• Meghan Markle will become a member of the British royal family, which commands a fortune over $500 million, on May 19.
• Markle will remain a US citizen for at least five years and will still have to pay taxes to the IRS on any income earned.
• If Markle accepts an allowance or other form of "income" in the UK exceeding $104,100, she will have to pay US taxes on that money.

Meghan Markle will soon become the newest member of the British royal family, which commands a fortune over $500 million. But romping in their riches may cost her extra.

Markle and Prince Harry will wed on May 19 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor and begin a carriage procession immediately after the ceremony. Though Markle will likely obtain the title of Duchess, she won't become a UK citizen for years.

Markle is a citizen of the United States and is purportedly living in the UK on a family visa, according to the BBC. As the fiancée of a British citizen — Prince Harry — Markle will have to marry within six months of obtaining the visa to maintain her status.

Markle's family visa will be effective in 2.5-year increments and she won't be granted permanent residency until she's lived in the UK for five years. After that, she can finally apply for UK citizenship and potentially become a dual citizen of the US and the UK.

All the while, the "Suits" actress will be paying taxes to the IRS on any income she makes — regardless of where she earns it.

"US citizens, green card holders, and permanent residents are required to file tax returns with the IRS every year no matter where they reside," Avani Ramnani, director of financial planning and wealth management at Francis Financial, told Business Insider.

"This is a special tax return called the expatriate tax return," she said. "US citizens, including Meghan Markle, get taxed on international income earned outside the US." 

But Markle may qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion, Ramnani said, which in 2018 waives taxes on the first $104,100 of income earned in the residing country. But that doesn't include income from investments.

Since the age of 21, Prince Harry and Prince William have been receiving a $450,000 a year investment profit from their late mother's estate, which they pay taxes on to the UK government. They, and Kate Middleton, also receive an annual seven-figure allowance from their father, Prince Charles, which is used to cover expenses like travel and wardrobe.

"The key for Meghan and her advisors would be to figure out what type of income she will be getting," Ramnani said. "Will this income be from the investments of a trust, or 'wages' for any work that she does, or any other type of income? Sometimes, getting one form of income is more advantageous than another."

Markle may also qualify for a foreign tax credit, which allows tax on any income exceeding $104,100 to be reduced depending on the amount of taxes paid in the expat's country of residence. But, Ramnani said, "this credit may not be dollar-for-dollar as there are a lot of factors that come into play."

There's another US tax provision called the foreign housing exclusion, which gives the taxpayer an additional deduction or credit for living expenses abroad. It does not include "expenses that are lavish or extravagant under the circumstances."

Nottingham Cottage, the future homestead of Markle and Prince Harry, is located on the sprawling grounds of Kensington Palace, and would probably be considered lavish.

As the Washington Post first reported back in November, Markle could "cause tax headaches" and create some "mundane hurdles" for the royal family.

If she becomes a dual US/UK citizen, Markle will have to continue filing her taxes each year with the IRS. If she has more than $300,000 in assets at any point during the year, she will have to file a specific form that details foreign assets, which could include foreign trusts, subjecting the royal family "to outside scrutiny," according to the Post.

SEE ALSO: Prince Harry poached Kate Middleton's and Prince William's communications officer to become Meghan Markle's new assistant

DON'T MISS: Meghan Markle has proved her dominance over the 'Kate effect' — and it's worth $677 million

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NOW WATCH: Kate Middleton fed one of the world's last one-horned rhinos by hand

• Two Canadian figure skaters decided a move in their routine was too "porno" for the 2018 Winter Olympic games.
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir edited the move from their repertoire when Canada contested the Team Event on Monday.
• The decision was fully justified as Virtue and Moir helped Canada to a gold medal victory.

Two Canadian figure skaters toned down their routine after deciding it was too "porno" for a family-friendly event like the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Figure skating, the first winter sport included in the Olympics, draws on show business elements and combines pace on the skates, elegance and grace, and tricks such as jumps and flicks. Choreography of the routine is therefore important.

For Canadian pair Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, their gold medal hopes in Monday's team event relied on a routine that was less raunchy than the sexually suggestive routines they had used in previous competitions.

Just last month, Moir described one move as a bit "porno." The Toronto Star claimed it could be a "neck straddle" that bordered on a "sex chokehold."

Here is a screenshot of the "sex chokehold" in question:

Here is a video from that routine:

Of the "porno" manoeuvre, Moir said: "When we slowed [the routine] down and looked on the video, it wasn’t aesthetically that beautiful of a position. So we wanted to change it, make it a little bit better."

Virtue added that the move "made a statement" and "was different." However, their joint vision for the 2018 Winter Olympics differed from their "edgy" moves from before.

This time, they used "positions that fit a little better."

The decision was fully justified as Virtue and Moir helped Canada to a gold medal in the Olympic Team Event on Monday.

