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Tourists often move through American cities, beaches, and national parks with a sense of ease, soaking in places locals know can change quickly. Residents in major destinations say many of the mishaps they witness don’t stem from thrill-seeking but from the everyday habits visitors bring with them: stepping into a busy street for a better angle, edging too close to wildlife, or venturing into water that looks calmer than it is. These routines, familiar at home, can become far riskier in unfamiliar surroundings where the environment, traffic patterns, and local norms differ sharply from what travelers expect.

To better understand the behaviors that communities warn about, Recovery Law Center, a personal injury law firm, examines these details to highlight the everyday habits most often linked to tourist mishaps.

1. Running into the street for photos in busy tourist corridors

New York City Department of Transportation data shows that crashes are concentrated in major tourist and commercial hubs, such as Manhattan. Recent analyses show that while Manhattan initially appears to have the highest rate of pedestrians (with 100,000 pedestrians who are killed or seriously injured, or KSI), this changes once its enormous daily influx of approximately 1.4 million commuters is taken into account. When adjusted for this population surge, Manhattan’s pedestrian KSI rate actually falls below those of Brooklyn and Queens and is below the citywide average.

Because Midtown and Lower Manhattan serve as the region’s two largest business districts, pedestrian safety in these areas affects far more than just Manhattan residents. In fact, 43% of pedestrians who lost their lives in Manhattan lived in another borough or outside New York City altogether. With the influx of tourists, transportation officials have repeatedly warned visitors that even slow-moving traffic can cause severe or fatal injuries.

2. Stopping abruptly on bike lanes or scooter paths

American cities with protected bike lanes have seen a sharp rise in collisions involving distracted visitors. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, micromobility injuries increased 21% from 2021 to 2022, with many incidents tied to crowded shared-lane environments. Stopping suddenly to take photos or check maps is one of the most common triggers.

3. Underestimating rip currents and strong surf

Beach destinations report that tourists frequently misjudge powerful ocean conditions. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data show that rip currents cause more than 100 deaths in the U.S. each year, making individuals unfamiliar with local beaches vulnerable. This happens because visitors often ignore posted surf warnings or swim outside lifeguarded areas.

4. Approaching wildlife too closely in national parks

Despit

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If you run a business and carry a balance on your credit card, here’s something worth knowing. The interest you’re paying might actually reduce your tax bill. In the United States, credit card interest can be tax-deductible for businesses when the underlying charges are genuinely business-related. This is a meaningful distinction from personal credit card interest, which hasn’t been deductible since Congress eliminated that benefit back in 1986.

The potential savings are real. Every dollar of deductible interest reduces your taxable income, which means you’re effectively sharing the cost of that interest with the government. But there’s a catch. You need to keep your business and personal expenses clearly separated, and your documentation has to be solid. That’s why choosing a business credit card is often the smartest first step.

In this article, Brex explains exactly when credit card interest qualifies for a deduction, how to calculate and claim it on your tax return, what limitations might apply, and the best practices that will keep you on the right side of the IRS. Whether you’re a sole proprietor tracking expenses on a single card or running a larger operation with multiple accounts, understanding these rules can help you capture savings you might otherwise leave on the table.

When business credit card interest qualifies for a tax deduction

For many business owners, credit cards are a practical tool for improving cash flow. You might use them to bridge gaps between paying suppliers and collecting from customers, or to make necessary purchases when cash is tight. The downside is that carrying balances means paying interest, and those costs can add up quickly.

This is where the tax deduction becomes valuable. When you can write off credit card interest as a business expense, you’re lowering your taxable income. If your business is in the 24% tax bracket and you paid $1,000 in credit card interest last year, that deduction saves you $240 in federal taxes. The interest still costs you money, but the government is essentially picking up part of the tab.

Under U.S. tax law, this works because interest paid on business-related debt is generally deductible as a business expense. If you use a credit card strictly for legitimate business purchases, the interest charges on that card are typically tax-deductible against your business income. Think of it the same way you would think of interest on a business loan. As long as the debt was incurred in the course of business, the associated interest can be written off on your taxes.

This principle extends to cash advances too. If you take a cash advance and use those funds entirely for business needs, that interest may also be deductible. O

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Each awards season, the Grammy nominations prompt a familiar debate: which artists and songs truly defined the year in music? While critical acclaim and cultural impact dominate much of the conversation, audience behavior leaves its own trace across streaming platforms, radio playlists, and video services. Those signals, taken together, offer a clearer picture of which nominees sustained attention over time and which gained momentum as the eligibility period drew to a close.

Viberate Analytics takes a closer look at two of the Grammy Awards’ most closely watched categories — Best New Artist and Song of the Year—by comparing how nominees performed across major music platforms during the eligibility year. Rather than speculating on voting outcomes, the analysis focuses on measurable indicators of reach, growth, and consistency to show which contenders stood out in practice.

