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Smart speakers comprise one of the fastest-growing device segments in the consumer technology market today. Ownership levels have nearly doubled from early 2017 to summer 2018. 

With this rapid growth, there are a few pivotal questions that both companies looking to develop and sell smart speakers as well as those looking to sell products, deliver media, and offer access to services like banking over these devices need answers to in order to craft successful strategies. In particular, they need to know who is and isn’t buying smart speakers, and what consumers who own smart speakers are actually doing with them. 

To offer these stakeholders insight, Business Insider Intelligence asked more than 500 US consumers about their knowledge of smart speakers, the devices they do or don’t own and what led them to their purchase decisions, as well as the tasks they’re using their smart speakers for.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will look at the state of the smart speaker market and outline how each of the major device providers approaches the space. We will then focus on the key factors that affect whether or not someone owns one of these devices. Next, we will use our survey data to outline the reasons why people don’t own devices in order to offer guidance for who to target and how. Finally, we will discuss what consumers are actually doing with their smart speakers — specifically looking at how the devices are used and perceived in e-commerce, digital media, and banking — which can help companies determine how well they’re publicizing their smart speaker services and capabilities.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Amazon, Google, Apple, Samsung, Facebook, Sonos, LG, Anker, Spotify, Pandora, Grubhub, Netflix, Hulu, Instagram, Snap.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Despite their growing popularity, nearly half of respondents still don't own a device — which presents a long runway for adoption. Our survey data reveals a number of key factors that impact whether or not someone owns one of these devices, including income, gender, and age.
• Smart speakers are establishing themselves as a key platform for e-commerce, media, and the smart home.
• The introduction of a screen to some smart speakers will expand the possibilities for companies developing for the device — but developers will need to resist the compulsion to use speakers to accomplish too much.

In full, the report:

• Provides an overview of the key players and products in the smart speaker market.
• Highlights critical adoption rates broken out by key factors that define the segment.
• Identifies how consumers are using devices in important areas where companies in various industries are trying foster greater use of the voice interface.

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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.

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

• eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
• There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
• The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
• The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
• The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
• Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
• Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
• Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
• Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
• Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
• Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
• Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

• The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
• The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
• eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
• eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

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• The lawyer for the adult Turpin siblings is speaking publicly, a year after their parents, David and Louise Turpin, were arrested on the charge of abusing their kids and keeping them imprisoned at their California home.
• Attorney Jack Osborn said the adult siblings are now living together and are learning what it means to be free.
• They often visit their younger siblings, who are in foster care, and aren't looking forward to the possibility of having to testify against their parents at trial, he said.

A year after David and Louise Turpin were arrested on charges of abusing their 13 children and keeping them imprisoned in their Southern California home, a lawyer for the adult children is speaking publicly.

Jack Osborn appeared on the "Today" show on Wednesday to update the public on how the adult siblings are doing.

Osborn said the older Turpin children are now living together, while their younger siblings, who are still minors, are in the foster-care system.

The children ranged in age from 2 to 29 when they were rescued last year. The adult siblings were so malnourished that their bodies were smaller than usual, leading authorities to think they were minors at first.

A year after one of the older children escaped the house and alerted authorities to the conditions they were living in under their parents' reign, the adult siblings are still getting used to their newfound life of freedom and continue to relearn basic life skills, Osborn said.

"For really the first time, they're able to make their own decisions and decide where they're going to eat. They decide where they're going to go, what they're going to study," Osborn said.

Read more:Everything you need to know about the case of David and Louise Turpin — the couple accused of holding their 13 children hostage

He added that the older children "may spend a long time processing" the years they were under the control of their parents and reconciling it with their "new normal."

But Osborn said they are surprisingly "not bitter.""They really take every day as it is, as a gift," he added.

Osborn said the older siblings frequently visit their younger siblings, who they are "extremely protective of."

One thing that is causing them anxiety is the prospect that they may have to testify against their parents when they go to trial, he said.

David and Louise Turpin have pleaded not guilty to all of the nearly 50 charges against them, which include false imprisonment and child abuse. If convicted, they face the possibility of life in prison.

Osborn said his clients still feel for their parents.

