent financials disclosed net assets of over $786 million, with annual revenues that exceed some of the best-known charities in the country,” Stilson said.

“Despite this, it continues to strenuously solicit money from small-dollar donors on its website,” Stilson said. “Those ordinary donors in particular are the ones who should be taking a hard look at the true nature of the group they are supporting.”

Stilson has written in the past on the “extraordinary” wealth of the SPLC. 

The SPLC’s Form 990 for the fiscal year ending in October 2024 “disclosed an astonishing $786.7 million in net assets” – an amount that is “wealthier than many colleges and universities,” Stilson wrote.

Additionally, the SPLC’s total revenues in 2024 were $129 million, “mostly from contributions and grants,” a number that was down from 2023’s “record-breaking haul of $169.8 million,” Stilson wrote.

“To put that number in perspective, the combined 2023 revenue of Alabama’s eight regional food banks associated with Feeding America — which collectively serve the entire state — was $183.6 million,” Stilson wrote.

Stilson conceded that many nonprofits are highly biased, but that “what truly sets the [SPLC] apart is how phenomenally wealthy it has become in doing so.”

Blanche along with FBI director Kash Patel announced the indictment “from a grand jury in the middle district of Alabama,” The Center Square reported.

Controversial rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, will hold a concert in Prague in July, Zuzana Rambova, director of the Chuchle Arena racecourse hosting the event, said on Thursday.

The US rapper is known for glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and for antisemitic and hate-filled rants which he blames on having bipolar disorder.

"He will perform on July 25," Rambova told AFP without giving further details.

Czech media said the concert was organised by the HUGO Production company, which is owned by a 20-year-old Slovak, Hugo Varga, according to the Czech Company Register.

West, who has legally changed his name to the shorthand "Ye", is planning a European comeback tour in June and July.

But his plans have stumbled on opposition as the British government said it would not allow him into the country for three concerts at the Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, London in July.

The mayor of Marseille in France has said the rapper was "not welcome" for a June concert there, while Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said he would not bar West from the Netherlands where he is due to perform in early June.

West was due to perform at the Rubicon rap festival in Bratislava in neighbouring Slovakia last year.

But the organisers cancelled the event after he had released a song called "Heil Hitler" on May 8, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 

Thousands of people petitioned against the Slovak gig of the 48-year-old rapper, who has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his career.

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The happiest cities in America in 2026, ranked across 11 factors

Happiness may not be easy to quantify, but some qualifiers may make a person more likely to feel satisfied in life. A reasonable degree of financial freedom can alleviate worry about day-to-day costs and the occasional unexpected expense. Similarly, good relationships, overall health and longevity, basic conveniences, and privacy can go a long way in keeping stress down and contentment up. While none of these things alone are the secret to happiness, they may all individually contribute to a life geared toward wants rather than needs — freeing up time and resources for individuals to explore and build a life on their own terms.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 85 of the largest U.S. cities with available data based on 11 happiness factors spanning personal finance, physical and mental well-being, and quality of life factors.

Key Findings

• Arlington, VA, ranks as the happiest city for 2026. Arlington ranks among the top five cities for a variety of happiness metrics, including life expectancy (83.9 years), household earnings over $100,000 (64.3%), mentally healthy days (84.9%), adults getting exercise (83%), and access to activity spaces (100%).
• Fremont, CA, households outearn their peers. Ranking second overall for happiest cities, 70.7% of Fremont households earn over $100,000, the most studywide. This pairs with the lowest poverty rate of 4.7%. However, 18.1% of households in Fremont end up spending 50% or more of their income on housing. In tandem, the population maintains the highest rate of health insurance coverage and marriage, at 98.1% and 63.8%, respectively.
• Austin, TX, has the least traffic. The traffic volume per meter in Austin, Texas — a practice ground for many autonomous vehicle companies — is lowest studywide at 42.1. This pales in comparison to Boston, which has over 40 times the traffic volume per meter at 1753.9. The average traffic volume per meter is 299.
• Residents have the most mentally healthy days in Honolulu. Ranking 16th happiest overall, Honolulu residents feel mentally healthy for 85.2% of days. San Jose, California, follows closely at 85% mentally healthy days. On the other end of the spectrum, the residents of Toledo, Ohio, have the worst mental health ranking, at 78.2% of days spent mentally healthy.
• These California cities have the most overcrowding in housing. Privacy and space can go a long way in making a person comfortable in their own space, and can be indicative of financial resources. In Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Fresno, just over 10% of households are home to more than one person per bedroom. Laredo, Texas, also falls into this category of high overcrowding. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has the lowest rate of overcrowding at 0.9%.