The duo now have four medals each which ties the record for most Olympic medals won by a figure skater.

SEE ALSO: 4 in 5 snowboarders crashed due to insane 31 km per hour winds during a dangerous Winter Olympics slopestyle final

DON'T MISS: North Korean Olympians have a 24/7 surveillance team who will tackle them if they try to run away

UP NEXT: The Norwegian Winter Olympics team ordered 15,000 eggs by mistake thanks to a Google Translate error

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• Anastasia Bryzgalova is a 25-year-old Russian curler.
• Fans say she looks like a model, and have compared her to both Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox.
• Bryzgalova is married to her curling partner, Alexandr Krushelnitskiy. They lost their first match to the US.

Olympic curling just gained new fans all over the world now that Anastasia Bryzgalova is competing.

The 25-year-old Russian curler is said to look like a model, and is being compared to actresses from Angelina Jolie to Megan Fox on social media.

"I'm still rooting for USA, but Anastasia Bryzgalova, the Russian curler looks like a freaking model," one person wrote on Twitter. "I thought curling was a sport for old balding men but Anastasia Bryzgalova be looking like Megan Fox and suddenly I love curling," wrote another.

Bryzgalova is newly married to her curling partner, Alexander Krushelnitskiy. The couple lost their first match to US sibling pair Becca and Matt Hamilton.

On Instagram, Bryzgalova has posted photos of herself working out as well as snapshots from her recent honeymoon in Spain.

According to the Daily Mail, Bryzgalova has a master's degree from the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health. The Daily Mail reported that she became interested in curling in 2009, when she saw an advertisement for a curling club at an ice sports complex.

SEE ALSO: What 9 Olympic athletes vying for gold in Pyeongchang eat for breakfast

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NOW WATCH: Why the Olympics are a terrible investment for the host city

• Movie theater subscription service MoviePass terminated a "small percentage" of its customers, claiming violations of its terms of service.
• Numerous users were told by customer service representatives that they did not violate the MoviePass terms and conditions, and are now going through an agonizing process to get their cards reactivated.

 
On Friday, the movie theater subscription service MoviePass shocked many of its customers when it sent out an email to a "small percentage" of them stating they had violated the company's terms of service and their accounts had been terminated.

This led to a wave of frustration and confusion, with users taking to social media to ask what they had done wrong. Though the MoviePass email said they purchased part of a premium ticket with the app, many felt they did not do so — or did it unwittingly — and didn't deserve to be taken off the service. 

Numerous customers who received the email and contacted customer service to plead their case have since contacted Business Insider about their ordeal.

One customer, who asked not to be named in this story, learned that the ticket flagged by MoviePass was incorrectly processed by the app. MoviePass' records showed the ticket was more expensive than what the MoviePass app allows at that theater, but the customer had a picture of the ticket stub and sent it to the customer service rep, proving the person did not violate the app's terms of service. 

After spending the weekend speaking to numerous customers service agents, this person is still nowhere closer to getting their card reactivated. All they were told is that their case has been expedited to the proper team that reviews account reactivation.

Another customer told Business Insider their account was deactivated because the person did the dreaded split transaction (such as, ordering two tickets and paying one with the app and the other without).

The person said the MoviePass customer service rep even admitted to the person it was an honest mistake, but because it was done multiple times on the account the rep said they could not do anything and their account would stay deactivated.

The kicker here: It does not state in the MoviePass terms of service that split transactions are a violation.

In a statement on Friday, MoviePass stated: "A small percentage of MoviePass users have been removed from the system, due to violating the terms of service. We diligently review card transactions to prevent fraudulent activity and take our Terms of Service agreement very seriously. If individuals abuse the service, we must take action so that our model continues to be sustainable for everyone. If customers feel there has been a mistake, they can feel free to reach out to MoviePass customer service via the phone number on the back of their card." 

However, customers believe MoviePass should have been more specific about the violations. Though the original email said their accounts were being terminated because they purchased a premium ticket, in many cases the reason for the deactivation was due to another reason, leading to the confusion and frustration.

MoviePass sent the following statement to Business Insider on Monday:

"When MoviePass members call into customer service, we review their account on a case-by-case basis and if a mistake has been made, it is rectified. Our number one priority remains preventing fraudulent activity so that our model continues to be sustainable for the overall MoviePass community."

SEE ALSO: Bill Hader had no clue if he's getting residuals for voicing BB-8 in "The Force Awakens"

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• The budget for Martin Scorsese's upcoming Netflix mob film "The Irishman" is reportedly in the range of $140 million and growing, according to Deadline.
• The production costs have reportedly ballooned over the film's use of special effects to de-age Robert De Niro in the titular role of mob hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran.
• If its budget continues to grow, "The Irishman" could surpass 2011's "Hugo" as the most expensive film Scorsese has made. 

Martin Scorsese appears to be taking full advantage of Netflix's resources for his upcoming mob film, "The Irishman."