"They do worry about their parents, and I think, at times, they do miss their parents," he said.

See the full story at NBC News »

• Read more about the Turpin case:
• Lawyers reveal how the siblings in the California torture case are recovering after being held captive for years
• 13 kids in California torture case appeared to lack 'any kind of understanding about how the world worked'
• The eldest of 12 siblings allegedly tortured by parents went to college but never sought help
• The eldest of 12 siblings allegedly tortured by parents was a star college student

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What will happen when Earth's north and south poles flip

• Google will raise prices on G Suite — the company's productivity suite — for the first time ever, according to a corporate blog post on Wednesday. 
• Starting on April 2nd, The cost of G Suite Basic will increase from $5 to $6 per user per month, and the cost of G Suite Business will move from $10 to $12.
• Google justified the 20% increase for its Basic and Business Editions by saying that it has not updated prices since introducing G Suite over a decade ago, while its product offering has grown substantially.

Google will raise prices on G Suite — the company's productivity suite, and its rival to Microsoft Office — for the first time ever, according to a corporate blog post on Wednesday. 

As of April 2nd, the cost of G Suite Basic will increase from $5 to $6 per user per month, and the cost of the higher-end G Suite Business will move from $10 to $12. The price of G Suite Enterprise Edition, which is already sold in bulk to its largest customers, will not change. For customers who pay for G Suite annually, the new prices will go into effect the next time after April 2nd that their billing cycle rolls over.

Google justified the 20% increase for its Basic and Business Editions by saying that it has not updated prices since introducing G Suite over a decade ago, while its product offering has grown substantially. Today, G Suite users have access to a number of tools including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive, Hangouts Meet, Hangouts Chat, and more. 

The new $12 price for G Suite Business brings its price roughly in line with Microsoft's Office 365 Business Premium plan, which costs $12.50 per user per month.

Historically, Microsoft has been especially successful at conquering the higher end of the market, with G Suite's cheaper price point as one of its major competitive selling points — though even at $12/user/month, G Suite is still much less expensive than Microsoft's popular Office 365 E3 plan for larger businesses, which costs $20/user/month.

The price increase also comes in the wake of a leadership change at Google Cloud, which is responsible for G Suite and the search giant's other offerings for business. Oracle veteran Thomas Kurian officially took over as Google Cloud CEO at the beginning of the month, replacing Diane Greene in the role.  

Read more: Meet the 22-year Oracle veteran executive who's going to lead Google in the cloud wars against Amazon and Microsoft

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NOW WATCH: Japanese lifestyle guru Marie Kondo explains how to organize your home once and never again

Warning: Spoilers ahead for season three, episode nine of "Riverdale," titled "No Exit." 

• "Riverdale" returned Wednesday from its mid-season break.
• The episode featured some pop culture references, including some to "Cabaret." 
• The episode also made callbacks to season one. 

Archie is in some serious trouble on "Riverdale." 

During the mid-season return of the hit CW series Wednesday, Archie was attacked by a bear and left critically injured. As he bled out, he had a feverish dream sequence that saw him confront his demons. Though his fate was left hanging in the balance, Archie will probably survive.

As for everyone else, Toni and Cheryl said they love each other but were kicked out of the Southside Serpents for breaking the rules, Edgar from the Farm took all of the kids from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy despite Betty's efforts, Reggie and Veronica kissed, and the Sisters of Quiet Mercy committed mass suicide to avoid going on trial against Hiram. 

The show also included some references and callbacks. We worked with Archie Comics to find six details you may have missed. 

"No Exit," the episode title, comes from a 1944 French play.

The play by Jean-Paul Sartre centers on three people who have died. This depiction of the afterlife sees the three strangers placed in a single room in Hell.

Josie sings two songs from "Cabaret," a Broadway musical and musical movie, in Veronica's speakeasy.

She first sings the song "Cabaret" at the start of the episode. Later on the episode when she is rehearsing at the speakeasy, she sings "Maybe This Time." Veronica also sings her own version of "Maybe This Time." 

Mr. Sowerberry should sound familiar.

