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The 50 best-selling music artists of all time, ranked by platinum albums

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the beatles

  • In today's music industry, the RIAA certifies an album as "platinum" when it surpasses 1 million album equivalent units in sales or streaming. 
  • Here, we rank the best-selling artists of all time by their number of platinum album certifications.

 

In the decades before streaming-era rules and digital downloads inflated album sales, platinum certification was more difficult for artists to obtain.

When an artist achieved platinum status back then — selling a million or more physical copies of an album — it took a more fervent effort from fans (who had to drive to record stores, find an album, and hand over their hard-earned cash for it), but many acts nonetheless reached platinum certification routinely.

Compiling RIAA data, we ranked the best-selling artists of all time by the number of platinum albums they've sold in the US. 

Some of the results here are surprising. Country singer Garth Brooks, for instance, has the most diamond (or 10-times platinum) albums of all time with seven. But the legendary acts at the top of the list are ones you'd expect to see. 

Here are the 50 best-selling artists of all time, ranked by platinum albums sold:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling albums of all time

50. Prince — 11

Platinum albums: 11

Multi-platinum: 4

Diamond: 1

Best-selling album:"Purple Rain" (13 million copies)



49. Bon Jovi — 11

Platinum albums: 11

Multi-platinum: 5

Diamond: 1

Best-selling album:"Slippery When Wet" (12 million copies)



48. Eric Clapton — 11

Platinum albums: 11

Multi-platinum: 7

Diamond: 1

Best-selling album:"Unplugged" (10 million copies)



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Nordstrom's Cyber Monday sale is huge — we cherry-picked the best deals on coats, boots, and more for men and women

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Nordstrom cyber monday sale

Now through Cyber Monday, November 26, Nordstrom is holding one of its biggest sales of the year.

You can get up to 60% off thousands of items, from big discounts on women's, men's, and kids' clothing to major savings on home and kitchen essentials and beauty and skincare products. When you spend $250 or more online and in stores, you'll earn a $50 promotional gift card to spend online and in stores from January 11 to February 2.

We scoured the sale and rounded up 40+ of the best deals to shop, whether you're looking for holiday gifts or picking out a few new pieces for your closet.

If you prefer to jump straight to shopping Nordstrom's Cyber Monday sale, here's where to go:

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

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SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: The 42 best deals and sales you can get online at Target for Cyber Monday 2018

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The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals you can get on sale right now

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Screen Shot 2018 11 21 at 8.56.20 AM

Cyber Monday is here, and Walmart is doing its best to compete with Amazon— which has also been releasing deals throughout Thanksgiving week — it's launched steep discounts across a ton of different product categories.

We've rounded up Walmart's best deals to help you have a successful Cyber Monday. Make sure to keep checking back here, as we'll be updating this article throughout the day as deals sell out and go live.

Although Walmart saves a few of the deals for in-store shoppers, most are also available online, meaning you can get them without having to get up early and fight the crowds.

Take a look at the best deals below, and be sure to check out our complete Cyber Monday deals coverage, including men's fashion saleswomen's fashion sales, Best Buy tech deals, Nordstrom dealsTarget deals, Macy's deals, some incredible Cyber Monday deals from Cole Haan, or dozens of Cyber Monday deals from our favorite startups, like the Casper and Leesa mattresses and Brooklinen bedding.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: Nordstrom's Cyber Monday sale is huge — we cherry-picked the best deals on coats, boots, and more for men and women

The best TV deals

The best media streamer deals



The best smart home hub deals:

The best smart home accessory deals



The best game console deals

The best game accessory deals

The best VR deals

The best video game deals



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The Influencer Marketing Report: Research, strategy & platforms for leveraging social media influencers

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This is a preview of the Influencer Marketing (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the top platforms, as well as strategies for social media influencer marketing, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Social Media Influencer Marketing Success Metrics

The concept of a brand hiring a popular personality to promote a product or service isn't new, and brands know that celebrity endorsements can sell products. In the age of social media, however, brands are finding new ways to leverage popular figures as brand ambassadors, and these people aren't necessarily famous actors, singers, or athletes.

How brands are leveraging social media influencer marketing

While brands certainly continue to tap celebrities for endorsement deals, they’re also starting to enlist social media personalities, broadly known as “influencers,” for advertising campaigns. Social influencers generally focus on specific content areas — like fashion, beauty, parenting, or gaming — and cater their content to a specific vertical.

A new report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, identifies the ways brands can find and manage relationships with social media influencers. It notes the most engaging industry verticals, the pitfalls to avoid, and the opportunities to cash-in on. Finally, it explores how major social platforms are increasingly building out tools that enable their most popular users to build their personal brands.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • Influencer marketing ad spend is poised to reach between $5 billion and $10 billion in 2022. Taking the midpoint of $7.5 billion as a base case, this represents a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38%.
  • Brands need to fine-balance providing influencers with enough creative freedom, while also ensuring the messaging positively reflects the brand. Nearly 40% of influencers believe that overly restrictive content guidelines are one of the biggest mistakes brands and agencies make when working with them. 
  • Influencers tend to have higher user engagement than content generated by brands. The average influencer engagement rate across industry verticals is 5.7%. As a comparison, the average engagement rate for brands on Instagram has fluctuated between 2-3% in the past year. 
  • Authenticity is key for influencer marketing messaging. Brands should give influencers sufficient creative freedom to keep posts authentic, as it makes posts less likely to be dismissed by users. Other best practices include repurposing influencer content for multiple platforms, evaluating the audience and following of an influencer, and leveraging data to optimize future campaigns. 

 In full, the report:

  • Outlines recent steps the top social platforms are taking for influencer posts.
  • Details the best practices brands should adopt when starting out with influencer marketing. 
  • Discusses the top verticals that are poised to benefit the most from influencer marketing, and which ones are growing. 
  • Highlights the factors that will be critical for compliance with social platforms and the FTC.

Join the conversation about this story »

Hundreds injured as major earthquake strikes Iran

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iran iraq earthquake 2017

  • A major 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit western Iran on Sunday night, injuring hundreds of people and sending panicked residents running. 
  • Between 300-500 people were reported injured in the quake. No casualties have been reported as of Sunday evening. 
  • The earthquake originated 20 km (12.5 miles) southwest of Sarpol-e Zahab, in the Kermanshah Province of Iran close to the Iraq border, which experienced a devastating earthquake this time last year. 
  • Iran sits along major fault lines and experiences near daily seismic events.

A major 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit western Iran on Sunday night, injuring hundreds of people and sending panicked residents running into the street. 

According to USGS, the earthquake originated 20 km (12.5 miles) southwest of Sarpol-e Zahab, in the Kermanshah Province of Iran close to the Iraq border.

iraq iran border

The quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) at around 8:00 p.m. local time. Shallow earthquakes can often cause more broad damage.

Tremors were felt as far away as the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. 

Hundreds of people have been reported injured in the quake. According to the Associated Press, over 500 people were injured. Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported 387 injured, most of them minor. 

All schools and universities in the region were closed on Monday, IRNA said. Roads were temporarily closed and electricity was affected by the quake but they appeared to be back in order by Sunday evening.

Dozens of rescue teams were dispatched to the area, authorities said. Several army units were also called in to assist in rescue efforts. 