Sources told Deadline the film's production budget is in the range of $140 million and growing, as the movie wraps principal photography and moves on to post-production.

As IndieWire notes, part of the reason the film's budget has ballooned past its original $100 million target is that Scorsese is utilizing special effects to de-age Robert De Niro in his decades-spanning role as the mob hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran.  

"The Irishman" is based on the 2003 true-crime book "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt, in which Sheeran allegedly confessed to being involved in more than 25 hits for the mob, and to allegedly being involved in the death of mob boss Jimmy Hoffa.

Netflix stepped in to finance the film in February 2017 after Paramount Pictures reportedly withdrew from producing the movie over its anticipated special effects costs, according to Variety.

Deadline's sources said Netflix has paid Scorsese "around $10M and up to $15M+" for his work on the film, which could also become the most expensive movie of the director's career if its budget continues to grow.

Scorsese's most expensive film thus far has been 2011's "Hugo," which had an estimated budget of over $150 million and also heavily utilized special effects.

Netflix declined to comment to Deadline over the reported budget.

"The Irishman" is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2019.

SEE ALSO: All 49 of Netflix's notable original movies, ranked from worst to best

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• The majority of online daters would prefer a partner with a good credit score than a nice car.
• A good credit score is perceived to be a sign of responsibility, trustworthiness, and intelligence.
• Finding a partner who is financially responsible is more important than having a physically attractive significant other, according to a recent survey.

You don't need a fancy sports car or a killer body to impress a date.

A national study performed by Discover and Match Media Group of 2,000 American adults found that a good credit score may help land you a relationship. Match owns dating websites and apps —such as Tinder, Match.com, and OkCupid — covering 63 million global users.

For 58% of online daters, a good credit score is more attractive than a nice car. Half of those surveyed prefer a partner to have a good credit score over an impressive job title, and 40% took the credit score over a physically fit body. Unfortunately, job titles and photos may have to suffice for now — 69% of respondents also said they would feel uncomfortable reporting their credit score on a dating app.

Additionally, 69% said that financial responsibility is a very or extremely important quality when looking for a person to date. This topped the numbers for traditional traits daters look out for like a sense of humor and attractiveness, which 67% and 51% of those surveyed found important, respectively.

Financial responsibility is more important for women finding a partner than men. Women rated this quality as important 77% of the time, compared to 61% for men.

When asked about the personality traits of someone with a good credit score, 73% of survey respondents envisioned a responsible person, 40% thought trustworthy, and 38% equated credit scores with intelligence.

"Money talks, but your credit score can speak more about who you are as a person, and singles agree that those with good credit tend to be conscientious and reliable," says Dr. Helen Fisher, chief scientific advisor for Match.com. 

Fixing a poor credit score is easier than it sounds — and it doesn't have to take long to boost your number.

Making on-time payments is the first step to improving your score. Scheduling automatic payments or setting up a calendar alert a few days before the due date can help make sure you never miss a payment. 

It is also crucial to pay more than the minimum balance on your credit card each month. Focus on the debt with the highest interest rate first, since paying it down will save you the most on interest charges. 

Understanding someone's financial security early in a relationship can help avoid further issues.

A majority — 53% — of respondents said finances had strained a past or current relationship. This makes money a bigger wedge in relationships than politics or religion, two topics practically forbidden for a first date.

SEE ALSO: Tinder is under fire after charging more for users over 30

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NOW WATCH: The easy steps everyone should take to get out of debt, according to a certified financial planner

• NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt has reported on The Olympics since the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.
• Holt says the games transcend politics and bring people together.

NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt continued his run of Olympic coverage with reporting at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games last week, his ninth opportunity to cover the games.

Holt, who began covering The Olympics at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, feels the event acts as a unifying force for participants and viewers.

"Through nine Olympics I've been in Olympics when the US was in conflict in the middle east, and there is something about the Olympics that kind of transcends politics," Holt told Business Insider. "Frankly one of the reasons I look forward to it is it gives us a little bit of a break, not that we don't cover politics, but it gives us a chance to focus on something that is truly unifying."

The ability for the Olympics to bring people together seems important, especially at a time when American politics is more divided than ever.

Still, the games aren't completely devoid of politics. Over the weekend there was political intrigue surrounding Vice President Mike Pence and Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, during the opening ceremony.

The two sat in the same box but didn't shake hands or acknowledge each other. Pence didn't have to sit in the same box, but reportedly wanted to make a political point, exhibiting solidarity with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

And American figure skater Adam Rippon, who is the first openly gay athlete on the US Winter Olympics team, vocally turned down a meeting with Pence, criticizing his record on LGBTQ rights.

But Holt says overall the feeling on the ground is noticeably less political during the games, and it offers reporters the opportunity to focus on the athletes that make the games possible.

