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Conor McGregor reportedly partied with Drake and Victoria's Secret models in Las Vegas the night after his huge loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Conor McGregor (L) and rapper Drake attend a ceremonial weigh-in for UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena on October 05, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. McGregor will challenge UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for his title at UFC 229 on October 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

  • Conor McGregor was reportedly spotted partying in Las Vegas with the rapper Drake the night after his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, according to Page Six.
  • The A-listers were spotted at XS nightclub at Encore, where McGregor has a residency deal for all his after-parties.
  • A spy told Page Six that they were hanging out with Victoria's Secret models at the club.
  • Drake took a prominent spot in McGregor's entourage in the build-up to the fight, accompanying him to the ceremonial weigh-in draped in an Irish flag.

It sounds like Conor McGregor isn't taking his loss too badly — or maybe he's just drowning his sorrows.

Sources told the New York Post's Page Six that McGregor had partied the night away in Las Vegas on Sunday, following his fourth-round defeat by submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.

"Conor was in good spirits and having fun, despite what happened the day before," said their spy. "He was hanging out with Drake, and Victoria's Secret models Lais Ribeiro and Jasmine Tookes."

The unlikely A-list pair were spotted at XS nightclub at Encore, where McGregor has a residency deal for all his after-parties, according to Forbes.

Drake took a prominent spot in McGregor's entourage in the build-up to the fight, accompanying him to the ceremonial weigh-in draped in an Irish flag.

After the night descended into chaos when Nurmagomedov jumped out the octagon and into the crowd, people joked that Drake must have been terrified.

McGregor has since been slapped with a one-month medical suspension because of the beating he took from Nurmagomedov.

The Irishman could also face an increased ban after the Nevada Athletic Commission concludes its investigation into the riot that erupted after the fight.

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Trump suggests the climate may actually be 'fabulous' after ominous UN report on looming disaster

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Donald Trump rally

  • President Donald Trump sought to cast doubt on a UN report on climate change that had dire warnings about how little time we have to stop a global catastrophe.
  • Trump suggested that the state of the world's climate may actually be "fabulous," and that he's seen reports expressing that position.
  • The report outlines the impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
  • Trump has previously called climate change a "hoax" and pulled the US from the Paris Climate Accord.

President Donald Trump cast doubt on a United Nations report that warned that we have just 12 years to curb climate change by suggesting the reports' authors weren't more credible than reports that say the environment is "fabulous."

The UN report, which is based on more than 6,000 scientific references from 91 authors across 40 countries, outlines the impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

It warns that the world is rapidly running out of time before catastrophic effects on the planet take place. 

Drafted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN's climate change body, the report calls for "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society."

Trump, who has previously called climate change a "hoax", was speaking on the White House lawn on Tuesday when he said the report "was given to me."

"And I want to look at who drew it. You know, which group drew it."

Without specifying which reports he was talking about, he signaled that other were as valid as the UN's: "I can give you reports that are fabulous and I can give you reports that aren’t so good."

Trump tweeted in 2012 that "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive."

Donald Trump climate change paris accord

As President, Trump has been unwilling to take steps to curb climate change that he feels would damage industry.

In 2017, he announced that he was pulling the US from the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change. 195 nations signed the accord in December 2015, which set the loose global goal of keeping the planet from warming by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Trump's decision was met with global condemnation.

"We are going to be environmentally friendly, but we're not going to put our businesses out of work, and we're not going to lose our jobs. We're going to grow," Trump said at the time.

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

Michael Avenatti wants to fight Donald Trump Jr. in the octagon for charity

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Michael Avenatti

  • Michael Avenatti and Donald Trump Jr. have been at each other's throats on Twitter since Monday.
  • At a lunch on Tuesday, Avenatti challenged Trump Jr. to a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) charity fight, an NBC reporter tweeted.
  • Avenatti confirmed it, and said he wants the money raised from the fight to go to rebuilding Puerto Rico and to a sexual assault charity.
  • On Monday, Trump Jr. joked Avenatti would be running for President in 2020 with incarcerated politician Anthony Weiner — Avenatti replied Trump Jr. will be "indicted" soon and pass Weiner in jail.

US attorney and Trump administration critic Michael Avenatti challenged Donald Trump Jr. to a three-round Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) charity fight — saying "this would be for two great causes."

NBC reporter Dylan Byers was with Avenatti at the Vanity Fair Summit on Tuesday, when the lawyer and activist proposed the match-up. Byers tweeted about the proposal, and Avenatti replied, confirming it.

"This would be for two great causes. I’m in," Avenatti tweeted.

Avenatti proposed the proceeds from the fight will be "split 50% to rebuilding Puerto Rico and 50% to @RAINN," in a follow-up tweet.

RAINN are the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, who run a 24-hour hotline for sexual assault victims.

The tweet also said: "Just waiting on Bif [Trump Jr.] to confirm. #Basta"

Donald Trump Jr.

Trump Jr. and Avenatti have shared barbs online this week, with Avenatti tweeting on Tuesday the president's son will "be indicted" on federal charges very soon.

The day before, Trump Jr. mocked Avenatti on Twitter, saying: "Who else is excited about Avanetti/Weiner 2020?!? It’s gonna be Carlos Dangerous."

The former New York Democratic representative Anthony Weiner is serving 21 months in prison for sending obscene material to a minor at the moment, but is getting out three months early, CNN reported on Wednesday.

In response to Trump Jr's tweet, Avenatti wrote: "If I were you, the last thing I would be doing is referencing other people getting out of federal prison."

"Because after you are indicted, you will likely be passing them on your way in. BTW, they don’t have silver spoons or gold toilets in the joint. Buckle up Buttercup." 

Avenatti was the attorney who submitted a lawsuit on behalf of adult-actress Stormy Daniels to repeal a 2016 non-disclosure agreement made with Donald Trump. 

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

Richard Branson tells Elon Musk to stop tweeting and get some more sleep (TSLA)

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Elon Musk Richard Branson

  • Richard Branson told Elon Musk that he needs to delegate more to improve his quality of life outside of Tesla.
  • In comments to CNBC, Branson also told Musk to stop tweeting and focus on what he's good at.
  • "He's a wonderfully creative person but he shouldn't be getting very little sleep," Branson said.

Richard Branson's got some advice for Elon Musk — billionaire to billionaire.