Iran sits along major fault lines and experiences earthquakes on a near daily basis. 

The location of Sunday's quake, Sarpol-e Zahab, was hit with a major 7.3 earthquake last year that killed more than 600 people and left thousands injured and homeless. It was the deadliest earthquake of 2017.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The science of why human breasts are so big

How emerging markets will transform the future of online shopping

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This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.

APAC CAGR

For example, almost half of US households now have a Prime membership, diminishing Amazon's growth potential in the country. Meanwhile, in China, the world's largest e-commerce market, nearly half of the population is actively making online purchases, leaving little room for growth. 

However, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are worth keeping an eye on. E-commerce penetration rates in these areas hover between 2-6%, presenting a huge opportunity for future growth as online sales gain traction. Moreover, these regions are expected to grow at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 31%, 32%, and 16%, respectively, through 2021.

This report compiles several e-commerce snapshots, which together highlight the most notable emerging markets in various regions. Each provides an overview of the e-commerce industry in a particular country, discusses influential retailers, and provides insights into the opportunities and challenges for that specific domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.
  • India is the clear overall leader in e-commerce potential, but countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are also worth keeping an eye on. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia shows the most promise for retailers, as the government is loosening restrictions on foreign investments, and its massive population is gaining spending power and more access to internet. Meanwhile, Mexico is a retailer's best bet for expansion in Latin America, due to its stable economy and rising middle class, but Brazil may be gearing up to steal the top spot.
  • However, doing business in these regions can be difficult. In most of these emerging markets, infrastructure is underdeveloped and the population is largely unbanked, making digital payments a challenge.
  • If retailers can build a brand presence in these markets while online shopping is still in its nascent stages, they may become market leaders as e-commerce takes off in the regions. Moreover, these markets could provide new sources of growth for companies that would otherwise stagnate in more mature e-commerce markets.

 In full, the report:

  • Explores the e-commerce industry in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
  • Highlights the leading country in each region, as well as key e-commerce players there. 
  • Outlines the challenges and opportunities each region faces.
  • Gives insight into how these emerging markets may shape the future of e-commerce.

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Amazon's Cyber Monday 2018 deals for every category — what's a good buy among thousands of sales

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Sonos One

Like most shopping holidays at Amazon, Cyber Monday is intense. There are thousands of deals spanning virtually every shopping category, and new discounts drop and expire every minute.

To make Cyber Week on Amazon less overwhelming and more impactful for you, we're logging the best deals below for easy reference: Amazon devices, robot vacuums, Instant Pots, HDTVs, and pretty much anything else you could need — and actually want — all in one scrollable place.

Below are the deals currently active to shop. We'll be updating this article as more deals become available. Bookmark this page and check back in if you want to be kept up-to-date.

If you have limited time, we've curated a list of the current 22 best Cyber Monday deals of 2018 you'll find on Amazon below. Otherwise, keep scrolling to see all the Cyber Monday deals that are going on now.

  1. Amazon device: Kindle Paperwhite and six months of Kindle Unlimited, $129.99 (originally $189.93) [You save $59.94]
  2. Amazon device: Amazon Echo (2nd Gen) $69 (originally $99.99)[You save $30.99]
  3. Amazon service: Kindle Unlimited, $0.99 for 3 months (originally $29.97) [You save $28.98]
  4. Media streamer: Roku Streaming Stick, $29.99 (originally $49.99) [You save $20]
  5. Smart security bundle: Ring Video Doorbell 2 + Free Echo Dot (3rd Gen), $139 (originally $248.99) [You save $109.99]
  6. Speaker: Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 Speaker, $154.95, (originally $449.99) [You save $295.04]
  7. Speaker: Sonos One Smart Speaker with Alexa, $174 (originally $199) [You save $25]
  8. TV: Sony 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV, $998 (originally $1,398) [You save $400]
  9. Curved TV: Samsung UN65NU8500 Curved 65" 4K UHD 8 Series Smart LED TV (2018), $1,097.99 (originally $1,799.99 ) [You save $702]
  10. Smart lights: Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 10W Equivalent LED Smart Light Bulb Starter Kit, $79.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $70]
  11. Gaming laptop: GIGABYTE Aero 15X v8-BK4 15" Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, $1,899 (originally $2,299) [You save $400]
  12. Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S9, $519.99 (originally $719.99) [You save $200]
  13. Headphones: Bose SoundSport Wireless Sport Headphones, $169 (originally $199) [You save $30]
  14. Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II, $299 (originally $349) [You save $50]
  15. Smartwatch: Fitbit Versa Smartwatch, $149 (originally $199.95)[You save $50.95]
  16. Mattress: Rivet Queen Mattress, $399 (originally $499) [You save $100]
  17. Kitchen appliance: Instant Pot DUO60 6-Quart, $69.95 (originally $99.95) [You save $30]
  18. Kitchen appliance: ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide, $143 (originally $179) [You save $36]
  19. Robot vacuum: iRobot Roomba 960 Robot Vacuum with Wi-Fi, $449 (originally $699) [You save $250]
  20. Personal care: Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries Power Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, $79.94 (originally $159.99) [You save $80.05]
  21. DNA test kit: AncestryDNA test, $59 (originally $99) [You save $40]
  22. Camera: PANASONIC LUMIX GX85 Camera with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lens Bundle, $497.99 (originally $999.99) [You save $502]

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: The best credit card rewards, bonuses, and perks



Tablets





See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Trump to square off with protesters in Mississippi as he returns to the campaign trail

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Donald Trump midterm rally Florida

  • President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Mississippi on Monday as he throws his full support behind the embattled Republican Senate candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith.
  • Hyde-Smith is deep into a runoff race for the state's Senate seat with her Democratic opponent, Mike Espy.
  • Hyde-Smith has been under heavy scrutiny for saying she would be in the “front row” if invited to a "public hanging."
  • The Mississippi Rising Coalition is organizing a protest on the beach opposite a venue where Trump is speaking, local media reports said.
  • The nonprofit urged activists in a Facebook event to bring their “banners, signs and voices” to the non-violent gathering.

President Donald Trump will be in Mississippi on Monday as he throws his full support behind the Republican Senate candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith.

The Mississippi Senate race went to a runoff after neither major candidate secured the requisite 50% of votes to become the junior senator back on November 6.

The race has descended into an unexpectedly close stand-up fight, after video emerged of Hyde-Smith saying she supporting talk of a "public hanging," in racially divided Mississippi where such language carries painful connotations. 

Photos of Hyde-Smith on Facebook posing at a museum in confederate clothing have also recently courted controversy. 

Trump last went on the stump for Hyde-Smith in August. 

Trump has taken just a short break from his long-winding campaign trail after the end of this month’s midterm elections. The duo will hold rallies in two locations in the state on Monday.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Mississippians are planning to hold their own protest event to counter the president's visit to the state on Monday ahead of the November 27 runoff election between Hyde-Smith and her Democratic opponent Mike Espy.

According to the Biloxi Sun Herald, the Mississippi Rising Coalition (MRC) is organizing The Battle of Biloxi, a protest to take place on a  beach opposite the venue where Trump is planning to speak. 

A nonprofit civil-rights group, the MRC, urged people in a Facebook post for the protest to bring “banners, signs and voices” to the non-violent event.