Sierra McCoy mentions a Mr. Sowerberry when she is discussing the case against Hiram. On season one, Sowerberry served as Hiram's attorney. He helped Veronica and Hermione prepare their statements to free Hiram from prison. 

Mr. Sowerberry is also the name of an undertaker from Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist." 

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. Current subscribers can read the report here.

The consumerization of healthcare — a fundamental shift in patients’ preferences, behaviors, and demands around healthcare services — is threatening hospitals' bottom lines. For the first time, patients are transforming from passive recipients of healthcare services to active participants in their own health. They're flocking to online review sites to choose which doctor to see, skipping hospital visits in favor of a health clinic in their local CVS, and aren't afraid to ditch providers that don't offer them an engaging experience.

The superior customer service expectations of millennials, declines in hospital profitability, and threats from startup providers and retail pharmacies intensify the need for providers to revamp the patient experience. Providers' current engagement capabilities are weak, and deficiencies around scheduling, appointment wait times, and billing are dragging on patient satisfaction, driving patients elsewhere and draining provider revenue.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence explores the trends that are driving providers to revamp their care services. We then outline how patients' expectations for transparency, convenience, and access are transforming the way they interact with providers across each stage of care. Finally, we detail strategies health systems and hospitals can implement to create a consumer-centric patient experience that fosters satisfaction, loyalty, and patient volume. 

The companies mentioned in this report are: 98point6, BayCare, Cleveland Clinic, CVS, Integris, Kaiser Permanente, Luma Health, New York-Presbyterian, One Medical, Publix, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, Yelp, and Zocdoc.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

SEE ALSO: Top 5 Healthcare Startups & Digital Health Tech Disruptors in 2018

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• Kyle Prall, from Austin, Texas, has been indicted for allegedly spending campaign contributions reportedly meant to support then-presidential candidates Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Sen. Bernie Sanders on things like massages and nightclub "entertainers."
• In 2015, Prall began soliciting contributions through political committees with names like "Feel Bern,""Trump Victory," and "HC4President."
• The political committees claimed the funds would be spent in ways to support the candidates — including transporting voters to the polls, training costs for volunteers, and direct contributions to the candidates themselves.
• Prall allegedly used the funds on personal indulgences from hotel room service to international flights.

A Texas man who allegedly devised a scheme to collect over $500,000 in campaign contributions for then-presidential candidates Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Sen. Bernie Sanders funneled the funds to his personal bank accounts according to court filings released by the US District Court of Western Texas on Tuesday.

In 2015, Kyle Prall allegedly began soliciting contributions through political committees with names like "Feel Bern,""Trump Victory," and "HC4President." The political committees claimed that the funds would be spent in ways that supported the candidates — including costs to transport voters to the polls, training costs for volunteers at phone banks, and direct contributions to the candidates themselves.

Prall allegedly used the funds to pay for his salary and used debit cards registered by the political committees' bank accounts to pay for numerous personal expenses, including:

• $1,167: Two-night stay at a hotel in Miami Beach, Florida
• $3,101: Food, bottle service, and hookah at a Miami nightclub
• $1,470: Nightclub dances "performed by entertainers"
• $1,073: Three-night stay at Texas resort
• $728: Room service, mini-bar charges, deep-tissue massage, and pet cleaning fees at the Texas resort
• $952: Flights in Florida for Prall and his girlfriend
• $812: Flight to Belize in Central America

Through online advertisements on social-networking websites and search engines, Prall intentionally made an effort to "make them appear legitimate" in order to deceive donors, the Justice Department said.

The websites, such as "www.feelbern.org" and "hcforpresident.org" now appear to be defunct.

"We are volunteers helping [Bernie Sanders] win the US Presidential election and usher in a new government for the people by helping raise awareness with voters," Prall's website said.

"The donations will be used primarily to charter buses for transportation to voting polls ... This money will go directly to chartering buses and paying for fuel to transport voters ...," the website pledged.

Over $300,000 was raised in the alleged campaign for Sanders between December 2015 and July 2016. Less than $4,000 went toward "political causes," none of which were used for transportation costs, according to the Justice Department.