Top 25 Happiest Cities

1. Arlington, VA

• Households earning $100k+: 64.3%
• Poverty rate: 8.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.2%
• Poor mental health days: 15.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 83.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83%
• Population with health insurance: 93.9%
• Marriage rate: 44.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 540
• Access to activity space: 100%
• Overcrowded households: 3.4%

2. Fremont, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 70.7%
• Poverty rate: 4.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.1%
• Poor mental health days: 17.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 82
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.2%
• Population with health insurance: 98.1%
• Marriage rate: 63.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 683
• Access to activity space: 99.6%
• Overcrowded households: 7.7%

3. San Jose, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 64.2%
• Poverty rate: 8.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15.7%
• Poor mental health days: 15%
• Life expectancy (years): 83.8
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80.9%
• Population with health insurance: 95.6%
• Marriage rate: 48.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 626.4
• Access to activity space: 99.4%
• Overcrowded households: 7.9%

4. Seattle, WA

• Households earning $100k+: 57.1%
• Poverty rate: 9.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15%
• Poor mental health days: 16.6%
• Life expectancy (years): 81.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 86.7%
• Population with health insurance: 96.3%
• Marriage rate: 39.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 333
• Access to activity space: 97.9%
• Overcrowded households: 3.9%

5. Raleigh, NC

• Households earning $100k+: 43%
• Poverty rate: 13.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 12%
• Poor mental health days: 15.7%
• Life expectancy (years): 81
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 84.2%
• Population with health insurance: 92.9%
• Marriage rate: 38.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 111.6
• Access to activity space: 98.6%
• Overcrowded households: 2%

6. Boise, ID

• Households earning $100k+: 39.9%
• Poverty rate: 12.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 10.9%
• Poor mental health days: 17.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 82.4%
• Population with health insurance: 93.1%
• Marriage rate: 44.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 116.7
• Access to activity space: 91.6%
• Overcrowded households: 1.9%

7. Lincoln, NE

• Households earning $100k+: 33.5%
• Poverty rate: 13.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 12.6%
• Poor mental health days: 15.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78.9%
• Population with health insurance: 93.4%
• Marriage rate: 47%
• Traffic volume per meter: 211.1
• Access to activity space: 95.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.2%

8. Anchorage, AK

• Households earning $100k+: 53.9%
• Poverty rate: 8.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.2%
• Poor mental health days: 16.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80.1%
• Population with health insurance: 90.6%
• Marriage rate: 48.7%
• Traffic volume per meter: 152.3
• Access to activity space: 93.9%
• Overcrowded households: 4.5%

9. San Francisco, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 61%
• Poverty rate: 11.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 16.9%
• Poor mental health days: 16.6%
• Life expectancy (years): 82.4
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83.6%
• Population with health insurance: 97.2%
• Marriage rate: 39.1%
• Traffic volume per meter: 794
• Access to activity space: 100%
• Overcrowded households: 6.8%

10. Minneapolis, MN

• Households earning $100k+: 40.3%
• Poverty rate: 15.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.4%
• Poor mental health days: 16.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83.3%
• Population with health insurance: 94.3%
• Marriage rate: 34%
• Traffic volume per meter: 304.6
• Access to activity space: 99.1%
• Overcrowded households: 2.7%