"It's a really nice distraction," Holt said. "But more than a distraction, it's great to see young athletes, and not just American athletes but kids from around the world, who work their butts off year in and year out and they get this shot every four years and if they're lucky they come away with a medal and people remember their names," he said. "It's just fun to be a part of."

SEE ALSO: Top NBC anchor Lester Holt reveals what he was really thinking as he reported from a North Korean ski resort where people wore identical neon outfits

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NOW WATCH: A 12-time Olympic medalist reveals her eating habits during training

• This Presidents' Day, Americans celebrate the legacy of the United States presidency.

• Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents of all time.

• Lincoln's daily work routine reflects his intense work ethic.

Abraham Lincoln is widely considered America's greatest president.

Monday, February 12, marks the 209th anniversary of his birth. Born on the Kentucky frontier, Lincoln would grow up to lead America through one of its bloodiest conflicts. He cleared the path for the abolition of slavery, preserved the Union, revolutionized the federal government, and lost his life in the process.

And the US certainly hasn't forgotten his legacy. Since 1948, there have been 18 major surveys that asked American scholars to rank the presidents. Lincoln came in first in 10 of those surveys — and claimed second or third place in the other eight. That means that Abraham Lincoln took the top spot more than the other 42 presidents featured in the rankings. CBS reported that former US President Barack Obama also listed Lincoln has his all-time favorite president.

But what was everyday life like for Lincoln in the White House? As it turns out, the president's typical routine reflected his singular commitment to his work.

Here's a look at Lincoln's daily schedule:

SEE ALSO: A look at the daily routine of John Adams, who woke before dawn, walked 5 miles at a time, and drank hard cider at breakfast

DON'T MISS: A look at the daily routine of Thomas Jefferson, who rose early, drank coffee, and wrote a lot

DON'T FORGET: A look at the daily routine of James Madison, who owned 4,000 books, was too embarrassed to be seen without a hat, and drank up to a pint of whiskey a day

Lincoln typically woke up around 7 a.m. He'd work for an hour before breakfast, and sometimes headed out into the early morning to grab a newspaper from a newsboy.

Source: "Lincoln's Last Months," "Abraham Lincoln: A Biography"

First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln knew that her husband often simply forgot about meals. She'd sometimes invite guests to eat breakfast with the family, in order to ensure the president would remember to come.

Source: "Lincoln's Last Months," "Abraham Lincoln: A Biography"

Lincoln typically took a simple breakfast: eggs, toast, and coffee.

Source: "Lincoln's Last Months," "Abraham Lincoln: A Biography"

• Horror films have often been overlooked by the Oscars throughout its 90-year history.
• Only one has won best picture, and only a handful have been nominated.
• This year's race sees two nominated — "Get Out" and "The Shape of Water."

"The Silence of the Lambs" is a notable Oscar best-picture winner for many reasons.

It's one of only three films in the Oscar's 90-year history to win the "big five" awards of picture, actor, actress, director, and screenplay. And it's also the only horror film to win best picture.

IMDB lists the film's genres as "crime," "drama," and "thriller," and it is certainly all of those things. But in the nearly three decades since "Silence of the Lambs" swept the 64th Academy Awards, it's been regarded as one of the best horror films of all time: It's number 33 on this Rotten Tomatoes list of the best-reviewed horror movies, and has made countless other lists, including these from Collider and Esquire.

Only a few other horror films have managed to even be nominated, including "Jaws," and this year's "Get Out" and "The Shape of Water." 

What do all of these films have in common?

They can all easily be categorized by different genres: "Lambs" as a crime drama, "Jaws" as a thriller, "Shape" as a fantasy romance, and "Get Out" as a dark comedy (if you ask the Golden Globes). 

That distinction helped propel "Lambs" to the top and it has allowed "Get Out" and "Shape" to break through a crowded field of best-picture contenders this year. In fact, there is still debate about whether they are even horror films at all, a telling sign of the Academy's reluctance to recognize the genre.

"Get Out's" social commentary might discourage some from classifying it as horror, but the best horror films are twisted representations of our fears and the evil pieces of our own world. Is that not "Get Out?" And "Shape" is quite obviously inspired by "The Creature From the Black Lagoon."

Perhaps the fear is that embracing these films as horror movies risks their chances of actually winning on Oscar night. The Academy has a dismal record of awarding the genre. In this Business Insider list of the best-reviewed films to never be nominated for best picture, "Rosemary's Baby" and "Psycho" are notable standouts, as well as other Hitchcock thrillers. In fact, Hitchcock never even won best director.

But beyond being horror films, what other factors might help or hinder "Get Out" and "The Shape of Water" on Oscar night?

"Moonlight," about a black man struggling with his sexuality, won best picture last year, signaling for many that the Oscars had moved in a positive direction in recognizing the work of people of color. And now this year, "Get Out" has nabbed picture, director, actor, and screenplay nominations, and won best original screenplay at Sunday's Writers Guild Awards, positioning it as a contender for Oscar gold.