It has been a frenetic few months for the Tesla CEO. He had a public meltdown over his workload and nearly dragged his company into a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit. Branson's advice to Musk is to cool his jets.

The two billionaires are locked in a space race alongside Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, but that has not stopped Branson from sharing some friendly words of encouragement.

"He's got to find time for himself, he's got to find time for his health and for his family. He's a wonderfully creative person but he shouldn't be getting very little sleep,"the Virgin Group founder told CNBC.

Branson added that Musk "needs to learn the art of delegation" and should work to "find a fantastic team of people around him." Branson appears to be advocating a model closer to how he runs Virgin.

Josh Bayliss is the CEO of Virgin Group, while Peter Norris is the company's chairman. Branson is a director, but also acts as an ambassador for the firm and continues to have a big say on its future.

It chimes with the advice of others, who have told Musk to find a COO for Telsa who is capable of overseeing the day-to-day operations of the electric carmaker. Even if Musk decides to ignore this suggestion, Tesla will have to find a new chairman to replace the billionaire, a condition of his settlement with the SEC. Al Gore has been named as a potential candidate.

But Branson's words of wisdom did not stop there — he also told Musk to stop tweeting. "Don't feel you have to put out tweets about public shareholders, leave the public game to people who enjoy that. He obviously doesn't enjoy it, so [he should] clear the decks and concentrate on the creative side," Branson said.

SEE ALSO: Every puzzling thing that has happened since Elon Musk tweeted that he had 'funding secured' to take Tesla private

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NOW WATCH: Watch Apple unveil the new iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max

A UFC fighter who gave a hilarious interview about his 'hot balls' and a Donald Trump phone call now has over 1 million Instagram followers and a world title shot

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Derrick Lewis, my balls was hot

  • Derrick Lewis is the UFC fighter who went viral for telling the UFC commentator Joe Rogan that he took his shorts off because his "balls was hot."
  • Lewis had just come-from-behind to deliver a savage knockout, finishing Alexander Volkov in the final minute of their wild UFC 229 brawl on Saturday.
  • Lewis has trebled the amount of Instagram followers he has in a matter of days. He also has a UFC world heavyweight title shot against Dan Cormier at UFC 230 next month.
  • Read all of Business Insider's UFC 229 coverage here.

Derrick Lewis secured an incredible victory when he came-from-behind to finish Alexander Volkov in the final minute of their UFC 229 clash on Saturday — and he now has a UFC heavyweight world title shot in three weeks' time.

The American power puncher had little name value around the world before Saturday's showdown.

But he won a "performance of the night" bonus for his savage finish and then went viral for giving a hilarious post-fight interview where he told the UFC commentator Joe Rogan his "balls was hot" and that Donald Trump had called to explicitly tell him to "knock this Russian mother f----- out."

Days later, he trebled the amount of followers on his Instagram account — he currently has 1.2 million fans.

And he has now been awarded a world title shot against reigning UFC heavyweight champion Dan Cormier, but the catch is that the fight will take place on November 3, at the UFC 230 event that takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York. This leaves Lewis with less than a month to prepare for the biggest fight of his life.

Dana White reportedly confirmed that "the fight is done,"according to ESPN journalist Brett Okamoto.

Prominent MMA reporter Ariel Helwani also tweeted about the event.

Lewis has previously said he wanted to knock Cormier out, and it's all because he apparently "disrespected" Popeyes chicken— a fast food outlet that both heavyweights seem to enjoy.

Watch the video that seemingly irked Lewis right here:

SEE ALSO: Conor McGregor's coach admits mistakes were made leading up to UFC 229 — and says a rematch would be a 'huge fight'

DON'T MISS: 'Putin is very proud of me' — Khabib Nurmagomedov talks to the press after the wild brawl that followed his submission win over Conor McGregor

UP NEXT: Khabib Nurmagomedov's father says he will punish his son worse than the UFC will for post-fight melee

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NOW WATCH: What it takes to be an NFL referee

10 things you need to know before the opening bell (SPY, SPX, QQQ, DIA, TSLA, SBUX, AAPL, AMZN, SMCI, SHLD, NIO)

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Street market in Rome

Here is what you need to know.

Hurricane Michael is strengthening as it approaches Florida's coast. The storm, which is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, has become a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of 130 mph.

Howard Marks explains why he's buying in this market and what it would take for him to stop. In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, the cofounder and cochairman of the $122 billion Oaktree Capital explains how his overall investment philosophy and views on market cycles enabled him to make a legendary trade during the financial crisis, why he's continuing to buy in this market, and what would make him stop.

A bipartisan pair of senators want more answers from the company accused of selling Apple and Amazon data servers compromised by Chinese spies. Sens. Marco Rubio and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Supermicro, the motherboard supplier named in a recent bombshell report by Bloomberg, which said the supplier's technology was compromised by Chinese spies before being sold to tech giants like Apple and Amazon.

SoftBank is in talks for a majority stake in WeWork. Softbank is in talks to invest $15 billion to $20 billion in WeWork, with the aim of taking a majority stake in the coworking-space company, The Wall Street Journal says. Back in August, SoftBank invested $4.4 billion, enough for a 20% stake.

The Tesla of China soars after Tesla's largest outside investor discloses a stake. Shares of the Chinese electric-car startup Nio soared more than 22% Tuesday after Baillie Gifford & Co., Tesla's largest investor after Elon Musk, disclosed an 11% stake in the company. Shares were up another 6.5% ahead of Wednesday's opening bell.

Sears could file for bankruptcy as soon as this week. The struggling retailer has hired M-III Partners to put together a bankruptcy filing that could come as soon as this week, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Tesla just outsold Mercedes-Benz in the US for the first time. Tesla sold 69,925 vehicles in the US during the third quarter, topping the 66,542 vehicles sold by Mercedes-Benz.

Bill Ackman discloses a stake in Starbucks. The activist investor disclosed a stake of 15.2 million shares, worth about $900 million, while presenting at the Grant's Fall 2018 Conference in New York, according to CNBC.

Stock markets around the world are mixed. Australia's ASX (+0.27%) led the way higher overnight, and Germany's DAX (-0.59%) trails in Europe. The S&P 500 is set to open little changed near 2,880.

US economic data picks back up. PPI will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET, and wholesale inventories will cross the wires at 10 a.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is up 2 basis points at 3.23%.