“We can not and will not let Hyde-Smith and Trump's racist rhetoric go unanswered directly by the people, and we must not allow Hyde-Smith to represent our state any longer,” the group posted on Facebook.

The two sides are squaring off after Hyde-Smith, a former Mississippi  agriculture secretary, declared at an event in Tupelo earlier this month that she would be in "the front row" at a "public hanging."

The comments have provoked fury and condemnation as well as raising the stakes for a Senate seat in a state, which has a grim history of racism.

More lynchings — public hangings of African-Americans — took place in Mississippi than in any other state in the US from the late 1880s until the 1960s.

Hyde-Smith subsequently apologized but quickly went on the attack, accusing the Democrat, former US Congressman Mike Espy, of making political hay out of her remarks.

“My comments were taken and twisted and used as a political weapon against me by my opponent,” she said.

Espy comes with his own portmanteau of problems, as agriculture secretary in the administration of Former president Bill Clinton,  Espy was made to step down following an investigation into his inappropriate acceptance of gifts.

If elected, Espy would become the first black senator from Mississippi since the reconstruction era that followed the American Civil War.

Around 37% of Mississippi’s population is African-American. 

Tweeting from his Mar-a-lago estate in Florida on Sunday where he spent Thanksgiving, Trump announced his intention to travel to the state for Tuesday's  "very important election." 

"She is an outstanding person who is strong on the Border, Crime, Military, our great Vets, Healthcare & the 2nd A(mendment).” He concluded: “Needed in D.C.”

Democrats have their sails up in the south following Doug Jones’s special election victory in neighbouring Alabama in 2017, but the state largely remains a red one and despite the furore Hyde-Smith is thought to hold the advantage.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Fox News' Harris Faulkner is the only black woman in cable news with a daily show: 'It's a tremendous amount of responsibility'


China is holding a renegade official's family hostage to pressure him to come back

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Xi Jinping

  • China has spent years hunting Liu Changming, a renegade official accused of bank fraud.
  • When his estranged wife, son, and daughter visited China this June, Chinese officials refused to let them leave, The New York Times reported.
  • The wife was detained at secret site, and the children remain in China and aren't able to leave. They are all US citizens.
  • Imposing exit bans — or forbidding travelers from leaving the country — is common practice in China.

China is holding a renegade official's estranged family hostage to pressure him to return to the country, The New York Times reported.

Beijing placed exit bans on the wife, son, and daughter of Liu Changming, a former executive of a state-owned bank in Guangzhou, when they visited their mother's ailing father in southern China this June, the Times said.

The ban stops them from leaving the country. Although the children are seemingly able to travel and act freely within China, they are effectively hostages of the state, prohibited from going home.

The wife, Sandra Han, and children — Victor and Cynthia Liu, who are 19 and 27 — are all American citizens, and entered China with their US passports.

Victor was due to be a sophomore at Georgetown University, while his sister Cynthia works at McKinsey & Company in New York.

Liu Changming is accused of being part of a $1.4 billion fraud case, and officials in Beijing are trying to get him back to face criminal charges.

He fled China in 2007, when officials started investigating the suspects in the case. His children said he severed ties with the family in 2012.

His whereabouts are not known. China listed him on its 100 most-wanted fugitives list in 2015, and Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for his arrest, the Times reported.

guangzhou skyline

Han, the wife, was detained at a secret site days after their arrival in June, the Times reported.

It said the children were forbidden to leave China when they arrived at the airport at the end of their trip. Police told the children that they were neither being investigated nor charged with a crime, the Times said, but still could not go.

Cynthia Liu wrote in a letter to US national security adviser John Bolton, according to the Times: "We are being held here as a crude form of human collateral to induce someone with whom I have no contact to return to China for reasons with which I am entirely unfamiliar."

Exit bans — the practice of forbidding travelers from leaving the country — are not uncommon in China. The country's officials have imposed them on US citizens in the past to compel family members or colleagues to cooperate, the US State Department said in a travel advisory.

china police

Part of the playbook

China is no stranger to punishing the family members of critics to pressure them into complying to the country's will.

It placed the wife of Liu Xiaobo, a human rights activist, under house arrest with 24-hour surveillance for eight years, even though she hadn't done anything wrong.

In 2016, officials also forbade family members of Chinese-Canadian actress Anastasia Lin, who has publicly criticized China's human rights record, from leaving the country.

Read more:Barging into your home, threatening your family, or making you disappear: Here's what China does to people who speak out against them

mike pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned the Liu family's plight in a meeting with a senior foreign policy official in Washington, DC, last month.

The family and their associates hope that President Donald Trump will raise the issue when he meets his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at the G20 summit in Argentina later this week.

Read The New York Times story here.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly in 2017: 'I regret a lot' of the controversial stuff I've said on live television

Elon Musk says people need to work around 80 hours per week to change the world (TSLA)

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elon musk

  • Elon Musk said on Monday via Twitter that people need to work from around 80 to over 100 hours per week to "change the world."
  • "There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week," Musk said, referring to the four companies — Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink— where he serves as CEO.
  • Musk said in an interview with Recode published in November that he worked 120 hours per week while "everyone" at Tesla worked 100 hours per week at times this year as Tesla ramped up production of its Model 3 sedan.

 

Elon Musk said on Monday via Twitter that people need to work from around 80 to over 100 hours per week to "change the world."

"There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week," Musk said, referring to the four companies — Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink — where he serves as CEO.

Read more: 70-hour weeks and 'WTF' emails: 42 employees reveal the frenzy of working at Tesla under the 'cult' of Elon Musk

When asked by a Twitter user about the number of hours one needs to work each week to "change the world," Musk replied that it can range from around 80 to over 100.

"Varies per person, but about 80 sustained, peaking above 100 at times. Pain level increases exponentially above 80," he said.

Tesla declined Business Insider's request for comment. SpaceX and The Boring Company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Musk said in an interview with Recode published in November that he was working 120 hours per week while "everyone" at Tesla worked 100 hours per week at times this year as Tesla ramped up production of its Model 3 sedan. He suggested the long hours was necessary for Tesla to survive.

"There wasn’t some other way to do this," he said.

Tesla employees have described working long hours to Business Insider. Some employees have said the hours are excessive, while some have said they prefer to work 70 or more hours per week.

Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says Tesla was 'single-digit weeks' away from death during Model 3 production

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

Kirsten Gillibrand hits back at top Democratic donors who blame her for Al Franken's ouster

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kirsten gillibrand

  • A host of top Democratic donors say they won't donate to or raise funds for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's potential 2020 bid after she pushed to oust fellow Democratic Sen. Al Franken last year amid sexual misconduct charges. 
  • Gillibrand hit back on Monday, suggesting that her critics would rather silence the voices of women who spoke out against Franken than hold him to fair standards.
  • But some of Gillibrand's supporters worry the criticism from powerful donors will scare off other Democrats and undermine the senator's higher ambitions. 

When Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand led the charge in pressuring former Sen. Al Franken, the Minnesota Democrat, to resign last year amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, many hailed the move as both moral leadership and smart politics. 

As a majority of Democratic senators followed her call, Gillibrand's cemented her status as an unapologetic defender of women's rights and boosted her credentials on the progressive left. 