But still, there is the Academy's legacy that sparked #OscarsSoWhite — a social media hashtag that trended after all 20 acting nominees were white two years in a row in 2016 and 2015. That has not completely changed, though the Academy did induct nearly 700 new members to try and diversify its membership in 2016. 

"Get Out" also failed to pick up any craft nominations, and it's rare for a film to win best picture without a single one. ("Moonlight," meanwhile, was nominated for cinematography, film editing, and musical score.) 

Positive word-of-mouth and an energetic campaign can help its chances, but the other horror film in contention this year will be hard to beat.

"The Shape of Water" has suddenly become a frontrunner in the Oscar race after winning best picture at the Producers Guild Awards, and picking up the most nominations at this year's Oscars with 13.

Not bad for a horror movie.

But "The Shape of Water" could be hindered by the fact that it has plenty of competition in the original screenplay race — "Get Out," Lady Bird," "Three Billboards," and "The Big Sick." If it can't win a screenplay award, its chances of winning best picture are slim by if we look at history as our guide. The last film to do so was "The Artist" six years ago.

Over at awards prediction website GoldDerby.com, "Shape's" odds of winning screenplay aren't good: 22/1. It comes in fourth behind "Lady Bird" (8/5), "Three Billboards" (9/4), and "Get Out" (3/1). "The Big Sick" is in last at 80/1. And at the Writers Guild Awards, "Get Out" and "Call Me by Your Name" won the screenplay honors.

But even so, "Shape" is still the frontrunner on GoldDerby, with the best odds of winning best picture (10/11).

SEE ALSO: The 17 best movies of all time that weren't nominated for a best-picture Oscar, according to critics

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• Amazon will reportedly lay off hundreds of employees, primarily at its Seattle headquarters.
• Amazon employs more than 40,000 people in Seattle and has radically changed the city over the last decade.
• The cuts point to the danger of a city being too dependent on a single company, an issue Seattle and whatever city wins HQ2 will face in the coming decades.

Amazon is laying off hundreds of employees, primarily at the company's Seattle headquarters, according to the Seattle Times.

The cuts will primarily affect the company's retail division. Amazon is America's second-largest employer with around 566,000 employees as of December. More than 40,000 of those are in Seattle alone.

While the cuts are hardly sweeping, they point to the precarious position that Seattle, and whatever city wins the competition for the company's new $5 billion headquarters dubbed HQ2, will face in the coming decades. 

Amazon dominates Seattle, sprawling across downtown and upsetting locals with snarled traffic, soaring housing prices, never-ending construction, and accelerated gentrification.

At the same time, the city has seen an unprecedented economic surge, adding 220,000 jobs over the past decade. Many of those jobs have been due to Amazon's growth and are high-paying.

But for many Seattleites, they've seen this story before. The city was once even more dominated by another company — Boeing.

In 1968, Boeing employed more than 100,000 people in the Seattle area. By 1971, that number had plummeted to 32,500, leading to an infamous billboard exclaiming: "Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights."

While Amazon's layoffs of a few hundred are nowhere near that level, they are a solemn reminder that pinning a city's future on the ebbs and flows of a single company is a precarious place to be.

I recently spent a day in the Seattle neighborhood locals call Amazonia to see how Amazon has affected the city.

In the '90s, Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood was a mess of parking lots, warehouses, and industrial buildings. Amazon has transformed the neighborhood and its surrounding areas, Belltown and Denny Triangle. Each of those pins on the map is an Amazon office.

Amazon's offices are spread across more than 33 buildings throughout the area, though some say the number is closer to 40. The company leases 100,000 square feet of office space in this building, nicknamed Otter.

Source: SF Gate

It's hard to overstate how thoroughly Amazon dominates downtown. The company is up to occupying 8.1 million square feet of office space in Seattle, reports say. Day 1 Tower, opened in 2016, is one of two towers that form the heart of Amazon's campus.

Source: Geekwire, SF Gate, CNBC

• The Stelvio is Alfa Romeo's first crack at an SUV since returning to the US market.
• Luxury SUVs are a mission-critical segment for the Italian brand.
• We enjoyed the crossover's styling and driving dynamics, but it fell short on infotainment and interior quality.

Alfa Romeo exited the US market back in the mid-1990s, and if you had told me prior to the financial crisis that the legendary Italian brand would be back, I'd have scoffed.

By the bailout and bankruptcy of Chrysler in 2009 set the stage for an unlikely return, as Fiat — Alfa's owner — acquired Chrysler and formed Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. CEO Sergio Marchionne was keen to restore Alfa in the lucrative US luxury market. So first we got the offbeat 4C sports car, followed by the marvelous Giulia sedan.