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Bill and Melinda Gates are backing a new tool that lets you type in any illness symptoms and learn what's ailing you

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bill gates melinda gates

  • A symptom-checking tool called Ada Health is launching a new partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
  • On Wednesday, the startup will begin working with the Gates Foundation to study how the tool could support healthcare workers in rural parts of the world.
  • Ada Health is already one of the most popular medical apps in over 130 countries.

Getting to the doctor when you're not feeling well is no easy task no matter where you live. But in many parts of the world, there are bigger problems than high costs and long wait times.

For roughly half the globe's population, basic healthcare is a luxury that's too expensive to get. So Ada Health, a tool that lets you type in your symptoms to learn what's causing them, is launching a new initiative with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to extend the reach of its services.

The Ada app is designed to tell you what's causing your symptoms with more accurate results than you'd get from a Google search. Users open the app, enter their age and gender, and type in a symptom like pain or a cough. Then an AI-powered bot asks several questions, like what makes the symptom worse, and tells you the most likely culprit.

Starting today, Ada is working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to study how the platform can be used to support healthcare workers in rural parts of several countries in East and Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, and India.

The project is part of Ada's new Global Health Initiative, a series of projects focused on improving access to primary care in underserved populations across the world. The effort will involve work with local governments, NGOs and other partners as well. 

"The reason we’re doing this is the same reason why we started Ada in the first place: it’s about giving people better access to quality healthcare," Daniel Nathrath, CEO and co-founder of Ada Health, told Business Insider. "While it’s a noble goal to pursue it in the US or Germany, it’s even more important in countries where so many people don’t have access to a doctor."

Currently, the app is available in roughly 130 countries including Germany (where it started), the US, and Canada. Already, roughly a third of Ada's customers hail from countries outside of Germany, according to the company.

To Google or not to Google

ada health teamTo Google or not to Google — that's often the question when it comes to an ailment like a cough or stomach pain.

But researching your symptoms online can send you down a rabbit hole that leads you to think you have a life-threatening condition. A trip to the doctor, n the other hand, can be time-consuming and expensive.

Nathrath and his co-founder, Claire Novorol, created Ada Health to give people a third option.

Unlike the results that come from sites like WebMD, Ada's results are based on a growing database of hundreds of thousands of people that match your age and gender. The idea is that by homing in on a population sample you fit into, Ada can give more accurate results.

Say you're a 31-year-old woman experiencing stomach pain, for example. Once you type in your symptoms and answer Ada's questions, it might tell you that most of the other 31-year-old women in the database who reported your symptoms were diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Then Ada may advise visiting a healthcare provider. Or if the likely cause of your symptoms is not a serious issue, Ada may suggest that you simply rest.

ada health symptom q

Putting Ada into the hands of healthcare workers

As part of the new partnership with the Gates Foundation, Ada researchers will look at the data the app gathers in several rural, low-income parts of the world to better understand patients' needs and learn how to improve healthcare delivery to these regions. 

In the future, Nathrath said he hopes such insights could be used to do things like help stop a deadly outbreak.

Hila Azadzoy, Ada's managing director of the Global Health Initiative, told Business Insider that her team is now working to equip Ada with more relevant data on tropical diseases like Chagas and dengue. They're also analyzing what kinds of physical diagnostic tests they could give people — along with Ada — to confirm some of its assessments.

"Most healthcare workers work door-to-door and can track patient symptoms," Azadzoy said. "The vision we have is we can put Ada into their hands and even connect Ada with diagnostics tests so that — at the home of the patient —they can pull it out and say, 'OK this is confirmed,'" she said.

Are symptom checkers the next big thing in primary care?

Since it was founded in Berlin in 2011, Ada has raised $69.3 million with the help of several big-name backers including William Tunstall-Pedoe, the AI entrepreneur behind Amazon's Alexa, and Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler. The company says Ada has already been used by 6 million people in the US and Europe, where it is one of the highest ranked medical apps.

Ada is not the only tool that lets users input and track their symptoms. Another so-called "symptom checker" is primary-care app K Health, which launched in 2016.

If these services can get the science and AI right, they offer a long list of potential benefits, including reducing healthcare costs, saving time for patients and doctors, slashing unnecessary worry — and even, one day perhaps, helping to prevent an outbreak like Ebola.

But more data is needed on the effectiveness of these services. The last comprehensive assessment of symptom checkers was published by Harvard Medical School researchers in 2015, before Ada or K Health existed. Since then, at least half a dozen other services have emerged as well.

Until better data becomes available on these apps, they can at least offer users an educated assessment about what's causing a symptom like a sore throat. And in rural areas where people don't have access to a healthcare provider, that could be a huge source of support.

"The first step towards getting the right treatment is understanding what’s ailing you," Nathrath said.

SEE ALSO: A controversial startup that charges $8,000 to fill your veins with young blood is opening its first clinic

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Hurricane Michael just got more dangerous — here are the states in its path

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Hurricane Michael2x1

  • Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, is heading toward Florida's Gulf Coast, where it's expected to make landfall on Wednesday.
  • Michael is expected to bring heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge, and dangerous winds to the Florida Gulf Coast. Some of those effects are already being felt.
  • States of emergency are in place in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
  • The National Weather Service warns that the storm is "extremely dangerous"— "If you are in the hurricane warning: PREPARE NOW. You are quickly running out of time."
  • An estimated 500,000 people are under evacuation orders and advisories in Florida alone.

Georgia, Alabama, and Florida declared states of emergency as Hurricane Michael, an "extremely dangerous" category-4 hurricane is due to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday and hammer the region over the next few days.

The storm is likely to dump heavy rain over Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas — which are still recovering from Hurricane Florence.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts up to a foot (30 cm) of rain for some areas.

As of 5 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the hurricane was 140 miles from Panama City, Florida. It is forecast to move towards the Florida panhandle and move northeastward across the southeastern US on Wednesday and Thursday before moving off land and into the Atlantic on Friday.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state-wide state of emergency on Monday"in anticipation of wide-spread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Hurricane Michael."

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued an emergency declaration for 92 counties in the southern part of the state. "The emergency declaration is effective for seven days and makes all state resources available to local governments and entities within the impacted area of the hurricane," his office said.

An estimated 500,000 people were under evacuation orders and advisories in Florida alone, he said.