But nearly a year later, many Democrats — including some of the party's wealthiest donors — remain convinced that Franken's ouster was unjust — and more than a dozen party patrons told Politico on Monday that that they blame Gillibrand and, as a result, will never donate to or raise funds for her potential 2020 bid.

Gillibrand fought back against the criticism on Monday, reasserting her argument that the women who accused Franken of groping, forcible kissing, and other alleged wrongdoing deserve to be believed. 

"Silencing women for the powerful, or for your friends, or for convenience, is neither acceptable, nor just," she wrote

The senator's fans insist she made the right move, but it remains to be seen whether she'll survive the political blowback.

Democratic Sens. Al Franken and Kirsten Gillibrand

'We love blaming women' 

Many of Gillibrand's allies see the attacks on her — and the eight women who made allegations against Franken — as gendered. 

"We love blaming women," said one progressive Democratic donor, who asked for anonymity to protect relationships with other Democrats, told INSIDER.  

Shuan King, a writer and civil rights activist, called the criticism "dumb and sexist." 

While critics say her advocacy for the victims was largely strategic, her supporters say there can be no equivocating on an issue like sexual misconduct. 

"What KG is being maligned for is believing women," Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, tweeted Monday. "We have nothing that resembles due process for these claims and we saw with Kavanaugh that survivors coming forward incur serious consequences. KG has always shown that survivors have somewhere to turn." 

Gillibrand's spokesperson, Glen Caplin, also issued a defense of the decision, arguing that morality should always take precedent over political expediency. 

"Leadership means standing up for your values when it's hard. Kirsten has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in and never will be. You can disagree with her views, but holding her accountable for someone else's behavior towards women is wrong, and her values aren't for sale," Caplin said in a statement to Politico.

The progressive donor argued that the criticism of Gillibrand isn't coming from any of her longtime supporters, but rather from those, like billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who supported Franken and never had skin in the game for Gillibrand. 

"This very aggressive posturing is trying to scare off support and trying to convince her not run," he said. "It's not reflecting a deeply-held position other than hard-nosed politics."

'His voice is missed' 

While Gillibrand remains broadly popular among Democrats (she was re-elected this year with 66% of the vote — and received nearly 400,000 more votes than New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo), it's clear that many in the party hold a grudge against her over Franken.  

The former "Saturday Night Live" star remains beloved among many on the left. 

"His voice is missed, people liked him," the progressive donor said. "I think a lot of good, solid progressives … liked Al Franken and all they remember is Kirsten Gillibrand pushed him out and it wasn't even that bad."

Mitch Draizin, a New York hedge fund founder and Democratic donor, doesn't think Franken deserved to be pushed out, but added that he wouldn't base his support for Gillibrand on that single decision — and would back her in 2020 if she's the strongest contender. 

"Perhaps she had no other choice given the women’s movement," Draizin told INSIDER. "I think she could have gotten caught up in the moment — you don't know what counter-veiling forces were there." 

It's likely too early to know whether the ongoing backlash against Gillibrand will undermine her 2020 chances. And some argue a strong grassroots campaign could overcome resistance from a few powerful voices. 

"I would hope that the voters would decide and not the donors," Jeff Gural, a New York real estate developer and Democratic donor, told INSIDER. "I don't think raising the most money is the most important thing anymore."

SEE ALSO: Mississippi's Republican Senate candidate is feeling the heat after it's revealed that she attended a 'segregation academy' and celebrated the Confederacy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly in 2017: 'I regret a lot' of the controversial stuff I've said on live television

Brooklinen's only sale of the year is going on through Cyber Monday — here's how to save up to 20% on sheets and bedding

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Brooklinen, $225

  • Brooklinen is having its biggest and only sale of the year right now.
  • Now through November 26 (Cyber Monday), the more you spend, the more you'll save — up to 20% off orders of $450 or more.
  • We ranked Brooklinen as the makers of the best luxury sheets, the best sateen sheets, and the best duvet cover on the internet. Find the startup's seven best-sellers below.
  • To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Brooklinen is one of our favorite brands to cover — from its core and luxe bedsheets to its latest Brooklittles line for babies and toddlers. However, it's not known for holding sales. Prices are usually low enough to warrant what is essentially a year-round sale in itself.

But Black Friday and Cyber Monday are exceptions; Cyber Week is its biggest and only sale of the year.

This year, the popular startup is offering steep discounts. Now through November 26, you can take advantage of the following deals:

If you're looking for a new pair of sheets, or you've been waiting for an additional discount as an excuse to try out luxury bedding, this is probably the best time of the year to invest. And in terms of value per dollar, Brooklinen is a particularly great deal.

They look great, feel even better, and can vastly improve your quality of sleep — which, in turn, improves quite a few other areas of your life. When six hours feels like eight, it's easier to operate in the way that you want in your day-to-day.

You can check out its full range of options here, but we're fans of the Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle for every day (with a duvet cover, a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, and four pillowcases for $228 if you're buying for a queen). Insider Picks editor Ellen Hoffman described them as one of the best purchases she's ever made.

In our comprehensive Buying Guides, we ranked Brooklinen sheets the #1 best luxurious sheets and the best sateen sheets you can buy. Its Down Comforter (queen, $349) is the best we found from a startup, and its Classic Duvet Cover (queen, $109) is another best-in-its-category on the internet. It also makes great, blanket-sized towels (Bath Sheets, two for $89). 

If you're looking for something that adds some warmth and softness for the designated "cozy" winter season, I can't recommend the Twill Hardcore Sheet Bundle (queen, $189) enough. It's made to feel like your favorite worn-in flannel, and the twill fabrication allows the yarns to move more freely, creating an overall more forgiving, softer experience. As I've mentioned in my review of them, they'll make you wake up and wish you were working from home every day.

When it comes to Brooklinen, our experience is that it's pretty difficult to go wrong.

Take advantage of Cyber Monday Brooklinen discounts here.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

Below are some of Brooklinen's best sellers:

SEE ALSO: Allbirds has dropped a limited-edition sneaker for Cyber Monday

Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle

The queen-size Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle is $213 before a discount is applied

Available in 15 colors. 

  • Luxe Core Sheet Set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases)
  • Luxe Duvet Cover
  • Luxe Pillowcases (an extra pair)

Find a full review of the sheets here. We also ranked them the #1 best luxury sheets and the #1 best sateen sheets in the Insider Picks Buying Guides. 



Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle

The queen-size Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle is $129 before a discount is applied

Available in 15 colors.

  • Classic Core Sheet Set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases)
  • Classic Duvet Cover
  • Classic Pillowcases (an extra pair)


Super-Plush Complete Towel Set

The Super-Plush Complete Towel Set is $189 before a discount is applied

Available in four colors. 

  • Two "Bath Sheets"
  • Two bath towels
  • Two hand towels
  • Two washcloths
  • Bath mat

Find a full review here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 best soundbar and home theater deals to be had on Cyber Monday 2018 — all of which are still going on tonight

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cyber monday banner

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

polkaudio

Cyber Monday is finally here, bringing with it hundreds of deals on all kinds of products. Many, however, will be looking to take advantage of the event for their home theater, and thankfully, there are a ton of great deals on things like soundbars, speakers, and other home theater components.