The political committee that purportedly supported Clinton raised over $73,000, less than $1,100 of which went toward its stated causes.

"Trump Victory," which was later renamed to "Make America Great," raised over $165,000. The committee claimed it would channel the contributions "directly" to Trump and supportive organizations, but made no such donations.

Prall never intended for the funds to support the candidates, and instead, funneled it through sham limited-liability companies for "purely personal" expenses, according to the Justice Department. At the end of the election, most of the bank accounts were then closed.

Political committees are regulated by the Federal Election Commission, whose duties include overseeing campaign donations and expenditures that are over $200. Around 38 campaign finance analysts each review anywhere between 200-400 committees each year.

SEE ALSO: This graph shows 90% of political donations from Google workers went to the Democrats

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

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.

In recent years, we've seen a ballooning of activity in fintech — an expansive term applied to technology-driven disruptions in financial services. And 2018 has been no different, with fintechs' staggering influence on the market evidenced by record funding levels for the industry — by Q3 2018, overall funding was already up 82% from 2017’s total figure, according to CB Insights.

Additionally, this year marked a watershed moment for the industry, with the once clear distinction between fintechs and financial services proper now blurred significantly. Virtually every incumbent financial institution (FI) is now looking inward and engaging in an innovation drive, spurred on by competition from fintechs. As such, incumbents are now actively investing in, acquiring, and collaborating with their fintech rivals.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence details recent developments in fintech funding and regulation that are defining the environment these startups operate in. We also examine the business model changes being employed among different categories of fintechs as they strive to embed themselves further in mainstream finance and prove sustainability. Finally, we consider which elements of the fintech industry are rapidly rubbing off on incumbent financial services providers, and what the future of fintech will look like.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Funding Circle, GreenSky, Transferwise, Ant Financial, Nubank, Cellulant, Oscar Health, Stripe, One97, UiPath, LianLian Pay, Wacai.com, Gusto, Toast, PingPong, Flywire, Deposit Solutions, Root, Robinhood, Atom, N26, Revolut, OneConnect, PolicyBazaar, WeCash, Zurich, OneDegree, Dinghy, Vouch Insurance, Laka, Cleo, Ernit, Monzo, Moneybox, Bud, Tandem, Starling, Varo Money, Square, ING, Chase, AmEx, Amazon, Monese, Betterment, Tiller Investments, West Hill Capital, Square, Ameritrade, JPMorgan, eToro, Lendy, OnDeck, Ripple, Quorom, Chain, Coinbase, Fidelity, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Bank of America, TransferGo, Klarna, Western Union, Veriff, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Canada, Facebook, ThreatMetrix, Relx, Entersekt, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Gemalto, Lloyd's of London, Kingdom Trust, Aviva, Symbility LINK, eTrade, Allianz, AXA, Broadridge, TD Bank, First Republic Bank, BBVA Compass, Capital One, Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, Ally, Goldman Sachs.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Fintech funding has already reached new highs globally in 2018, with overall funding hitting $32.6 billion at the end of Q3.
• Some new regions, including South America and Africa, are emerging on the fintech scene.
• We've seen considerable scaling in older corners of the fintech ecosystem, including among neobanks and alt lenders.
• Some fintechs, including a number of insurtechs, have dipped into new markets to escape heightened competition.
• Emergent areas like blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT), as well as digital identity, are gaining traction.
• Many incumbents are undertaking business transformations that aim to reimagine everything from products and services to front-end systems and back-end processes.

 In full, the report:

• Details the funding and regulatory landscape in the US, Europe, and Asia.
• Gives an overview into a number of fintech segments and how they've changed over the past year.
• Discusses how incumbents are reacting to fintechs in order to stay relevant in the changing financial services sector.
• Evaluates what the future of fintech will look like and what trends to look out for in the coming year.
  

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SEE ALSO: How the largest US financial institutions rank on offering the mobile banking features customers value most

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• Rapper Cardi B has some thoughts about the partial government shutdown — now in its 26th day, and currently the longest in modern history— and she's taking President Donald Trump to task over his proposed US-Mexico border wall.
• In an Instagram post published Wednesday night, the rapper expressed sympathy for the federal government workers who have to work without pay while the shutdown continues.
• "But this sh-t is really f---ing serious bro, this sh-t is crazy. Our country is in a hellhole right now all for a f---ing wall."
• "And I really feel bad for these people who have to go to f---ing work to not get f---ing paid."