11. Colorado Springs, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 41.6%
• Poverty rate: 8.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.4%
• Poor mental health days: 18.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.2
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.5%
• Population with health insurance: 91.5%
• Marriage rate: 52.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 140.9
• Access to activity space: 89.8%
• Overcrowded households: 2.5%

12. Aurora, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 46.4%
• Poverty rate: 10.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15.6%
• Poor mental health days: 17.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 82.4%
• Population with health insurance: 85.6%
• Marriage rate: 44.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 215.2
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 3%

13. Charlotte, NC

• Households earning $100k+: 43.7%
• Poverty rate: 11.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.3%
• Poor mental health days: 16.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 78.8
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.1%
• Population with health insurance: 87.9%
• Marriage rate: 40.4%
• Traffic volume per meter: 165.5
• Access to activity space: 88.7%
• Overcrowded households: 2.3%

14. Omaha, NE

• Households earning $100k+: 35.5%
• Poverty rate: 14.2%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.1%
• Poor mental health days: 15.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 75.7%
• Population with health insurance: 91.2%
• Marriage rate: 44.3%
• Traffic volume per meter: 214.9
• Access to activity space: 97.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.1%

15. Chula Vista, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 52%
• Poverty rate: 9.6%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 20.8%
• Poor mental health days: 17.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 80.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.7%
• Population with health insurance: 94.8%
• Marriage rate: 50.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 440.1
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 6.9%

16. Honolulu, HI

• Households earning $100k+: 44.5%
• Poverty rate: 10.5%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 19.4%
• Poor mental health days: 14.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 81.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 77.8%
• Population with health insurance: 96.8%
• Marriage rate: 45.1%
• Traffic volume per meter: 536.2
• Access to activity space: 96.6%
• Overcrowded households: 8.7%

17. San Diego, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 55.3%
• Poverty rate: 10.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 20.8%
• Poor mental health days: 17.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 80.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.7%
• Population with health insurance: 94.3%
• Marriage rate: 43.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 440.1
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 6.9%

18. Lexington, KY

• Households earning $100k+: 34.2%
• Poverty rate: 12.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.7%
• Poor mental health days: 17.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 77.1%
• Population with health insurance: 91.9%
• Marriage rate: 42.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 163.7
• Access to activity space: 97.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.2%

19. Mesa, AZ

• Households earning $100k+: 41.9%
• Poverty rate: 10.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.2%
• Poor mental health days: 18.2%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78%
• Population with health insurance: 89%
• Marriage rate: 48.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 244.2
• Access to activity space: 92.8%
• Overcrowded households: 4.4%

20. Pittsburgh, PA

• Households earning $100k+: 33.2%
• Poverty rate: 20.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 11.9%
• Poor mental health days: 17.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 79%
• Population with health insurance: 96%
• Marriage rate: 33.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 202.3
• Access to activity space: 93.3%
• Overcrowded households: 0.9%

21. Denver, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 46.8%
• Poverty rate: 12.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 16.3%
• Poor mental health days: 18.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.4
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78.8%
• Population with health insurance: 90.7%
• Marriage rate: 40.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 415.7
• Access to activity space: 99.1%
• Overcrowded households: 3.1%

22. Oakland, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 51.2%
• Poverty rate: 11.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.1%
• Poor mental health days: 17.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 82
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.2%
• Population with health insurance: 94.1%
• Marriage rate: 38.3%
• Traffic volume per meter: 683
• Access to activity space: 99.6%
• Overcrowded households: 7.7%

23. Spokane, WA

• Households earning $100k+: 38.4%
• Poverty rate: 12.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.9%
• Poor mental health days: 19.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 79.6%
• Population with health insurance: 93.7%
• Marriage rate: 41.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 150.4
• Access to activity space: 87.6%
• Overcrowded households: 2.1%

24. Atlanta, GA

• Households earning $100k+: 45.4%
• Poverty rate: 15.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 17.3%
• Poor mental health days: 15.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80%
• Population with health insurance: 91.4%
• Marriage rate: 31.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 384
• Access to activity space: 93.8%
• Overcrowded households: 2%