Whether you’re looking for a whole new surround sound speaker setup, or just an inexpensive soundbar to heighten the quality of your TV audio, here are the best soundbar and home theater Cyber Monday deals.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

SEE ALSO: 7 Cyber Monday deals on headphones that are still going on — from Bose to Beats

DON'T MISS: 53 cool and useful Cyber Monday deals under $25 that make great stocking stuffers

Bose Soundbar 500 with Alexa

Bose Soundbar 500 with Alexa, $499 at Amazon (originally $549) [You save $50]

Bose is a loved manufacturer of headphones, but the company also makes some excellent smart speakers and home theater speakers too — like, for example, the Bose Soundbar 500, which boasts Alexa built right into it, and offers a powerful sound quality for your home theater.



Polk Command Soundbar

Polk Command Soundbar, $199 at Amazon (originally $299) [You save $100]

The Polk Command soundbar is a great way to integrate your TV and home theater with your smart home. Not only does the device offer an excellent listening experience, but it’s also Amazon Fire TV-compatible, and has Amazon Alexa built right into it. In other words, if you’re already plugged into the Amazon ecosystem, then the Polk Command soundbar is probably the way to go. Last but not least, the device comes with a wireless subwoofer.



Sonos Beam Compact Smart TV Soundbar

Sonos Beam Compact Smart TV Soundbar, $349 at Amazon (originally $399) [You save $50]

Sonos has been crowned the multi-room audio king, and for good reason. With other Sonos speakers, you can stream music to every room in your house, meaning you never have to stop listening. The Sonos Beam integrates into that ecosystem, while delivering excellent audio from your TV.

The speaker even has Amazon Alexa support built right into it, meaning that you can ask Alexa to control your smart devices without the need for an extra device.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 standout Cyber Monday deals on speakers — from the likes of Bose, Sonos, and JBL

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ueboom2

  • The web is full of indoor and outdoor audio deals this Cyber Monday, give your weary eyes a rest and let us do what we do best.
  • We've found tonight's best speaker deals for all within most budgets.
  • While they may be a little pickier than your average gift recipient, don't forget the audiophiles in your life this holiday season.

Scouring the web for deals on audio equipment can be a headache and a half, and then some if you don't quite know what you're after.

We spent the morning sifting and sorting through the seemingly endless list of Cyber Monday sales in all things sound, from wireless and Bluetooth to waterproof, dustproof, and all-around life-proof (and for those particular audiophiles who can manage to take good care of their stuff, we've got a couple of top-notch picks as well).

So, without further ado, rock on with your bad self and pick out a new set of speakers this Cyber Monday. You (and/or they, as the case may be) deserve it.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

SEE ALSO: 24 Amazon Cyber Monday device deals that are live now — including the new Echo Show and Fire TV Stick 4K

A miniature powerhouse of a Bluetooth speaker

Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker, $69 at Amazon (originally $99 — you save $30)

Water-resistant down to one meter for 30 minutes (IPX7 water- and shock-proof), Bose' speakers are usually on the pricier side, but the SoundLink Micro is far more within reach than usual. The only downside is that apart from the USB charging port, there are no wired connection ports.



A waterproof, submersible, all-around disaster-proof speaker that fits into a cupholder

WOW-SOUND 17-9000 Bluetooth Floating Waterproof Speaker, $147.45 at Amazon (originally $208.77— you save 29%)

This is the be-all and end-all of outdoors speakers within most reasonable budgets. It floats, it fits into a cup holder (which means, like, in your cooler seat, in your console, in your pool toys, or pretty much anything with a cupholder). Plus, the 360 degrees of LED lighting comes in handy as one might imagine, and the company claims that it'll hold a charge for over 50 hours of playtime. Oh, and it sounds pretty darn good with a four-inch passive bass speaker and omnidirectional Hi-Fi sound. You get the idea. It's worth it.



A slim and sleek but loud subwoofer system

SONOS SUB Subwoofer System, $599 at Amazon (originally $699 — you save 14%)

If you're looking to fill a room with dense, deep sound, and get over 100,000 free radio stations along with it, look no further than the SONOS SUB Subwoofer System. Fair warning, though: It gets loud.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Paul Manafort's plea agreement with the feds is in jeopardy as Mueller accuses him of lying to investigators

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Paul Manafort

  • Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman of Donald Trump, violated his plea agreement by lying to the FBI and the special counsel Robert Mueller's office "on a variety of subject matters," according to a court filing.
  • Mueller's office asserted that "the nature of the defendant’s crimes and lies, including those after signing the plea agreement," freed them of any obligation from the plea agreement.
  • Manafort's attorneys disputed the special counsel's characterization.
  • It was not immediately clear what Manafort had lied about. Mueller's office said it would provide further information in a later court filing.

Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman of Donald Trump, violated his plea agreement by lying to the FBI and the special counsel Robert Mueller's office "on a variety of subject matters," according to a court filing on Monday.

The plea agreement, which Manafort signed two months ago, stipulated that he would be in violation of the agreement if he were to "engage in any criminal activity prior to sentencing" or failed to "fulfill completely 'each and every one' of his obligations."

Mueller's office asserted that "the nature of the defendant’s crimes and lies, including those after signing the plea agreement," freed them of any obligation from the plea agreement.

"A breach relieves the government of any obligations it has under the agreement ... but leaves intact all the obligations of the defendant as well as his guilty plea," the court filing said.

Manafort's attorneys disputed the special counsel's characterization and said their client "provided information to the government in an effort to live up to his cooperation obligations," the filing added.

It was not immediately clear what Manafort had lied about. Mueller's office said it will provide further information in a later filing, according to CNN.

In September, Manafort pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and one count of conspiracy against the US.

Read more: Robert Mueller has reportedly begun drafting his final report in the Russia probe

But things between the special counsel and Manafort have reportedly been rocky for a while. Earlier this month, ABC News reported that talks between the two sides had broken down.

Since pleading guilty, Manafort had met with prosecutors nearly a dozen times, and though members of Mueller's team have been asking him about a wide range of topics, they're "not getting what they want," a source with knowledge of the discussions told ABC News.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told INSIDER at the time that Manafort's plea deal with Mueller was still intact. But ABC News reported that the dispute between the two sides stemmed from suspicions that Manafort was not being entirely forthcoming about all the information he may know that's relevant to the Russia investigation.

Robert Mueller

Manafort is in a more precarious position than ever before

Trump's lawyers have also previously said that Manafort's legal team was keeping them informed of the former Trump campaign chairman's actions.

Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago, pointed out the "highly unusual" nature of such a claim.

"Typically flippers are completely on the government's team," he wrote. "Today's filing could mean that Manafort was trying to protect Trump, or he could be trying to shield another person or entity, or trying to hide wealth from prosecutors."

"It never ceases to amaze me how people can just dig themselves deeper in trouble," Jeffrey Cramer, a longtime former federal prosecutor who spent 12 years at the DOJ, told INSIDER in response to Monday's news.

Though prosecutors can vacate Manafort's plea agreement, they may not want to do that yet because it would result in another lengthy trial. But the problem is "that he's making himself a more difficult witness to use as he continues to lie," Cramer said.

Mariotti wrote that Manafort may now be in a more precarious position than he would have been if he didn't cooperate in the first place.