In Florida, which is expected to be first hit and most impacted, "life-threatening" storm surge of up to 13 ft is forecast, and up to 12 inches of rain, which could cause deadly flash flooding.

The National Weather Service has produced a graphic for when tropical-storm-force winds may arrive in each state.

Hurricane MichaelThe entire region should brace for "major infrastructure damage," specifically to electricity distribution, wastewater treatment systems and transportation networks, Jeff Byard, associate administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told reporters on a conference call, Reuters reported.

While no states of emergency have been declared in Virginia or the Carolinas, authorities are preparing for effects from the hurricane.

Hurricane Michael

Tropical storm-force winds, heavy rainfall, possible isolated tornadoes, coastal flooding, and dangerous surf conditions are possible in South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for some areas, which means tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours. 

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned on Tuesday that the storm could cause flash flooding, storm surge, downed trees, and possibly power outages. He said that flood-prone areas should pay attention to evacuation notices if rivers begin to rise.

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Michael Bloomberg, former GOP mayor of NYC, announces he's changing his voter registration to Democrat

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Michael Bloomberg

  • Former Mayor of New York Micheal Bloomberg has been a political independent since 2007.
  • He said in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning he has now registered as a Democrat.
  • Bloomberg considered running for president in 2016, and said on September 17 he could not run as a Republican.

Former New York Mayor and America's 10th richest man Michael Bloomberg says he has registered as a Democrat — 11 years after leaving the Republican party in 2007.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday morning he said he re-registered to the party he had supported for most of his early life because "Democrats provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs."

Here's the post:

On September 17 he said he would only run for president as a Democrat, Time Magazine reported.

He said: "I don’t see how you could possibly run as a Republican."

He considered running for president as an independent in 2016 but ultimately endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Bloomberg has had a long career in politics, and was Mayor of New York from 2002-2013.

He won the city's 2001 mayoral election running as a Republican, and was re-elected in 2005. But in 2007 he changed his registration to be an independent, and won the next election in 2009 with no party affiliation.

Wednesday's full statement on Instagram read:

"At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution. Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats. Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat – I had been a member for most of my life – because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs."

Bloomberg founded Bloomberg LP in 1981 and is the majority owner. 

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Trump 'MAGA' hat factory

There's almost no chance humanity will act quickly enough to prevent catastrophic climate change, so here are the geoengineering techniques that might cool the planet

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Smog in Beijing.

We are running out of time to prevent catastrophic effects of climate change from reshaping our world.

That's the message of the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which found that the world will start to experience some of the most severe effects of climate change once the planet warms 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial temperatures.

Human activity has already caused Earth's temperature to rise about 1 degree C, and another half-degree will make the effects we're already seeing much worse. Drought-prone regions will be much more likely to experience severe drought, and areas prone to heat waves or intense hurricanes will get more of those disasters, too. As glaciers melt and oceans expand, seas will continue to rise. These factors could trigger huge migrations of people and mass extinctions of animals. Most coral reefs will die, which could trigger rippling effects throughout the oceans.

Nations around the world pledged in the Paris agreement to try to prevent temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees by 2100. But this latest IPCC report found that the world is likely to cross the 1.5 degree barrier by 2040, with more than 3 degrees C of warming possible by 2100.

Preventing the world from crossing into that danger zone is still possible, but it'd require immense changes that are politically and practically unlikely. We'd have to cut greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 compared to what they were in 2010. By 2050, we'd have to reduce emissions to zero.

Doing that would require an immediate, massive, coordinated transformation of the global economic system — especially the energy system — on a scale the world has never seen, the report authors said.

Since there's almost no chance of that happening, the world may resort to forms of geoengineering: implementing technologies that could modify Earth's atmosphere, seas, or skies in an attempt to cool the planet.

"Nothing suggests world will come close to meeting this goal on climate change," Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said on Twitter. "There is no US leadership, and the phrase 'international community' is more rhetoric than reality. We'd better set aside $ for adaptation and accelerate R&D on geoengineering."

No geoengineering technologies are ready yet for widespread use, and some of the methods are highly controversial — some experts even think their use could lead to global war. But the IPCC and other global organizations expect we'll need to resort to geoengineering to some degree. 

Here's how humanity might try to transform the planet in order to survive.

SEE ALSO: The world faces a future of floods, famine, and extreme heat — here’s what it’ll take to bounce back

The IPCC thinks it's likely that we'll need to use carbon-capture technology that can suck carbon dioxide out of the air and store it underground.

There are various ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere, ranging from simple, age-old approaches like planting trees to unproven advanced technologies.

New methods of carbon capture could involve trapping carbon emitted at power plants and storing it underground (a technique known as carbon capture and sequestration) or simply sucking CO2 out of the air and storing it (a concept known as direct air capture).

Futuristic as these technologies sound, they do exist — at least, in prototype forms. And it's quite possible that we'll need to use them. But unfortunately, the methods are far too expensive (or inefficient) to use on large scales, and it wouldn't make sense to implement them without putting a hefty price on carbon.

As the IPCC report says, "the effectiveness of such techniques are unproven at large scale and some may carry significant risks for sustainable development."

For these strategies to really help, they'd have to be improved and made economically viable before we heat the planet too far.



Some scientists think we could cool the planet with techniques that fall under the category of solar radiation management: limiting the heat Earth absorbs from the sun.

One of the most discussed forms of this technology takes a cue from volcanoes. When volcanoes erupt, the sulfur they pump into the sky reflects some of the sun's radiation back into space for a while. Artificially filling the sky with sulfur, therefore, could lead Earth to absorb less warmth from the sun's rays.

If humanity were to send planes to regularly release sulfur or some other chemical that reflected light into the stratosphere, this could cool the planet for as long as the flights continued. A number of researchers are studying and cautiously experimenting with this idea.

But it could come with serious drawbacks.



You can see how this strategy modifies the natural greenhouse effect — and the global warming effect caused by carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels — in the infographic below.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Google tried to hide the Google+ breach from the glare of lawmakers, but it failed and it’s now being investigated and facing lawsuits

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Sundar Pichai

  • Google did not disclose the fact that it had left the data of 500,000 Google+ users exposed due to a glitch.
  • Regulators in Germany and Ireland are now pursuing possible investigations into Google.
  • Two Google+ users in California have also filed a class-action lawsuit.