Cardi B has some thoughts about the partial government shutdown — now in its 26th day, and currently the longest in modern history— and she's taking President Donald Trump to task over his proposed US-Mexico border wall.

In an Instagram post published Wednesday night, the rapper expressed sympathy for the federal government workers who have to work without pay, while the shutdown continues.

"But this sh-t is really f---ing serious bro," she said. "This sh-t is crazy. Like, our country is in a hellhole right now all for a f---ing wall."

The post comes after she slammed Trump during on Instagram live this week, saying he "promised these motherf---ers something that you know you couldn't do," in reference to the repeated promises Trump made to voters before and after the election that he would build a border wall and Mexico would pay for it.

"Even if motherf---ers build the wall, that's still not going to f---ing prevent people coming into this country," she said.

Trump's proposed wall is at the crux of the current government shutdown. In December, after signalling that he would sign a stopgap measure to keep the government funded until February 8, he caved to pressure from some in his base and said he would not sign any bill that doesn't provide $5.7 billion for a border wall.

There was not enough support for the wall in the Senate (60 votes were needed), and so starting on December 22, a partial government shutdown began, impacting roughly 800,000 federal workers. Of those, around 420,000 are considered essential and must work without pay.

More federal workers are being brought back without pay, including workers to help with loans for farmers from the US Department of Agriculture, and IRS workers to prepare for the tax filing season (which Cardi B alludes to in her post).

The US economy is suffering due to the shutdown, as are national parks, airports, and immigration courts.

And it's not surprisng that the "Bodack Yellow" and "I Like It" rapper is weighing in. Cardi B loves government, as she explained in a 2018 profile for GQ, explaining to writer Caity Weaver how President Franklin Delano Roosevelt started Social Security and helped the US out of the Depression. (She also says she used to be able to list all the presidents in order.)

"I love government," she said. "I'm obsessed with presidents. I'm obsessed to know how the system works."

Cardi B has also been critical of the president before, calling him a "madman." This time, however, she says he's just trying to be "cool."

"Trump is like a clout chaser," she said. "He's like one of these new rap artists — they follow, they do the most for clout. And Trump wants that."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is 35 — here's how he became one of the world's scariest dictators

The smartphone is an essential part of our everyday lives.

But as with all technology, things change. So the question becomes: What will be the next smartphone?

Will it be the connected car? Or the smart speaker? What about the smartwatch?

Find out which device, if any, will take over the smartphone's role with this brand new slide deck from Business Insider Intelligence called The Next Smartphone.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Smartphones are the fastest adopted tech in the U.S.
• Whichever device becomes the next smartphone needs to go everywhere
• Consumer expectations around the smartphone are changing
• And much more

To get your copy of this FREE slide deck, simply click here.

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• Rudy Giuliani left open the possibility that aides who worked on President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign could have colluded with Russian operatives, a matter now being investigated by the special counsel Robert Mueller.
• Giuliani has repeatedly insisted that Trump himself did not collude with the Russians, but said he could not speak for anyone else on the campaign.
• "I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign ... I have not," Giuliani said in an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night.
• Trump has also claimed he never colluded with Russia, but his statements and actions — both as a candidate and as president have been scrutinized as part of Mueller's investigation.

Rudy Giuliani left open the possibility that aides who worked on President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign could have colluded with Russian operatives, a matter now being investigated by the special counsel Robert Mueller's office.

"I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign ... I have not," Giuliani said in an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night.

Giuliani has repeatedly insisted that Trump himself did not collude with the Russians, but said he could not speak for anyone else on the campaign. Trump has also claimed he never colluded with Russia, frequently declaring as much in tweets and during public appearances.