Prosecutors indicated in Monday’s filing that they will soon file a “detailed sentencing submission” that will lay out the nature of Manafort’s alleged “crimes and lies,” including those that occurred after he signed a plea deal. That means the judge overseeing his case will learn, in detail, of Manafort’s alleged efforts to mislead investigators.

“When sentencing a defendant, judges have very broad discretion to consider nearly everything,” Mariotti wrote. “You can expect the judge, who has already had some harsh words for Manafort when he violated his bond conditions, tot are this conduct into account at sentencing. It undercuts Manafort’s acceptance of responsibility and demonstrates his lack of respect for the law."

The former Trump campaign chairman is a significant figure of interest in Mueller's inquiry, which is examining Russia's interference in the 2016 election, whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow, and whether Trump sought to obstruct justice after he learned of the investigation's existence last year.

Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor working for Mueller, told US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson when Manafort's plea deal was announced that Manafort would cooperate "in any and all matters as to which the government deems the cooperation relevant," including "testifying fully" and "completely" before a grand jury.

Monday's filing sends an important message to that effect, Cramer said: "Tell the truth or go to trial."

SEE ALSO: Mueller's report will be 'politically very devastating' for Trump, Alan Dershowitz predicts

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly in 2017: 'I regret a lot' of the controversial stuff I've said on live television


Here's how the regtech landscape is evolving to address increasing compliance needs

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Growth Regtech Firms

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Regtech solutions seemed to offer the solution to financial institutions' (FIs) compliance woes when they first came to prominence around 24 months ago, gaining support from regulators and investors alike. 

However, many of the companies offering these solutions haven't scaled as might have been expected from the initial hype, and have failed to follow the trajectory of firms in other segments of fintech.

This unexpected inertia in the regtech industry is likely to resolve over the next 12-18 months as other factors come into play that shift FIs' approach to regtech solutions, and as the companies offering them evolve. External factors driving this change include regulatory support of regtech solutions, and consultancies offering more help to FIs wanting to sift through solutions. Startups offering regtech solutions will also play a part by partnering with each other, forming industry organizations, and taking advantage of new opportunities.

This report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, provides a brief overview of the current global financial regulatory compliance landscape, and the regtech industry's position within it. It then details the major drivers that will shift the dial on FIs' adoption of regtech over the next 12-18 months, as well as those that will propel startups offering regtech solutions to new heights. Finally, it outlines what impact these drivers will have, and gives insight into what the global regtech industry will look like by 2020.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • Regulatory compliance is still a significant issue faced by global FIs. In 2018 alone, EU regulations MiFID II and PSD2 have come into effect, bringing with them huge handbooks and gigantic reporting requirements. 
  • Regtech startups boast solutions that can ease FIs' compliance burden — but they are struggling to scale. 
  • Some changes expected to drive greater adoption of these solutions in the next 12 to 18 months are: the ongoing evolution of startups' business models, increasing numbers of partnerships, regulators' promotion of regtech, changing attitudes to the segment among FIs, and consultancies helping to facilitate adoption.
  • FIs will actively be using solutions from regtech startups by 2020, and startups will be collaborating in an organized fashion with each other and with FIs. Global regulators will have adopted regtech themselves, while continuing to act as advocates for the industry.

In full, the report:

  • Reviews the major changes expected to hit the regtech segment in the next 12 to 18 months.
  • Examines the drivers behind these changes, and how the proliferation of regtech will improve compliance for FIs.
  • Provides our view on what the future of the regtech industry looks like through 2020.

     

Join the conversation about this story »

These 6 tech companies are the best bargains hiding in the tech selloff's wreckage heap (FB, GOOGL, BKNG, WIX, TTD, ROKU)

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Facebook presentation Mark Mahaney IGNITION 2016

  • The prices of many tech stocks have plunged in recent months.
  • Thanks to that sell-off, the shares of many companies are now trading at values that are out of whack with their real worth, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney argues in a new research note.
  • Mahaney scrutinized more than 30 stocks to come up with his six top picks.

Thanks to the recent sell-off in tech stocks, you can find some great deals in the bargain bin. 

That's the take of Mark Mahaney, one of the top analysts covering the internet sector. The selling was overdone, and the shares of many tech companies are now out-of-whack with their historical values and underlying business trends, RBC Capital Market's Mahaney argues in a research note issued Sunday afternoon. 

But some stocks are more disconnected from their real worth than others. In his report, Mahaney took a look across the more than 30 companies he covers to find the best bargains.

He looked at companies' valuations compared with their historical value or underlying trends; how their growth in the third quarter compared with their past rates; and whether they were expected to have any fundamental changes in their businesses that might spark faster growth. After passing the companies through those screens, he came up with a list of six — three with large valuations and three with small or medium-sized valuations — top picks. 

Here are Mahaney's internet sector best buys:

SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley has had a tough 3 months — here are the top tech executives who won and lost big

Facebook (FB)

Yes, the social-media giant has been facing a slew of scandals this year. And, yes, its growth has slowed and its costs have gone up as CEO Mark Zuckerberg has tried to refocus the company on combatting fake news and other problems. But the precipitous drop in the company's shares of late — Facebook's shares are off 37% since hitting their all time-high in July — have made them the biggest bargain on the block, Mahaney says.

The 22% drop in Facebook's shares just since the end of August has been among the steepest of all the large-cap internet stocks. Thanks to that decline, the ratio of the company's enterprise value to its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is about 10. That's at the low end of the four-year range for that ratio, Mahaney notes in the report.

Meanwhile, as of the close of trading Friday, the company's stock was just 4% above its 52-week low.

That valuation seems way out of line with where Facebook is as a business in Mahaney's eyes. If anything, Facebook has become more dominant than ever this year, since it owns four of the top social-networking and messaging services and is grabbing an ever-larger share of online advertising.

Even though many tech companies have been beat up lately, Facebook still "stands out," says Mahaney, who has a $190 price target on the company's stock. Facebook's shares closed Monday at $136.38.



Alphabet (GOOGL)

Shares in the search giant haven't fallen as much as Facebook's — through Friday, they were down 16% since the end of August. But Alphabet still has a strong case to make for being severely undervalued, Mahaney says.

Alphabet's ratio of enterprise value to EBITDA is 10.6, according to his report. Like Facebook, that's near the bottom of its four-year range. And as of Friday, Alphabet was trading just 5% above its 52-week low.

But Alphabet has other things in its favor, according to Mahaney. For example, its revenue growth has shown remarkable consistency. For 35 straight quarters, the company's base revenue has grown by 20% or more on an annual basis.

Additionally, the company has huge potential growth drivers for the future. With video becoming increasingly important online, YouTube's business is poised for a big windfall, he says. And then there's Waymo, the company's self-driving car effort.

It has the "pole position against arguably the biggest product cycle in tech – autonomous vehicles," Mahaney says. His price target on Alphabet is $1,400; the company's stock closed Monday at $1,055.94.



Booking Holdings (BKNG)

Shares of Booking, formerly known as Priceline, were down only 10% from August 31 through Friday. That's significantly less than other big tech stocks.