Scope of the analysis and data sources

Eight nominees were examined in each category. All artists and songs were evaluated using the same metrics to ensure comparability. The analysis draws on verified performance data from Spotify, YouTube, radio airplay, and Spotify playlists—platforms that collectively capture streaming demand, video consumption, editorial support, and broadcast exposure.

Two timeframes were used. A twelve-month window reflects overall scale and presence during the eligibility period, while a thirty-day window at the end of that period highlights late-year momentum. Daily performance patterns were reviewed to understand trend direction, but aggregated figures formed the basis for comparison. Metrics were normalized within each nominee group so that no single platform disproportionately influenced the results.

Best New Artist: performance signals across platforms

The Best New Artist category brings together performers whose profiles expanded most visibly over the past year. The eight nominees included in this analysis are: 

• KATSEYE
• Olivia Dean
• Alex Warren
• sombr
• The Marías
• Addison Rae
• Lola Young
• Leon Thomas

Across the group, performance varied sharply depending on platform. Some artists built their following primarily through video, accumulating hundreds of millions—or even billions—of YouTube views, while others showed steadier gains through streaming and playlist exposure. Radio airplay added another layer, revealing which acts translated listener interest into broader industry support.

Among the nominees, Olivia Dean emerged as the most balanced performer across metrics. Over the twelve-month period, she posted the strongest growth in monthly Spotify listeners within the group, pointing to sustained audience expansion rather than a short-lived spike tied to a single release. Her music also reached the largest audience through Spotify playlists, benefiting from consistent placement in both editorial and algorithmic selections.

Radio data reinforced this trajectory. While several nominees accumulated higher total spin counts earlier in the year, Olivia Dean’s airplay in

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If you want to start a small business or launch a startup, this business startup checklist can be your roadmap for every step. It can help walk you through researching and validating your idea, estimating your startup costs and protecting yourself with the right business insurance for your industry and your size. You’ll also learn more about necessary permits, paperwork and business operations, as well as how to market your new business to attract customers. Whether you’re opening a retail shop, selling your professional services, or planning to work from home, ERGO NEXT has a checklist for startup businesses that can help you stay organized and build momentum.

1. How to research your new business idea

Before you launch your business, you’ll want to determine if it is viable: Does it have the potential to become successful? After all, you wouldn’t want to pour your heart and efforts into a business idea with very little chance of profit.

How do you know if your business idea is viable?

Before you launch, take time to confirm your idea has real potential. Early market validation helps you understand whether customers want what you plan to offer — and whether your business could be profitable. Start by identifying the problem you’re solving, who needs that solution and if they’re willing to pay for it.

What does your local market look like?

Every business operates within a specific community, so look closely at local market demand and any startup requirements. Get information about:

• Who your potential customers are and what problems you’re going to solve for them.
• The preferences of these potential customers. How will they find you, and how do they like to communicate? What do they like and dislike?
• Who are your competitors, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What is it like to start a business in your area? What are the steps and regulations?

For example, if you’re opening a landscaping business, you might research how many homes in your area hire yard services and what competing companies charge.

Check whether similar products or services already exist, what competing businesses do well and where gaps might be. Tools like the U.S. Census Business Builder and County Business Patterns can help you understand local demand and customer demographics in your area.

TIP: A small business class — through the Small Business Association (SBA) or a local community college — can help first-time entrepreneurs navigate this early research stage.

This early research sets the foundation for the rest of your business startup checklist and helps you move forward with clarity.

2. How to estimate startup costs for a startup business

Once you confirm your idea is viable, the next step is understanding what it will cost to get y

Octavio JONES // AFP via Getty Images

When an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, it was not the first time that federal officers have killed civilians since the Trump administration launched its aggressive immigration enforcement campaign.

Federal officers have fatally shot at least three other people in the last five months, according to news reports reviewed by The Marshall Project. In September, Silverio Villegas González, a father originally from Mexico who worked as a cook, was killed while reportedly trying to flee from officers in a Chicago suburb, WBEZ reported. In December, a border patrol agent killed a 31-year-old Mexican citizen while trying to detain him in Rio Grande City, Texas. And on New Year’s Eve, an off-duty ICE agent used his service weapon to shoot a man in Los Angeles, California, according to CBS News. Authorities said the man had raised a rifle at the officer.

Agents have also shot other people. The Trace, the nonprofit news organization covering gun violence, has counted more than a dozen such shootings. In some cases, the victims survived, including a woman who suffered multiple bullet wounds in an incident in Chicago in October. The Border Patrol officer who shot her appeared to brag about it in a text message, later presented in court evidence. The message reportedly read, “I fired 5 rounds, and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.” That shooting happened as part of Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration enforcement campaign in which federal agents fanned across Chicago, similar to what they are doing in Minneapolis now. The administration has also conducted large-scale blitzes in Los Angeles, Portla