But his statements and actions, both as a candidate and as president, are reportedly being scrutinized as part of Mueller's investigation. Trump's direct appeal to Russia on July 27, 2016, in which he urged the Kremlin to find Hillary Clinton's emails is one example, as is his behavior with the Russian delegation that visited the Oval Office in May 2017, days after the he fired FBI Director James Comey.

A report from The Washington Post published shortly after the meeting, which cited current and former US officials, said Trump revealed classified information to the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and then-Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. The Post's reporting indicated Trump's disclosures "jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State."

The New York Times last week reported the FBI previously opened investigations on Trump out of concern he might have been personally compromised by Russia or knowingly working as a Russian agent. The president rejected that assertion on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Mueller dropped an intriguing hint about where the Russia probe is headed in a new court filing

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

• Technology platform Swarm announced a new pricing model that requires no-upfront fees for groups looking to issue security tokens, digital securities backed by real-world assets.
• It may be a game changer for young companies looking to raise money via the model, which until now has fees as high as $200,000. 

Everyone wants to invest in private equity, that is, without the high expense. 

There's a new way to do just that, and it's now even more affordable. 

Swarm, a technology platform that creates digital tokens for real-world assets, announced a new pricing model that requires no up-front fees from groups looking to issue security tokens.

Security token offerings (STOs) offer partial ownership of assets such as buildings, businesses or hedge funds. Not to be confused with initial coin offerings, which rose in popularity in 2017 before drawing a wave of subpoenas from regulators in 2018, STOs have garnered increased attention over the past year as an alternative investment method. The digital securities have stricter regulatory oversight and are tied to actual assets.

STOs serve multiple purposes. They offer a way to create a liquid market for assets traditionally difficult to trade, such as real estate. They can also serve as an alternative funding avenue for a startup rather than traditional methods like venture capital. And they offer the ability for small investors to gain access to traditionally exclusive investments like private equity or hedge funds. 

Despite STOs increased popularity, Swarm chief operating officer Chris Eberle told Business Insider the fees associated with initially tokenizing assets could be as high as $200,000, he said. This has curbed the number of companies that may look to raise money via this model. 

“The models that these various players, ourselves included, were looking at put up a bunch of barriers to people actually getting involved,” Eberle said. "Either in terms of cost, efficiency and scalability, or both."

Swarm has been weighing different pricing plans since launching the platform in January 2018. Eberle said the company chose to not charge the initial funds it set up in order to move fast and learn as it built. 

Last year roughly 20 security tokens were issued in the industry globally, according to Eberle. That's a minuscule amount compared to the ICO market, which launched 1,075 coins in 2018, according to ICO listing portal CoinSchedule.  

Swarm specializes in tokenizing assets into digital securities. Other players in the space include Polymath, Securitize and Harbor, which is backed by investor Andreessen Horowitz and launched a token for a luxury student-housing complex near the University of South Carolina late last year.

Under Swarm’s no-fee model, STOs aren’t required to provide any money upfront. Instead, the issuer of the STO sets a funding goal that needs to be reached before issuance begins. Once that's achieved, the issuer takes a stake of between .5%-1% of what it raised in Swarm’s own utility token, SWM, with a minimum amount of $10,000 and a maximum of $250,000. By taking a stake in Swarm's token, Eberle said issuers are essentially investing in the technology and ecosystem backing their digital security.

The issuers’ SWM tokens are secured and held for the lifespan of its digital security, after which the entire stake is returned to the issuer. The stake of SWM also generates money for the issuer every month that can be collected. 

Eberle compared the process to putting money in a savings account while still being able to withdraw the interest the deposit generates.

As for Swarm, the infrastructure provider will make money off the trading fees created from trading the security tokens in the secondary market. Swarm is currently partnered with OpenFinance, a US-regulated trading platform for digital assets.

"Pushing the value transfer into the transfer/transaction of digital securities pushes us to access and liquidity for everyone faster, and sets the stage for everyone in the ecosystem to be incentivized to deliver value," Eberle said.

Swarm has already tested the new model, completing one successful issuance. TheArtToken, a digital security backed by a portfolio of art, surpassed its minimum funding goal of $16 million.