But its shares look cheap by other measures, Mahaney says. Its ratio of enterprise value to EBITDA is 13.7, which is at the bottom of its four-year range, he noted. As of Friday, Booking's share price was only 4% above its 52-week range.

And the company could be poised for improving results. Its growth rate picked up in the third quarter and the company looks set to build on that in coming quarters, writes Mahaney.

Booking still only accounts for a small portion of the total global travel market. And it's investing in long-term opportunities, including the Chinese market, he says.

"The takeaway here is that online travel trends remain strong," says Mahaney, who has a price target of $2,425 on Booking's shares. The company's stock closed Monday at $1,802.44.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 10 phone deals of Cyber Monday 2018 from Apple, Samsung, Google, and more

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

It's not every day you see smartphones on sale, but Cyber Monday is chock full of great prices on excellent phones, including ones from Samsung, Apple, Google, Motorola, and Honor.

Below, we break down the specs for each smartphone that's on sale so you know which one to choose. We've actually tested nearly every phone on this list, so you can rest assured that these phones are worth your money.

1. OnePlus 6, $429 (originally $529) at OnePlus [You save $100]

oneplus 6

The OnePlus 6 is all the phone you really need. Its normal price is already impressively low for a phone with these kinds of high-end specs, and now that it's on sale, it's an absolute steal. The OnePlus 6 boasts a beautiful, 18:9, 6.28-inch, AMOLED screen with almost no bezels. It looks quite a bit like the iPhone XS from the front because it has the same small notch for the 16-megapixel selfie camera.

Inside, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip and 6 or 8 gigabytes of RAM power the phone. The phone's battery life is impressive, and OnePlus' Dash charge tech will give you a full charge in just 30 minutes. The dual lens camera on the back has two sensors — one 16-megapixel and one 20-megapixel — which take excellent pictures and produce the coveted blurred background effect in photos.  We think it's one of the very best smartphones you can buy.

2. Samsung Galaxy S9, $519.99 at Amazon (originally $719.99) [You save $200]

galaxy s9

The Galaxy S9 was Samsung's 2018 flagship phone, so it's a great buy even though it will soon be replaced by the S10 in the new year. Because it's on sale, you really can't go wrong. The 5.8-inch screen is absolutely gorgeous and it doesn't have a notch, so if those notches infuriate you, you'll like the S9's lovely screen. It's also waterproof.

Tech reviewer after tech reviewer has taken gorgeous photos with the S9 and S9 Plus cameras. The processor is speedy, it has solid battery life, and you can even expand the storage with a MicroSD card — what's not to love? We call it the best Samsung phone in our buying guide.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 9, $799.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99) [You save $200]

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 is bigger and arguably better than the Galaxy S9 we mentioned above. It comes with a massive 6.4-inch screen that is also mercifully notch-free. The cameras are excellent, and the S-Pen stylus is better than ever, so those of you who like to draw, take notes, and use the S-Pen for other important things will be very happy with this phone.

The Note 9 has a whopping 128GB of storage built in and you can expand it even further with a MircoSD card. Its processor is zippy and fast, it holds a charge much longer than most other flagship phones, and it can juice up wirelessly. The cameras are, needless to say, spectacular as well. 

4. LG V35 ThinQ Prime Exclusive Phone, $549.99 at Amazon (originally $899.99) [You save $350]

LG V35 thinq

Amazon's Prime Exclusive phones come with a "pre-installed selection of Amazon apps, including the Amazon Widget, Amazon Shopping, and Amazon Alexa." They also have ads here and there, but if you don't mind Amazon all over your phone, you can get a great deal with the LG V35 ThinQ. 

It has a 6-inch QHD+ OLED, 18:9 aspect ratio screen that looks bright and color-rich. There's no notch on this beauty, either. Inside you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, 6 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage that you can expand to 2 TB with a MicroSD card. The dual 16-megapixel standard-angle and wide-angle rear cameras take excellent pictures, as does the 8-megapixel wide-angle selfie cam. The V35 ThinQ also has facial recognition and a fingerprint sensor for added security.

Given it's lower price tag this Cyber Monday, it's a very good deal.

5. Razer Phone, $369.99 at Microsoft (originally $699.99) [You save $330]

razer phone

Razer is known for its gaming tech, but it has also made a few phones, including the Razer Phone, which is currently on sale. It has a crisp 5.7-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution screen with no notch in sight, though it does have chunkier bezels than new flagship phones.

Inside, it's running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip and has 64GB of storage inside that you can expand with a MicroSD card. The battery life is good and it's an effective phone, though perhaps not one of the best. Still, at this price, it's a good buy.

6. iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max at Verizon [You save $100-$300 with trade-in]

iphone xr iphone xs white

Although Apple never puts its phones on sale, carriers often have good deals on the latest and greatest phones from Apple.

Right now, you can get an iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max for $300 off when you add a new line on a device payment plan with a trade-in, or you can get $100 off when you upgrade and trade in your old phone at Verizon. It's not the best deal, but hey, it's a deal. On an iPhone. And not just any iPhone — the new ones! 

We highly recommend the iPhone XR, which costs a relatively reasonable $750, but still includes the most important new tech on any phone: the latest processor. We also love the iPhone XS and XS Max. They're higher end and thus they are great buys for tech addicts who want the absolute best, shutterbugs who love high-end camera tech, and people who want a larger (Max) or smaller phone (XS).

7. Google Pixel 2 XL, $549.84 at Best Buy and Verizon (originally $949.84) [You save $400] or Google Pixel 3 at Best Buy and Verizon [You save $200]

Google Pixel 2 XL

You can get the Google Pixel 3 for $200 off at Best Buy with Verizon, or you can get the Pixel XL 2 for $400 off. Both are great deals. The Pixel 2 XL may not be the newest model, but it is still an excellent phone — it was our top pick for the best Android phone before the Pixel 3 launched. The 6-inch Quad HD OLED screen looks great and it doesn't have a notch.

The processor is also zippy and fast, but the star of the show is the Pixel 2 XL's cameras. The main camera sports a 12.2-megapixel sensor and cannot be beat on auto-mode — especially in low-light. It remains one of the best cameras you can find on a smartphone.

We highly recommend picking one up — $400 off isn't a deal you see every day, and we doubt you'll find a Pixel for this good of a price any time soon.

8. Moto G6, $199.99 at Best Buy (originally $249.99) [You save $50]

moto g6

The Moto G6 is the best budget phone for most people with its low price, solid camera, and clean Android software. It's a great deal at Best Buy this Cyber Monday. Its 5.7-inch Full HD (1080p) screen is sharp and clear, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor is fast when paired with 3GB of RAM. The 32GB of storage is decent as is the option to expand it via a Micro SD card up to 256GB. The phone also has a fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security.

The G6 has an improved 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel dual-lens camera setup, which is quite good, and selfie-takers will be pleased with the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The battery should last you a full day, and it charges up quickly with Motorola's TurboPower charging, which promises to give you six hours of use after 15 minutes of charging.

9. Honor View 10, $349 at Amazon (originally $499) [You save $150]

Honor View 10

The Honor View 10 is a solid mid-range phone with a very good price tag this Cyber Monday. It has a 5.99-inch screen with an 18:9 display ratio with no notch. It comes in very nice black and blue colorways and has the look of a high-end flagship phone.