Google's attempts to keep its Google+ glitch under wraps have backfired.

The Wall Street Journal revealed on Monday that not only had Google exposed the data of 500,000 Google+ users over a three-year period, but it had chosen to keep quiet about it.

Google said in a statement that it decided against making the glitch public because it found no sign that third parties exploited the exposed information, however, this didn't fully tally with an internal memo seen by the Wall Street Journal, in which Google lawyers warned that going public could result in "immediate regulatory interest."

Now regulators in Europe are talking up investigations. Bloomberg reports that Johannes Caspar, the data commissioner in Hamburg, Germany, has started looking into the matter. His office confirmed this to Business Insider.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission is also showing an interest, but a spokesman said Google was under no obligation to report the breach because it identified it before the EU's GDPR laws came into force in May.

He added: "The DPC was not aware of this issue and we now need to better understand the details of the breach, including the nature, impact, and risk to individuals and we will be seeking information on these issues from Google."

On top of any regulatory interest, Google is also now facing a class-action lawsuit. Two users filed the suit in San Francisco, which alleges that Google's "lax approach" to security resulted in the breach. However, the suit views Google's decision not to inform people of the breach as a more heinous crime.

"Worse, after discovery of this vulnerability in the Google+ platform, defendants kept silent for at least seven months, making a calculated decision not to inform users that their personal information was compromised," according to the lawsuit, which was first reported by Ars Technica.

Business Insider contacted Google for comment.

SEE ALSO: http://uk.businessinsider.com/google-plus-lack-of-transparency-is-big-problem-for-google-2018-10

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NOW WATCH: Apple might introduce three new iPhones this year — here’s what we know

‘Potentially catastrophic’ Hurricane Michael is now a major Category 4 storm, barrelling towards Florida's Gulf Coast

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hurricane Michael satellite october 9

  • Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, is heading toward Florida's Gulf Coast, where it's expected to make landfall on Wednesday.
  • As of 5 a.m. ET Wednesday, the storm had sustained winds of almost 145 mph.
  • Michael is expected to bring heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge, and dangerous winds to the Florida Gulf Coast. Some of those effects are already being felt.
  • The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for parts of the Florida coast, while states of emergency are in place in other states.

Hurricane Michael is now a major Category 4 storm as it churns towards the Florida Panhandle and is expected to make landfall tonight.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said it could be the most destructive storm to hit the region in decades, and he declared a state of emergency in 35 counties ahead of the hurricane's arrival. Some coastal counties have evacuation orders

As of 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the storm had sustained winds of 145 mph with more powerful gusts. Michael threatens to bring a life-threatening storm surge of up to 14 feet to some coastal areas, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest update.

The NHC in its latest report added that the hurricane was "potentially catastrophic."

"If you are in the hurricane warning: PREPARE NOW," the National Weather Service said on Twitter. "You are quickly running out of time."

As of Wednesday morning, the hurricane was about 90 miles from Panama City, Florida, moving north across the Gulf at 12 mph. 

500,000 people were under evacuation orders and advisories in Florida alone, Reuters reported.

Certain residents of Bay County and Gulf County are under mandatory evacuation orders.

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Hurricane warnings are in effect in Florida from the Alabama border to the Suwannee River.

Storm surge warnings are in effect from the Okaloosa/Walton County Line to Anclote River. There are storm surge watches in effect from Anclote River to Anna Maria Island — an area that includes Tampa Bay — and from the Alabama border to the Suwannee River.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect from the Alabama/Florida border to the Mississippi/Alabama border; from Suwanee River to Chassahowitzka, Florida; and from Fernandina Beach, Florida to South Santee River, South Carolina. Tropical storm watches are in effect from Chassahowitzka to Anna Maria Island, Florida (including Tampa Bay); from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Mouth of the Pearl River; and from South Santee River, South
Carolina to Duck, North Carolina, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.

Michael killed at least 13 people in Central America after the storm's torrential downpours caused flash flooding, according to Reuters.

Heavy rainfall from the storm is expected to bring similar downpours and floods to Western Cuba and then to parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. 

saffir simpson hurricane scale

Gov. Scott implored those living in northwestern Florida to keep track of the storm and evacuate if necessary. Residents in that region who are not under mandatory evacuation orders have been told to stock up on enough water, food, and medicine to last three days. 

Hurricane Michael"If you don't follow warnings from officials this storm could kill you," Scott said.

Michael's storm surge is likely to be the biggest threat to coastal residents. The coastal area from Indian Pass (which is about an hour south of Panama City, Florida) to Cedar Key (about two hours north of Tampa) is expected to see the highest storm surge, with 8 to 12 feet predicted.

In the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend regions, residents could see 4 to 8 inches of rain, with a few areas getting up to a foot. That could lead to life-threatening flash floods, the NHC warned.

President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local disaster responses.

Hurricane Michael Rainfalll

After making landfall, the hurricane is predicted to push inland, bringing heavy wind and rain throughout the southeastern US late in the week.

The region should brace for "major infrastructure damage," specifically to electricity, wastewater treatment systems and transport networks, Jeff Byard, associate administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told reporters on a conference call, Reuters reported.

SEE ALSO: Here are the states in Hurricane Michael's path and the warnings in place

SEE ALSO: At least 9 people have died in Hurricane Florence, and nearly 1 million are without power. The storm set a new rainfall record in North Carolina.

DON'T MISS: 'It was a really brutal, grueling experience': A reporter describes what it was like on the ground at the height of Hurricane Florence's fury

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13 directors Disney should seriously consider for 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' after firing James Gunn

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james gunn avengers age of ultron

When Disney fired James Gunn from directing "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" in July, it came as a shock to many, and was the result of offensive tweets from years ago resurfacing online. However, fans have hoped for the last three months that Disney would change its mind.

On Tuesday, Warner Bros. confirmed that Gunn will write DC's "Suicide Squad 2," putting to rest any hopes fans had that Gunn would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Gunn managed to turn the little-known Guardians into fan favorites of the MCU, and the two movies he directed — "Guardians of the Galaxy" in 2014 and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" in 2017 — grossed a combined $1.6 billion at the global box office. In other words, Gunn left his mark on the MCU. If Disney goes forward with "Guardians 3" (it's on hold for the time being), any director who follows him will have big shoes to fill. 