Now the most unlikely Alfa of all has arrived, the Stelvio SUV. Luxury SUVs are a big segment in SUV-mad America, with pretty much every major brand supporting a lineup. Alfa had to be in on the action.

The Stelvio landed in 2017, and we recently got our hands on a $53,000 Sport-trim example (the base model is $42,000). The car was mega-sharp, with its quintessentially Italian styling. A Range Rover this definitely isn't. But what was it like to live with?

Photos by Hollis Johnson.

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Our Stelvio tester arrived in a Rosso Red paint job with an all-black interior.

The Alfa front end is utterly distinctive. You can't mistake it for anything else, with that dashing shield grille, those saber-like headlights, and the gorgeous Alfa badge. As front fascias go, it's amazing.

The Rosso Red exterior was luminous. We seen Alfas in black and we've seen them in red. And red is better.

Of course, because the design is so Alfa, it's bound to be polarizing.

The obvious question is whether you want your rugged SUV to look like something that's dressed for men's fashion week in Milan. From my perspective, SUVs have exuded rough-and-tumble cred for so long that the arrival of panache with the Stelvio and the Maserati Levante is a good thing.

The Stelvio is symmetrical and sleek.

To be honest, apart from the glorious color, we weren't 100% convinced by the Stelvio's beauty. 

The rest of the world didn't share our skepticism. There was no shortage of admiring glances, rapt stares, thumbs up, and questions from total strangers for the week that we spent driving the SUV around New York and New Jersey.

• Roark Capital Group finalized its deal to acquire Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.9 billion on February 5.
• The private-equity firm helped turn around Arby's after buying a majority stake in 2011.
• The firm has a diverse portfolio that includes restaurants, gyms, and auto repair centers.

The parent company of Arby's, Roark Capital Group, finalized its $2.9 billion deal to acquire Buffalo Wild Wings on February 5. The deal will create a new operating company, Inspire Brands, that will control Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and R Taco. Former Arby's CEO Paul Brown was named CEO of the new company.

Buffalo Wild Wings had struggled in the years before the acquisition, but Roark Capital rescued Arby's from a similar position in 2011. The private-equity firm has built a diverse portfolio that includes restaurants, gyms, and auto repair centers. 

Here are some of the highlights of that portfolio.

SEE ALSO: Buffalo Wild Wings was sucked into a downward spiral as millennials ditched the chain — but the new CEO has a plan for a comeback

Anytime Fitness

Roark purchased an undisclosed stake in the fitness chain in 2014. It currently has over 3,000 locations, some of which are open 24 hours.

Arby's

The sandwich chain has undergone a massive turnaround since Roark bought a majority stake in 2011. In 2016, Arby's counted $3.7 billion in revenue, which was a 20% increase from 2013.

Auntie Annie's

A food-court staple, pretzel chain Auntie Annie's was acquired by Focus Brands, one of Roark's portfolio companies, in 2010.

For artist Kehinde Wiley, being commissioned to paint former President Barack Obama's official portrait was an opportunity to make a lasting impact on people around the world.

"The reality of Barack Obama being the president of the United States — quite possibly the most powerful nation in the world — means that the image of power is completely new for an entire generation of not only black American kids, but every population group in this nation," Wiley told BBC in 2008.

His incredible portrait of the former president, unveiled in Washington, DC on Monday, will hang alongside other presidential paintings in the National Portrait Gallery. He and Amy Sherald, who painted a portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama, are the first African-Americans in history to be commissioned to paint a presidential couple.

But well before he was selected to paint Obama, Wiley was recognized as a master of his craft worldwide, and his works have fetched as much as $143,000 at auctions. His art has also been featured in the Fox TV show, "Empire."

Here's a look at his eye-catching and original body of work:

SEE ALSO: These portraits show how the British royal family has changed through the years

DON'T MISS: Here are Barack and Michelle Obama's official portraits

Wiley's dramatic portrait of Obama sitting in a colorful green garden is in keeping with the artist's long tradition of presenting everyday black figures in elevated, empowering positions.

A common theme throughout Wiley's work, which he started to pursue as a boy in his native Los Angeles, has been portraying young African and African-American men in poses traditionally reserved for European nobility.

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Source: Wall Street Journal

Many of his paintings draw on French Rococo, Baroque, and other royal portraiture styles.

• Valentine's Day is the time of year to show your love by dropping money on flowers and chocolates— or grouse about how cheesy and consumerist the holiday is.

• Valentine's Day's religious origins have taken a backseat.

• There were multiple St. Valentines throughout history, and the feast day first became associated with love in the Middle Ages.

How have we reached the point where the US is set to spend $19.6 billion on Valentine's Day?

It all goes back to a mysterious, third century saint who suffered a brutal fate.

St. Valentine of Terni was martyred in 269 C.E. (or somewhere around then — it kind of depends on what martyrology you're reading). According to legend, the Roman physician and priest was beaten, stoned, and beheaded for the crimes of marrying Christian couples ... and possibly attempting to convert Emperor Claudius II.

