Taking a page from Imperial Rome's tradition of bread and circuses to entertain and mollify the populace, President Donald Trump and Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White are moving ahead with a proposed UFC match on White House grounds during next year's July 4 Semiquincentennial celebration. While the two have traveled in similar circles for some time now, this collaboration between the President of the USA and the President of the UFC is a unique confluence of overlapping interests, both political and personal. 

What did the commentators say?
A cage fight at the White House sounds like a "columnist's crazy fever dream," said The Wall Street Journal. But given the UFC's "assimilation into the culture, or perhaps the culture's assimilation into the UFC" at this point, "how can anyone be shocked"? 

The proposed White House match has "gone from a notion into the planning stages," said the Los Angeles Times, marking the "second thrill of the week" for White, who on Monday finalized a massive streaming partnership with Paramount estimated to be worth $1.1 billion annually. The streaming agreement is a "significant shift" from UFC's "traditional pay-per-view model," said CBS News. And it makes UFC an "essential partner" for an aggressively growing Paramount, said the Journal.

Trump has "embraced the UFC's culture of defiance, machismo and spectacle" to help "buttress his image as a rebel against liberal norms," said Karim Zidan at The Guardian. All of this comes as the country transitions toward an "abrasive new blend" of entertainment and "confrontational politics" that's "perfectly embodied" by Trump and White.

What next?
White plans to meet with the president and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, by the end of the month to "finalize details and review venue renderings," said CBS News. Her possible role in the proposed event "marks her return to her father's political orbit after a three-year hiatus," said The Daily Beast. The onetime White House senior adviser has previously joined her father to sit "cage-side" at multiple UFC events.

While no fighters have been confirmed for next year's proposed brawl, a number of high-profile athletes have already signaled their willingness to compete. Conor McGregor, who visited the White House in the spring, has "expressed interest," said Time. But White insists it's still too early to determine fight participants.

Employees have been taking more "quiet vacations" over the past year. And this trend, when someone goes on a trip but concurrently presents the illusion of being online and working, is likely an indicator of a larger problem with workplace culture in which employees are afraid of slacking off or being seen as lazy.

What's the data?
About 41% of employees have taken a quiet vacation in 2025, according to a survey by Resume Builder. Of those who have quiet-vacationed, "3% have taken just one quiet vacation; 48%, two to three; and 28%, four to five." Also, "about 11% have taken six to seven secret vacation days, and 4% have taken 10 days or more."

The trend began last summer, with many taking summer trips on the sly. Employees use "various methods like scheduling emails in advance or setting auto-responders to create the illusion of being present while they are actually on vacation," Tawny Lott Rodriguez, the director of human resources at the private school Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City, said to U.S. News & World Report. 

Why are people doing it?
The rise of quiet vacationing is a canary in the coal mine for corporate work culture. "This isn't just people being sneaky," Marais Bester, a senior consultant at SHL, said to Forbes. It's instead an indication that "many don't feel safe or supported enough to take a proper break." So they find "workarounds, jiggling their mouse to stay 'active,' turning video off on calls, answering just enough emails to look busy." 

Many employees also have limited amounts of paid time off, so they are reluctant to use it. And the blurred lines between leisure time and work time have put pressure on employees in general. "All of this comes from a fear of looking like they are slacking off," said Fortune.

Employers should be more intentional about setting boundaries between work and free time. If employers want people to "show up fully engaged, creative and resilient," they need to stop "rewarding burnout" and start "valuing recovery," said Bester. "Rested people do better work. It really is that simple."

Firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire in the village of Vilaza, Spain. Dozens of fires, driven by strong winds and extreme heat, have swept across southern Europe and Turkey, killing three and forcing thousands to evacuate. Temperatures could rise as high as 111.2 degrees F, according to Spain's meteorological agency.
Miguel Riopa / AFP via Getty Images

Relief from the summer heat is just a refreshing pool or lazy river away. These properties make a splash with their great water amenities, cooling you off even on the most sizzling days.

Andronis Arcadia, Santorini, Greece
Andronis Arcadia is "very much a vibe" for those looking to enjoy Santorini's nightlife, said Cosmopolitan. This all-suite hotel boasts the largest pool on the island, and revelers sip poolside cocktails while listening to late-night DJ sets. Want more privacy? Retreat to your suite, as each comes with a heated plunge pool.

Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
The Flamingo's fabulous new adults-only Go Pool complex stands out in a city known for its lively pool scene. Five pools are spread out across 1.5 acres, and each has a distinct feel. The Main Pool is the centerpiece of the area, with a swim-up bar, DJ booth and shallow wet deck for daybeds and couches, while the shaded Grotto Pool offers a more relaxing experience, with its 50-foot-wide rain curtain waterfall and seating under the falls.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Tremezzina, Italy
All three pools at the Art Nouveau Grand Hotel Tremezzo are special, but the Wow (Water on the Water) Pool is a showstopper. Floating above Lake Como, this "pièce de résistance" is "cinematic grandeur incarnate," said Condé Nast Traveler. For a quieter dip, head to the Flowers Pool (pictured above) in the garden or the indoor Infinity Pool.