Luckily, there are a handful of worthy filmmakers who could be ready for the challenge. We've gathered together a list below of some who could take on "Guardians 3" based on their previous work and Marvel's own tendencies when hiring directors. 

There are the obvious choices such as Brad Bird, who already has a relationship with Disney having directed the "Incredibles" movies, and Taika Waititi, whose "Thor: Ragnarok" featured slapstick comedy and space adventure similar to the "Guardians" movies.

There are also less-obvious choices, but Marvel has found success in lesser-known filmmakers like the Russo Brothers ("Avengers: Infinity War") and Jon Watts ("Spider-Man: Homecoming"). Kay Cannon, for instance, proved she has a great understanding of comedy with this year's "Blockers," and Marvel values comedic chops just as much as the ability to direct an action sequence.

And then there are the long shots, the directors who would be more than capable but the studio probably wouldn't consider, or would likely pass given their history or current schedule.

Below are directors who could replace James Gunn on "Guardians of the Galaxy 3":

SEE ALSO: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star Dave Bautista wants to join James Gunn on 'Suicide Squad 2'

Obvious choice: Brad Bird

Credits include:"The Iron Giant,""The Incredibles,""Ratatouille,""Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol,""Tommorowland,""Incredibles 2"

Bird already has a working relationship with Disney, having directed "Ratatouille" and both "Incredibles" movies, whose themes of family superheroics are on par with the "Guardians" movies. He's also proven he can handle a live-action set-piece or two with "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol," one of the best movies in the franchise. 

 



Obvious choice: Peyton Reed

Credits include:"Bring It On,""Yes Man,""Ant-Man,""Ant-Man and the Wasp"

Reed came on the first "Ant-Man" late after original director Edgar Wright left, but he showed a better handling of the Marvel universe and its blend of action and comedy with "Ant-Man and the Wasp." One could assume he'd be right at home if he were to direct a "Guardians" movie. 



Obvious choice: Taika Waititi

Credits include:"What We Do In The Shadows,""Hunt for the Wilderpeople,""Thor: Ragnarok"

Waititi's "Thor: Ragnarok" is as close to a "Guardians" movie in tone as any other Marvel movie, which makes him a no-brainer. The only problem is that he's currently filming war-comedy "Jojo Rabbit," which could cause scheduling conflicts.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Pizza Hut is set to make millions of dollars off of Papa John's downward spiral

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Pizza Hut

  • Pizza Hut's NFL sponsorship — which it took over from Papa John's earlier this year— is set to have a "meaningful and lasting impact" on sales, according to BTIG analyst Peter Saleh. 
  • Papa John's is expected to lose an estimated $320 million in US sales in 2018, a significant amount of which Pizza Hut is likely to steal. 
  • Pizza Hut has avoided controversy with its NFL sponsorship so far, while Papa John's remains entrenched in scandal. 

Pizza Hut is cashing in on Papa John's downward spiral. 

The pizza chain's NFL partnership"should have a meaningful and lasting impact on same-store sales," BTIG analyst Peter Saleh wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday. The deal seems to be off to a strong start, driving improvements in how people perceive Pizza Hut and customer response to the chain. 

"The commentary leads us to believe the NFL partnership is helping Pizza Hut begin to turn the corner on sales for the first time in many years," Saleh writes. 

Pizza Hut is set to see a bump of another 80 to 90 basis points — almost a 1% sales jump — from Papa John's downward spiral, according to Saleh.

BTIG estimates that Papa John's same-store sales will decline by 7.5% in 2018, a $320 million drop in US system sales. Many of those millions of dollars will likely end up in Pizza Hut's hands. 

Pizza Hut has staunchly avoided mixing politics with football, a trap that Papa John's fell into last year. 

"If you look at how we're approaching our partnership with the NFL, it's very different from how our previous sponsor approached it,"Marianne Radley, Pizza Hut's chief brand officer, told Business Insider."It's all about the fans. We're doing as much as we can to enhance that fan experience."

Papa John's sparked backlash when founder and then-CEO John Schnatter (who has since been ousted from Papa John's after using the N-word in a company conference call) criticized the league's treatment of protests, with the company ending its longtime sponsorship months later. Radley said that Pizza Hut plans to avoid engaging in such controversy by focusing "on the fans."

SEE ALSO: Burger King is selling 10 nuggets for $1 as fast-food chains slash prices in battle for budget shoppers

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The 4 biggest mistakes people make before getting a tattoo, according to the 'High Priest of Hollywood tattoo artists'

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Mark Mahoney

It can be pretty nerve-wracking getting a tattoo for the first time.

Getting something written or drawn on you in indelible ink is not a decision that should be made lightly. It also hurts, unless you're David Beckham, obviously.

Luckily, INSIDER spoke to the 'High Priest of Hollywood tattoo artists' Mark Mahoney during his residency at The Mandrake hotel in London to get some sage advice on all things body art.

Mahoney started out tattooing biker gangs in his native Massachusetts back when tattooing was illegal and now counts the likes of Beckham and Johnny Depp among his close friends. He's even been cast as the muse in Lana Del Rey's music videos.

He's also known as the founding father of single needle black-n-grey tattooing. Basically, there's not a lot this veteran doesn't know about tattoos.

So, whether it's your first tattoo or you're covered in ink from head to toe, scroll down to see what Mahoney said were the biggest mistakes people made before getting a tattoo.

You don't have a clear idea of what you want

A tattooer of Mahoney's calibre has people who come to him and just say: "You decide."

But he hates that.

To formulate a piece of art that will stay on someone's body forever with no guidance, "that's a crushing responsibility," Mahoney says.

"With just an idea I can make it happen but not without a little bit of form."

Even if the artist is incredibly talented, you might end up with something you don't really like, and there's no going back without paying for expensive laser removal treatment.

To avoid disappointment, work through an idea with your artist beforehand or even come with a photograph if you want a portrait.



You choose your artist through Instagram

While there's absolutely no harm in finding artists and inspiration on Instagram and other platforms, sometimes the old ways are best for finding reputable parlors.

"Photographs can be photoshopped and stuff like that so you want to talk to someone that's been tattooed by the person," Mahoney says. "Is it a cool guy or a cool girl? Is it a good experience being there?"

The celebrity tattooer also reminded us that as soon as you sit in the artist's chair, you're in it for the long haul — so you better make sure that person is ok to talk to.