Thanks to the marital angle of his story, Valentine became the patron saint of love, young people, and marriages (and also of plague, epilepsy, and beekeepers).

His February 14 feast day was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 C.E. There's disagreement amongst historians about whether the holiday was meant to replace the pagan fertility festival Lupercalia.

Either way, as time went on, more romantic connotations came to be associated with the saint. One legend has Valentine befriending (or falling in love with) the blind daughter of a judge (or his jailer — again, it depends). He supposedly wrote her secret letters signed "from your Valentine" and then restored her sight from beyond the grave.

As the cult of courtly love spread across Europe in the Middle Ages, an even more romantic light was cast upon mid-February. As the Folklore Society notes, Geoffrey Chaucer mentions Valentine's Day and describes February as the time "when every fowl cometh there to chose his mate" (although the blog Got Medieval asserts that the poet didn't invent Valentine's Day and it was already likely associated with love by the time he referenced it).

So, we know how Valentine's Day came to be seen as the most romantic day of the year. However, the truth is, we don't know much about St. Valentine himself. There are eleven Valentines commemorated by the Catholic Church, and there were at least two other St. Valentines who lived around the time of St. Valentine of Terni. Because his origins are so obscure, he was actually removed from the General Roman Calendar by the Roman Catholic Church in 1969 (but he's still technically considered a saint).

So, don't feel bad if you have a crummy Valentine's Day. It (hopefully) won't be worse than getting killed, confused with other people, and kicked off the general liturgical calendar — which is what actually happened to the real St. Valentine.

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Fisher Island, Florida, is a paragon of exclusivity.

The 216-acre, man-made island sitting pretty off the coast of Miami Beach is reachable only by boat — most often yacht. It's considered America's most millionaire-dense ZIP code, but less than 20% of the island's residents permanently reside there.

With its mix of condos, private homes, and hotel rooms, the lush island exists as a retreat for the ultra wealthy, who spend their days golfing, playing tennis, lounging on the beach, boating, and simply relaxing.

The illustrious Vanderbilt family were the original stewards of Fisher Island, and their penchant for opulence remains.

Below, find out how Fisher Island became one of America's most affluent enclaves.

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Though Fisher Island is billed as a world-class travel destination, about 650 families live in private residences on the island. More than 80% of them are seasonal residents. The current median listing price of homes for sale is $3.2 million, according to Zillow.

Source: Zillow, Fisher Island Club

Fisher Island maintains more than 100 boat slips for yacht-owning residents. Yacht and 24/7 public ferry are the only way to access the island.

Source: Fisher Island Club

Fisher Island has been rumored to draw celebrities in search of privacy. Oprah Winfrey owned a condo on Fisher Island for several years, but listed the property for just over $2 million in 2008. Other past residents reportedly include tennis legend Boris Becker and actor Mel Brooks.

Source:Variety, Forbes

• A showrunner for "Bachelor Winter Games" said the Trump administration's strict policies on entry into the United States directly affected the casting process.
• Producers wanted one cast member from every country that has its own version of the show. 
• Some contestants were denied visas, including a German contestant of Persian descent. 
• Other contestants arrived late to filming after waiting for their visas to get approved.

President Trump's immigration policies have affected the country in unexpected ways — including casting of the most recent spin-off of "The Bachelor." 

"Bachelor Winter Games," a spin-off series of ABC's "The Bachelor" franchise debuts this week. The show features contestants from "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" seasons from all over the world, from the United States to Australia, to Switzerland and Japan.

"The Bachelor" has a franchise in over 30 countries, and "The Bachelorette" is in 13. With "Winter Games," producers wanted to take advantage of the show's global presence. 

Initially, the goal was to recruit one contestant from every country that has its own version of "The Bachelor." But in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-showrunner Bennett Graebner said getting some of the foreign contestants to the United States was a challenge as a result of Trump's policies.

Graebner said the process was more difficult for 2018 than for 2017, saying some contestants missed the show's opening ceremony due to a long visa approval process. 

"It was shocking," Graebner told THR. "I had a lot of sleepless nights wondering if certain people were going to get into the country."

Graebner said that one contestant, who was on the German version of "The Bachelor," was a favorite to be a contestant on "Winter Games." He is of Persian descent, and his visa was denied "immediately," he said.

Graebner said that the casting process took months, with contestants attending visa interviews and appointments at embassies.

Of 26 contestants on "Winter Games," 12 are from the US. The other 14 contestants come from Canada, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, China and the UK.

"Winter Games" premieres Tuesday night on ABC.

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• The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, married Melinda French in 1994.
• They met at Microsoft when Melinda was brought on a product manager — she initially turned down Bill's request for a date at a company picnic.
• Today, they run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has an endowment of $40.3 billion.

Melinda French was less than impressed when her boss asked her out on a date.