Eberle said 12 other issuers are planning to launch or relaunch a security token under the new model for a variety of assets, including shares of a soccer club, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and a distressed real estate fund.

To be sure, the market for security tokens is in the early stages, and there's no guarantee of their success. Trading venues are still being established as they go through the necessary regulatory requirements in order to allow the trading of securities on their platform. 

But Eberle is optimistic of the potential of the market, and the impact a no-fee issuance can have to push the industry forward.

“We think there is a ton of value in legitimate assets being brought to market,” Eberle said. “It doesn't make the entire process free. There are still barriers. The largest ones are legal. We just dramatically reduce the friction from bringing these things to market.”

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In an increasingly digitized world, brick-and-mortar retailers are facing immense pressure to understand and accommodate their customers’ changing needs, including at the point of sale (POS). 

More than two years after the EMV liability shift in October 2015, most large merchants globally have upgraded their payment systems. And beyond upgrading to meet new standards, many major retailers are adopting full-feature, “smart” devices — and supplementing them with valuable tools and services — to help them better engage customers and build loyalty.

But POS solutions aren’t “one size fits all.” Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) don't usually have the same capabilities as larger merchants, which often have the resources and funds to adopt robust solutions or develop them in-house. That's where app marketplaces come in: POS app marketplaces are platforms, typically deployed by POS providers, where developers can host third-party business apps that offer back-office services, like accounting and inventory, and customer-retention tools, like loyalty programs and coupons.

SMBs' growing needs present a huge opportunity for POS terminal providers, software providers, and resellers. The US counts roughly 8 million SMBs, or 99.7% of all businesses. Until now, constraints such as time and budget have made it difficult for SMBs to implement value-added services that meet their unique needs. But app marketplaces enable providers to cater to SMBs with specialized solutions. 

App marketplaces also alleviate some of the issues associated with the overcrowded payments space. Relatively new players that have effectively leveraged the rise of the digital economy, like mPOS firm Square, are increasingly encroaching on the payments industry, putting pricing pressure on payment hardware and service giants. This has diminished client loyalty as merchants seek out the most affordable solution, and it's resulted in lost revenue for providers. However, app marketplaces can be used as tools not only to build client loyalty, but also as a revenue booster — Verifone, for instance, charges developers 30% of net revenue for each installed app and a distribution fee for each free app.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence looks at the drivers of POS app marketplaces and the legacy and challenger firms that are supplying them. The report also highlights the strategies these providers are employing, and the ways that they can capitalize on the emergence of this new market. Finally, it looks to the future of POS app marketplaces, and how they may evolve moving forward.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• SMBs are a massive force in the US, which makes understanding their needs a necessity for POS terminal providers, software providers, and resellers — the US counts roughly 8 million SMBs, or 99.7% of all businesses.
• The entrance of new challengers into the payment space has put pricing pressure on the entire industry, forcing all of the players in the industry to find new solutions to keep customers loyal while also gaining a new revenue source.
• Major firms in the industry, like Verifone and Ingenico, have turned to value-added services, specifically app marketplaces, to not only build loyalty but also giving them a new revenue source — Verifone charges developers 30% of net revenue for each installed app and a distribution fee for each free app.
• According to a recent survey by Intuit, 68% of SMBs stated that they use an average of four apps to run their businesses. As developers flock to the space to grab a piece of the pie, it's likely that increased competition will lead to robust, revenue-generating marketplaces.
• And there are plenty of opportunities to build out app marketplace capabilities, such as in-person training, to further engage with users — 66% of app users would hire someone to train and educate them on which apps are right for their businesses. 

In full, the report:

• Identifies the factors that have changed how SMBs are choosing payment providers.  
• Discusses why firms in the payments industry have started to introduce app marketplaces over the last four years.
• Analyzes some of the most popular app marketplaces in the industry and identifies the strengths of each.
• Breaks down the concerns merchants have relating to app marketplaces, and discusses how providers can solve these issues.
• Explores what app marketplace providers will have to do going forward in order to avoid being outperformed in an industry that's becoming increasingly saturated. 