"You've got to be hanging out in close quarters with somebody for 4 or 5 hours. You don't want them to be mean or something," he says.

"I think word of mouth is the original and the best way of finding that out."



You choose something colorful

Mahoney stipulates that this is just his personal preference and that there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting a colorful tattoo.

However, "it's never more vivid and beautiful than when it first heals up," he says. After that, the sun begins to fade those colors and you end up with quite a worn-looking piece of body art.

Meanwhile, "black and grey seems to just be a part of your skin," Mahoney says, "[it's] in it rather than on it."

In terms of longevity, black and grey art will continue looking fresh for longer.

"I think if you get black and grey early in the game you'd probably end up sticking with that," Mahoney adds.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Google gave Google Assistant a weirdly specific backstory to get her voice just right

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Google CEO Sundar Pichai Google Assistant

  • Google Assistant loves kayaking.
  • That's according to the weirdly specific backstory given to the actress who plays Google's equivalent of Amazon's Alexa.
  • Google executives told The Atlantic that they wanted Assistant to be humble, helpful, and a little playful.
  • Google Assistant also has a BA in art history and won a $100,000 on a kid's version of TV gameshow "Jeopardy!"

Virtual assistants need just the right voice — not too human, not too robotic.

That's according to the personality teams at Google and Amazon, who spend their working days crafting the right tone for Google Assistant and Alexa.

In a wide-ranging Atlantic feature on voice assistants, Gummi Hafsteinsson, a Google Assistant product manager, said the AI's personality is humble, helpful, and a little playful.

James Giangola, a lead conversation and persona designer, even created a whole backstory for the actress who plays Google's smart helper. Here's what he told us about the female voice of Google:

  • She is from Colorado, which was chosen because it's a region that lacks a distinctive accent.
  • She's the youngest daughter of a research librarian and a physics professor. The Atlantic didn't elaborate on how many siblings she has.
  • Assistant has a BA in art history from Northwestern.
  • She won $100,000 on the kid's version of "Jeopardy!"
  • She used to work as a personal assistant to "a very popular late-night-TV satirical pundit."
  • Oh, and she enjoys kayaking.

The Atlantic reports that one of Giangola's colleagues once questioned the wisdom of that final detail, asking: "How does someone sound like they’re into kayaking?"

Then during auditions, Giangola turned to the colleague and asked: "The candidate who just gave an audition — do you think she sounded energetic, like she’s up for kayaking?"

His colleague replied no, and Giangola said "Okay. There you go."

SEE ALSO: Google Assistant and Google Home won't work properly if you completely disable Google's location tracking

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The ‘Tesla of China’ IPO’ed last month in the US — take a look inside the swanky clubhouses they are using to try to lure wealthy people to buy their cars

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  • Chinese electric-car startup Nio, which has been touted as the Tesla of China, went public in the US last month.
  • The company is competing with Tesla in China, where the American automaker generated $2 billion in sales last year.
  • Nio is trying to win over customers with perks like its exclusive clubhouses for customers known as Nio Houses, which are a cross between a co-working space, a cafe, a daycare center, and an event space.
  • I recently a got a look inside the Nio House in the heart of Beijing. It was a calm, inviting space that would be a great place to stop by for a breather before or after a long day at work.

Chinese electric-car startup Nio, which has been touted as the Tesla of China, went public in the US last month. The company raised $1 billion from the offering, falling short of the $1.8 billion target it had set.

While the company held its initial public offering in the US, NIO's main target market is in China, where it is attempting to beat out Tesla to become the country's top electric vehicle manufacturer. Last year, Tesla generated $2 billion in sales, double what it made in 2016.

But Nio officially launched its $67,000 ES8 electric SUV last December and began shipping it to customers in June. It's officially game on.

Tesla has a nearly five-year headstart in China, but NIO is hoping that it can steal a page out of Apple's playbook to win over wealthy Chinese consumers. Namely, it wants to center its company and its cars around the tech industry idea of "user experience."

"If we believe the car itself is a user touchpoint — one of many touchpoints a company can provide with its users — I think the mobile internet would be the applicable business model in the auto industry," CEO William Li told Business Insider this past spring.

A major part of that strategy is offering its customers numerous perks to get them hooked on the company. The biggest perk they've come up with yet is a network of swanky clubhouses called NIO Houses so that NIO drivers home away from home wherever they take their cars.

I recently got a look inside the company's NIO House in the heart of Beijing. Here's what it was like:

SEE ALSO: The Elon Musk of China explains why its 'Tesla killer' won’t fall into the same trap as troubled electric car startup Faraday Future

SEE ALSO: Chinese consumers don't idealize American products the way they used to — and that's bad news for Apple and Tesla

In December, Nio launched its first production car, the ES8, a seven-seat electric SUV with 220 miles of range. The first shipment of cars went out to customers who pre-ordered in June. It sells for around $68,000 before subsidies provided by the Chinese government.



While the company said it plans to launch a car in the US in 2020, its main goal is beating out Tesla in China, where the company generated $2 billion in sales last year. Nio is working on a number of other cars, including the more affordable ES6 and this EVE autonomous concept car.



But a huge part of the company's strategy is focusing on "user experience," Izzy Zhu, vice president of user development at Nio, told Business Insider. Like Tesla, Nio sells directly to customers at its locations, rather than third-party dealerships.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 celebrities who have helped other stars in their careers

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ellen pomeo shonda rhimes

From an outsider's perspective, Hollywood seems like a close-knit friend group, a lunch table full of A-list stars who all know one another and hit the same parties. Although that, of course, isn't the case, it is true that a number of stars rub shoulders with each other at industry events — and many even go out of their way to help one another's careers. From co-workers to mentors to friends, we rounded up a number of celebrities who have made a positive impact on other celebrities' careers.

Usher helped launch Justin Bieber's staggering career.

The R&B singer famously helped usher then-preteen-Bieber out of oblivion, with the help of manager Scooter Braun. After hearing Bieber's voice, Usher was instantly smitten, signing him to Island Def Jam Recordings.

"I didn't know what he would be but I knew I wanted to be involved," he told "Good Morning America Weekend.""And when I finally got the chance to hear him sing, I knew that this was a kid that was going to go very far. And I felt like I could offer him a lot."



Jane Fonda mentored Meryl Streep.