25. Henderson, NV

• Households earning $100k+: 48.3%
• Poverty rate: 8.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.5%
• Poor mental health days: 18.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.6
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 73%
• Population with health insurance: 94.2%
• Marriage rate: 48%
• Traffic volume per meter: 196.6
• Access to activity space: 95.7%
• Overcrowded households: 4.4%

Data and Methodology

Eighty-five of the largest U.S. cities for which data was available were evaluated across three categories: personal finance, well-being, and quality of life. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2024 and the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps for 2025.

Personal finance metrics included:

• Percent of individuals earning $100,000 or more.
• Percent of households that spend 50% or more of their income on housing.
• Percent of residents below the poverty level.

Well-being metrics include:

• Average percentage of days spent with poor mental health
• Life expectancy in years.
• Percentage of residents getting exercise.
• Percentage of residents who have health insurance.

Quality of life metrics include:

• Marriage rate.
• Average traffic volume per meter of major roadways in the county.
• Percentage of population with adequate access to locations for physical activity.
• Percentage of households with overcrowding, defined as more than one person living in a room.

This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport said Thursday it would offer airlines a 10-percent discount on airport charges due to the high price of jet fuel caused by the Iran war.

The discount is a temporary measure that applies to daytime flights only from April 27 through March 2027, announced the airport, Europe's fourth-busiest hub.

"The airport is taking this measure because airlines' costs have risen unexpectedly and sharply as a result of high kerosene prices," Schiphol said in a statement.

"Especially in the current geopolitical situation, it is important to keep the Netherlands connected to the rest of the world and to ensure that essential flights can continue to operate."

Dutch legacy carrier KLM announced last week it was scrapping nearly one percent of its short-haul flights that had become unprofitable due to high fuel charges.

The war pitting the US and Israel against Iran has choked trade through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil was shipped before the conflict.

Airlines have trimmed routes and costs as fuel bills explode and wary passengers think twice about travel plans, a situation that could persist even if a fragile truce holds in the Middle East.

Schiphol admitted there would be a "temporary negative effect" on its financial results, without disclosing an exact figure.

According to data from industry group ACI Europe, Schiphol was the fourth busiest European hub last year, with 68.77 million passengers.

London Heathrow, Istanbul and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports were the only busier hubs on the continent.

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The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Trump's Hormuz order -

President Donald Trump vowed the United States would destroy any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he ratchets up pressure on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage.

"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump posted.

- Israel accused of war crime -

Lebanon's leaders accused Israel of committing a war crime after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south.

The Israeli army said it was reviewing the incident.

- US forces board tanker -

The US Defense Department said its forces boarded a vessel in the Indian Ocean that was providing material support to Iran, the second time it had done so in three days.

"Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean," it said on X. 

- Iran gets first Hormuz toll -

A senior Iranian parliament official said on Thursday that Tehran has received the first revenue from tolls it imposed on the strategic Strait of Hormuz in its war with the United States and Israel. 

"The first revenue received from the Strait of Hormuz tolls was deposited into the Central Bank account," said deputy speaker of parliament Hamidreza Hajibabaei, according to Tasnim news agency. 

- Pentagon denies Hormuz mine clearing report -

The Pentagon blasted as cherry picking and false a news report saying that the department assessed it could take six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian-laid mines.

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the Pentagon shared the six-month estimate during a classified briefing for the members of the House Armed Services Committee, citing three unidentified officials familiar with the discussion.

Iran has all but blocked the vital waterway since the start of a war with the United States and Israel, sharply driving up oil and gas prices and disrupting the global economy.

- Hormuz standoff -

Iran vowed it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as the United States continues to blockade its ports.

"A complete ceasefire only has meaning if it is not violated through a naval blockade," said Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Tehran's delegation in the first round of talks in Islamabad.

"Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire."