The Kirin 970 chipset and 6GB of RAM make for a reasonably fast phone and the 128GB of storage is very high for a phone in this price range. The View 10 also has an excellent set of dual cameras on the back, including a 20-megapixel monochrome lens and a 16-megapixel RGB lens.

It's a good deal, but you can only use it with your SIM card if you have T-Mobile or AT&T in the US, as it's a GSM-only phone.

10. Honor 7X, $169 at Amazon (originally $199.99) [You save $30.99]

Honor 7X

The Honor 7X is made by the same company as the Honor View 10 we mentioned above. It, too, only works on GSM networks like T-Mobile and AT&T in the US. If you're on one of those networks, you're in luck, because this sale price is quite good.

The 7X has a 5.93-inch, 2,160 x 1,080 pixel resolution screen and no notch. The dual-lens 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras on the back take decent photos that won't disappoint you. Inside, you get a Kirin chip, 3GB RAM, and 32 GB storage, which is expandable with a MicroSD card.

Although it's not a high-end phone, it is a good budget phone that's on sale for a reasonable price.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

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The best deal roundups

The best individual deals

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Trump says he doesn’t believe his own administration’s report on the economic impact of climate change

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camp fire destruction

  • President Donald Trump responded on Monday to the bombshell climate assessment released by his administration on Friday, saying he doesn't believe the economic impact it's predicted to have on the US.
  • The report, which is the fourth National Climate Assessment to be released following a mandate from a law passed in 1990, was shared with the public on November 23 — the day after the Thanksgiving.
  • "No, no, I don't believe it," Trump said in response to a reporter. "And here's the other thing, you're going to have to have China and Japan and all of Asia and all these other countries — you know, it addresses our country," Trump said of the report.
  • "Annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach the hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century — more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many US states," according to the report.

President Donald Trump responded on Monday to the bombshell climate assessment released by his administration on Friday, saying he doesn't believe the economic impact it's predicted to have on the US.

"Mr. President, have you read the climate report yet?" a reporter asked Trump outside the White House.

"I've seen it, I've read some of it, and it's fine," Trump responded.

"They say the economic impact would be devastating," the reporter continued, referring to the projected economic loss of hundreds of billions of dollars caused by climate change.

"Yeah, I don't believe it," Trump replied.

Read more: The Trump administration released a dire new report on climate change that predicts hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses

The predicted economic impact

The report, which is the fourth National Climate Assessment to be released following a mandate from a law passed in 1990, was shared with the public on November 23 — the day after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Per the report, the temperature in the US has already risen 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1990, and it's predicted to go up another 2.5 degrees by 2050, and if the emission of greenhouse gasses continues at its current rate, the temperature could rise by as much as 11 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100, the report said.

And the assessment predicts that climate change will have a big impact on the economy.

"Annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century — more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many US states," according to the report.

By 2090, deaths associated with climate change could cost $140 billion, and the report said that"almost two billion labor hours are projected to be lost annually by 2090 from the impacts of temperature extremes, costing an estimated $160 billion in lost wages."

The report also lays out how climate change will impact food production, ecosystems, human health, infrastructure, migration, clean water — and it explains how we can respond through adaptation and reducing carbon emissions.

"Earth’s climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities," the report said. "The impacts of global climate change are already being felt in the United States and are projected to intensify in the future — but the severity of future impacts will depend largely on actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changes that will occur."

"That's very important to me."

In his conversation with reporters, Trump deflected by talking about other nations.

"No, no, I don't believe it," he said in response to a reporter following up on his initial denial. "And here's the other thing, you're going to have to have China and Japan and all of Asia and all these other countries — you know, it addresses our country," Trump said, referring to the report.

"Right now, we're at the cleanest we've ever been, and that's very important to me," he said. "But if we're clean, but every other place on Earth is dirty, that's not so good. So, I want clean air, I want clean water, very important."

However, the report said both clean air and clean water are at risk because of climate change.

"The quality and quantity of water available for use by people and ecosystems across the country are being affected by climate change, increasing risks and costs to agriculture, energy production, industry, recreation, and the environment," the report explains.

Clean air is also threatened by rising temperatures: "Changes in temperature and precipitation are increasing air quality and health risks from wildfire and ground-level ozone pollution."

Trump on climate change

Trump has wavered on the issue of climate change — at one point during the 2016 election he called it a "hoax."

Earlier this year, however, he said, "I don't think it's a hoax, I think there's probably a difference," but questioned whether it was caused by human activity. A scientific consensus (and this recent report) has concluded that the warming trend is human-caused.

In 2017, Trump pulled the US out of the Paris Climate agreement, a deal negotiated in 2015 between 195 countries that seeks to take measures to stop the world's temperature from rising 2 degrees Celsius.

SEE ALSO: 12 scary takeaways from the climate report the Trump administration dropped on Black Friday — and one reason for hope The findings are dire.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: You've been blowing your nose all wrong — here's how you should do it

13 things the Insider Picks team bought on Black Friday and Cyber Monday — after sorting through and writing about thousands of deals

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

meundies $25 $100+

Over the weeks leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Insider Picks team spends countless hours combing through hundreds of thousands of deals to bring you the very best of the bunch.

So far, we've written about everything from the best deals you can find on Amazon to the best tech deals on the internet— we've even covered men's and women's fashion sales, and what to buy from Wayfair if you need some new furniture. 

But we thought it might be fun for you to see what we, the human beings behind all these articles, are buying for ourselves — especially after spending so much time getting to know what has felt like every deal on the internet.

If you're interested in knowing how we're spending our money right now, look no further — here's what we've bought so far. 

Want more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

A year-long subscription to Hulu

Annual Hulu Subscription

I’ve been using a friend’s Hulu account for about a year. Especially in the last few months since I got rid of cable, I've noticed myself using Hulu more and more in conjunction with my Netflix subscription. I finally decided to get my own Hulu account because $1 a month for a year is an amazing deal. -Breton Fischetti, Director of Commerce Insider Picks

This deal was simply too good to pass up. Altogether, it'll save me $60+ over the course of the year. — Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter



Hotels for a vacation to Italy

Mulino di Firenze, from $118 per night, available on Hotels.com

My partner and I booked a week's worth of hotels on Hotels.com, which is currently offering 11% off anything you book with the code BIGDEAL11.

This hotel in Florence is the one we're most excited about. It has a beautiful pool, and it's right on the river. We'll have to pay for cabs to get around since it's a bit further out from the center of town, but the fact that we saved a bit while booking evens things out. I mean, look at that view! -Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editor



A set of illustrated Harry Potter novels

Harry Potter: The Illustrated Collection (Books 1-3 Boxed Set), $56.50 at Amazon (originally $120) 

As odd as it sounds, I actually don’t ever shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday — I'm more of a Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday kind of person. I didn’t buy anything this year, either, though I did find something I wanted for Christmas and asked my mom to get it for me: the 3-book boxed set of Harry Potter illustrated novels.

I’m a huge HP fan, and I’ve wanted the illustrated versions ever since they came out. At more than half off, they’re a crazy good deal, so I couldn't resist asking for them. I'm pretty sure these books will be under my Christmas tree this year in a lovely package from mom to me. -Malarie Gokey, Insider Picks guides editor



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