It's hard to fathom Meryl Streep needing any help, but if someone was going to guide the young actress, of course it was "Grace & Frankie" star Jane Fonda. Streep commended her mentor in a speech at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony in 2014, thanking her for her advice and guidance.

"All of the young actors I've worked with subsequently, in the years following, thank you too, because that lesson and kindness got passed down," she said. "And it does keep going."



Shonda Rhimes encouraged Ellen Pompeo to know her worth.

Ellen Pompeo is now the highest-paid actress on a prime-time drama — and Shonda Rhimes has a lot to do with that.

"Decide what you think you're worth and then ask for what you think you're worth," Rhimes recalled telling the TV doctor. "Nobody's going to just give it to you."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The royal family's photographer shared his favorite candid photos — and what everyone gets wrong about royal life

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meghan markle royal family

For over 10 years, Getty Images photographer Chris Jackson has been documenting the lives of the British royal family. From historical milestones to casual moments, Jackson has compiled a variety of his best photos for the new book "Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today."

He previously told INSIDER about his favorite photo of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry— as well as the most adorable snap of Prince George— but these aren't the only candid moments treasured by the photographer.

"Over the years I have a huge amount of favorite moments," Jackson told INSIDER. "While the tradition and formality form an integral part of what it means to be a royal, it is their interactions that remind you these are brother and sister, mother and son, sister and brother."

One event that sticks out most in his mind is the queen's funny cake fiasco in June 2015

Queen cutting cake

"I love the moment the queen gets the knife stuck in the cake during the Women's Institute 100 years celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall," Jackson told us. ITV News also captured a video of the moment that gave Jackson some of his favorite photos so far.

He also enjoyed capturing this funny moment between Markle and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in May

Meghan and Camilla

"During the Prince of Wales 70th Birthday Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, there was a lovely moment with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Sussex as they all burst into laughter whilst Prince Harry was giving a speech," Jackson explained.

Perhaps his all-time favorite moment occurred while watching an intense game of tug-of-war in Scotland

Royal Family favorite photo highland games

"The Highland Games is a great opportunity to capture the royal family at their most relaxed and a shot from 2006 is probably my all-time favorite," he told INSIDER.

However, Jackson insists that being a royal isn't all candid fun and games

Though his favorite moments tend to capture the playful side of the family, Jackson wants everyone to know that the royals have a very full schedule — especially during their tours.

"The royals work incredibly hard on these visits," Jackson told us. "Someone like the Prince of Wales will not eat lunch and completes up to eight engagements in a day. I often find myself desperate for even a cup of tea, almost passing out with hunger as I struggle to keep up!"

The results of Jackson and the royal family's hard work can be seen in "Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today," which is available now in the UK and released on October 16 in the US.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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China okays massive re-education camps for Muslim minorities after denying the camps exist

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Uyghur men gather for a holiday meal during the Corban Festival on September 13, 2016 in Turpan County, in the far western Xinjiang province, China.

  • Regional authorities in China revised a local law to encourage the existence of "re-education centers" for its persecuted Uighur ethnic minority.
  • The new law promulgated by the government in Xinjiang, western China, formally encouraged officials to set up "re-education institutions ... to carry out the educational transformation of those affected by extremism."
  • Beijing previously denied that such centers even existed, claiming that it only set up vocational training centers to help those affected by religious extremism.
  • Human Rights Watch said that "without due process," those centers "remain arbitrary and abusive, and no tweaks in national or regional rules can change that."

Chinese regional authorities have legally formalized the existence of re-education centers for the country's persecuted Muslim Uighur ethnic minority after Beijing denied that such camps existed.

Officials in Xinjiang, the western Chinese region where 8 million Uighurs live, revised a local law to encourage "re-education institutions" to help those "affected by extremism."

The new law, which was published on Tuesday, stated: "Officials at or above the county level may set up vocational education and training centers, and other re-education institutions and management departments, to carry out the educational transformation of those affected by extremism."

Beijing justifies its surveillance and crackdown on Uighurs as a measure to counter terrorism and religious extremism. It has also repeatedly insisted that people in Xinjiang — known to Uighurs as East Turkestan — lived in harmony and enjoy religious freedom.

Xinjiang street Chinese flag

China previously denied that such camps existed. Shortly after a United Nations panel said it had received credible reports that 1 million Uighurs were held in internment camps, senior Communist Party official Hu Lianhe claimed that there are "no such things as re-education centers," but had detained people it considers extremists.

Earlier this month Radio Free Asia this week quoted unnamed regional authorities as saying they had to transfer inmates out of Xinjiang to other regions across China because, one said, "we are experiencing an overflow of inmates."

See more: Photos show huge expansion of Chinese facility where Muslim minorities say they are persecuted and forced to sing hymns to Xi Jinping

xinjiang uighur man police

Is this law legitimate?

Rights activists claim that Xinjiang's local government have no right to legalize re-education camps because the process itself is still "arbitrary and abusive."

Maya Wang, the senior researcher on China at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement sent to Business Insider:

“Xinjiang's regional government is not empowered under China's constitution to legalize detention in the political education centers where a million Turkic Muslims are being held.

"Without due process, Xinjiang's political education centers remain arbitrary and abusive, and no tweaks in national or regional rules can change that."

Uighurs who have been inside detention and re-education camps have described witnessing and experiencing physical and psychological torture, including being shackled to a chair and beaten up, deprived of sleep, and forced to sing about President Xi Jinping to get food.

Xinjiang prisoner

China has also justified its method of "training" religious extremists as "the necessary way to deal with Islamic or religious extremism."

Last month a spokesman for China's state council information office, Li Xiaojun, said that detaining Uighurs in such centers was "not mistreatment," but "to establish professional training centers, educational centers."

"If you do not say it's the best way, maybe it's the necessary way to deal with Islamic or religious extremism," Li said, according to Reuters. "Because the West has failed in doing so, in dealing with religious Islamic extremism."

"Look at Belgium, look at Paris, look at some other European countries," he added, referring to terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris carried out by Islamic extremists in 2015 and 2016. "You have failed."

SEE ALSO: What it's like inside the internment camps China uses to oppress its Muslim minority, according to people who've been there

READ MORE: China is using flimsy excuses to lock up its Muslim minority on a huge scale — here are some of the bizarre reasons people are in jail

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