- Iran execution -

Iran hanged a man after he was convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and alleged collaboration with Israel. 

"Sultan-Ali Shirzadi-Fakhr was hanged early this morning for membership in the terrorist group" of the People's Mujahedin Organisation (MEK) and "collaboration with the Israeli regime's spy service," the judiciary's Mizan Online website reported.

- Lebanon-Israel meeting -

Israel and Lebanon are to hold a new round of talks in Washington on Thursday, during which Beirut plans to request a one-month extension of a ceasefire due to expire within days.

Israel stated ahead of the talks that it has no "serious disagreements" with Lebanon, calling on it to "work together" against the pro-Iran Hezbollah, which is notably absent from and opposed to the negotiations. 

- US turns back 31 vessels -

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said late Wednesday that it had "directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port" as part of its own "blockade against Iran".

It said on X "the majority of vessels have complied with US directions" adding that "most vessels turned around have been oil tankers".

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As 41-year-old Annie Tse visited her flat in Hong Kong for the first time since a massive fire last year, a blackened staircase brought back memories of her lucky escape. 

The world's deadliest residential building fire since 1980 killed 168 people when it ripped through seven of the eight apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court complex in November.

For the first time since then, around 6,000 residents are being given three-hour windows starting this week to enter their homes and get their belongings.

"The feeling was pretty intense, because the places where I had walked down that day are all black now," Tse, who escaped from her third-floor flat, told reporters after the visit. 

"I saw that the neighbours' flats were all severely burnt on the inside."

Residents wore hard hats, masks and gloves and were accompanied by social workers as they returned to their apartments on Thursday.

"I thought about that day," Tse said, breaking into tears.

"I thought I could go down to find out what was happening and go back up to warn the neighbours, but the fire was already so big."

"There were no fire alarms, a lot of people didn't know."

An independent committee investigating the blaze heard that fire alarms in seven of the estate's eight blocks had been turned off on the day of the fire.

Tse's husband Bowie Chan told AFP that his wife was diagnosed with depression after the fire, and still battles feelings of guilt that she was not able to warn her neighbours. 

Videos and photos sent to AFP by Chan from their flat, near where the fire was believed to have started, showed charred husks of appliances and black soot clinging to walls, ceilings and piles of neatly stacked clothes in the wardrobe.

The plastic shower door hung in melted ribbons from its frame, while the blades of a fan had curled up.

But a framed wedding photo of the couple holding their four cats remained on the living room wall with no apparent damage. 

"It was really hard for me to imagine what it was like for the neighbours to wait there," Tse said.

- 'Don't want to say goodbye' -

More than 920 homes were damaged and some completely destroyed by the blaze, according to the fire department.

Hong Kong officials have offered to buy the apartments back around the pre-fire market price, but said that rebuilding the complex on the same site was "not feasible".

Another resident, Jason Kong, criticised the three-hour time slot that residents were given to visit their homes and said he only managed to pack up a small amount of belongings.

He shared footage with reporters that showed his flat and personal items largely intact -- though a large shelf covering a wall in the living room had been damaged by the heat and was leaning precariously. 

"I have a connection to the whole flat," the 65-year-old told reporters.

"I don't want to say goodbye. It would be best if they could fix it for me."

The interior design company owner said his family managed to retrieve graduation certificates, family photos and birth certificates from inside.

But Kong is haunted by the fact he had been unable to return to his tower to save his dog, Bear Bear, on the day of the fire.

The poodle was picked up by firefighters but died of smoke inhalation hours later. 

"My son was most emotional when he saw the dog's food, his bowl," Kong said, adding that his son had collected some of Bear Bear's items as mementos. 

Meanwhile, Bowie Chan showed reporters two urns that he had found at the flat containing the ashes of cats, Billy and Charlie, who died of old age before the fire. 

"I really wanted to take them away, because we're a family," he said.

"My wife escaped with our two [other] cats, so that's already the best thing. Whatever we can save today is a bonus."

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