It was 1987, and the recent Duke graduate had just joined Microsoft as a product manager. CEO Bill Gates approached her at a company picnic and asked if she'd be interested in grabbing dinner in two weeks. She responded, "That's not spontaneous enough for me," Fortune reported in 2015.

Fast-forward three decades, and Bill and Melinda Gates are married with three kids, worth $90 billion, and run a namesake philanthropic enterprise boasting a $40.3 billion endowment.

Here's a look at their 23-year marriage.

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At the picnic, Melinda gave Bill her number and told him to call her closer to the day he had in mind.

Source: Business Insider

Instead, he called her up later that night with a wry question: "Is this spontaneous enough for you?" Turns out, it was.

Source: Business Insider

Melinda and Bill dated for seven years before they wed. Melinda told Fortune her mom didn't think that seeing the CEO was a good idea in the beginning.

Source: Business Insider, Fortune

• The 30th annual Miami Yacht Show is Thursday through Monday.
• The show features some of the most extravagant yachts on the market.
• We rounded up some of the most luxurious yachts at the show, with features like custom bar and lounge areas, complete media centers, and private gyms.

The 30th annual Miami Yacht Show kicks off on Thursday, showcasing some of the most extravagant and unique superyachts from custom-boat builders around the world. Five separate entrances lead to an extraordinary in-water-only display, covering 1.2 million square feet of space. The show will run until Monday.

We rounded up seven of the most impressive yachts featured in the show — scroll down for a closer look:

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1. Fraser Yachts Perini Navi Grace E is being sold for about $91.9 million.

Source: Fraser Yachts

It has a spacious and modern main lounge and seven guest cabins to accommodate 16 people.

Each of the decks can be accessed by elevator. This one has spaces for casual dining and sunbathing, as well as a spa tub.

• Many of the wealthiest people on earth are married to people who are very successful in their own right.

• The world's top billionaires are married to an award-winning novelist, a pediatrician, and a powerful philanthropist, among others.

• Uber-wealthy billionaires meet their spouses the same way anyone else does — through work, friends, and at social functions.

When it comes to love, the uber-wealthy are no different than the rest of us.

Some billionaires, like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, met their spouses at work. Others, like David Koch, were set up on blind dates.

But there's nothing ordinary about the spouses and partners of some of the world's wealthiest people. Melinda Gates and Dr. Priscilla Chan both run powerhouse philanthropic organizations. MacKenzie Bezos is a published author who has racked up awards and critical acclaim. Hélène Mercier-Arnault is an accomplished concert pianist.

Here's a look at the significant others of some of the wealthiest people in the US:

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Melinda Gates has been married to Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates for 23 years. Her now husband first asked her out at a company picnic — he was the CEO and she was a product manager.

Source: Business Insider, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Forbes

Today, they run a namesake philanthropic giant with an endowment of $40.3 billion. The Gateses are worth $90.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Source: Business Insider, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Forbes

Dr. Priscilla Chan first met her future husband Mark Zuckerberg while in line for the bathroom at a Harvard University frat party. Later, when she found out he slacked off on his take-home midterm to take her on their first date, she told "Today" host Savannah Guthrie, "the type-A first child in me was appalled."

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider, Business Insider, CNN, Recode, Forbes

• Meghan Markle has already broken a number unspoken, traditional fashion rules within the royal family.
• Since her engagement to Prince Harry she's continued to own her more laid back, relaxed fashion style.
• This week she was photographed wearing a cross-body purse, a first for someone in the royal family.

Meghan Markle is breaking a number of traditional fashion rules within the royal family. From wearing a messy hair bun inside the Cardiff Castle, to showing her legs sans pantyhose during her and Prince Harry's engagement announcement— she hasn't compromised her own, more relaxed, fashion style in the name of tradition.

This week, during a visit to Scotland, Markle was photographed wearing a cross body purse — a first for someone within the royal family. The bag, a Strathberry, was paired with a large plaid coat, which had a fit less-tailored than most of the coats worn by her soon-to-be sister in law, Kate Middleton. 

Middleton generally carries a clutch purse to events, making Markle's decision to carry a forest green cross-body purse even more of a fashion risk.

Other fashion choices that have set Markle apart have been closely watched by the media. In her and Prince Harry's official engagement photos, Markle's Ralph & Russo sheer dress was considered a bold choice by some. Even her makeup choices — contouring her cheeks with a deep blush has been noted.

Her decision to wear American fashion brands, such as Everlane, is also a way Markle is stepping outside the traditional lines.  

Prior to the engagement announcement last November, Markle was dressing even more casually — wearing torn jeans while out with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in September, and carrying a large brown leather tote bag. While her style has already evolved since then, she has still remained true to her roots.  

SEE ALSO: Kate Middleton's best — and most expensive — style moments reveal what Meghan Markle's future could hold

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