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• Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney has been undoing some of the constraints his predecessor, John Kelly, had placed on people's access to President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times report.
• Mulvaney reportedly told the staffers he did not intend to mimic Kelly's leadership style. The four-star general had attempted to curb the freewheeling access people had to Trump when he served in the role.
• With Mulvaney at the helm, staff members were reportedly welcomed to meetings in the Oval Office, and received lectures on different management approaches from previous presidential administrations.
• Mulvaney was also establishing warmer ties with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, The Times said, citing what it called their "special status" as Trump's family.

Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney has reportedly been undoing some of the constraints that his predecessor, John Kelly, had placed on people's access to President Donald Trump.

Mulvaney, who took the reins after Kelly was fired in mid-December, has taken a new leadership approach with White House staffers, according to a New York Times report published Wednesday.

Mulvaney reportedly told the staffers he did not intend to mimic Kelly's leadership style. The four-star general had attempted to curb the freewheeling access people had to Trump when he served in the role.

"You're all adults," Mulvaney said to White House staffers, one official who was present at a meeting told The Times. "You all have relationships with him."

With Mulvaney at the helm, staff members were welcomed to meetings in the Oval Office, and received lectures on different management approaches from previous presidential administrations, The Times reported. Mulvaney reportedly told his staff that he should not be required to constantly be in the same room as Trump, and that he did not need to approve of every issue that came across his desk.

Mulvaney's approach to the job contrasts to that of Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, who sought to filter the people and information in Trump's orbit. Numerous clashes with members of Trump's own family — including First Lady Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner — were believed to have caused a rift in Kelly's relationship with the Trumps and helped hasten his departure.

Mulvaney was also establishing warmer ties with Kushner and Ivanka, whose rising influence in the White House reportedly led some Trump aides to believe his chief of staff title was just a formality.

Over a year after replacing former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, Kelly and his efforts to bring order to the West Wing appear to be in vain. Trump's opinion of Kelly reportedly soured during his tenure, particularly as Kelly tried to temper Trump's impulses and allegedly called him an "idiot."

Kelly denied he had described the president in a disparaging way, and called the allegations "total BS."

SEE ALSO: 'They've got more video tapes': Trump's newest chief of staff once feared there could be more bombshell 'Hollywood Access'-style recordings of Trump

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

• "Becoming" has been no. 1 on Amazon's best-seller list virtually since its release and has stayed there longer than any other book since 2012's "Fifty Shades of Grey."
• Only released in November, the book is already among the "hottest titles of the decade," according to Amazon and CNN.

It seems you can cast aside the old publishing mantra "sex sells," because according to Amazon"Becoming" is better.

The memoir by former First Lady Michelle Obama "Becoming" has already assumed its mantle among the "hottest titles of the decade,"according to CNN Business.

And its only been on the market for 65 days. 

In fact,the former first lady's tome was the"most sold on Amazon across all formats for 47 consecutive days," according to Amazon Charts. One would have to wind back the clock to 2012, when "Fifty Shades of Grey" held Amazon's no. 1 position, to find a similar streak.

"Becoming," released on November 13 to great excitement (and the holiday-season sales), explores Obama's childhood in Chicago, racism in public life, her early marriage struggles with husband and former President Barack Obama, and her experiences after becoming the country's first black first lady.

According to what Amazon told CNN, "Becoming""consistently held the no. 1 spot on its weekly Most Sold and Most Read nonfiction lists since the book was released."The memoir also holds the all-time record for weeks in the top spot for a memoir by a political or public figure, according to data the company provided to CNN Business.

And considering the avalanche of political memoirs, tell-alls, and autobiographical encyclopedias describing public life within the current US administration, Obama's achievement is all the more notable. No Trump-related books topped Obama's record.

According to Amazon, Obama momentarily lost the top spot on day 47, but returned a few hours afterwards. As of publishing, Obama was on the top of the Amazon Best Sellers list, with Marie Kondō and Rachel Hollis close behind.

Penguin Random House, which reportedly paid $65 million to acquire the rights to both of the the Obama's memoirs, said "Becoming" sold more than 1.4 million copies in its first week and has since ranked no. 1 on the New York Times' nonfiction best seller list, for combined print and e-books, for nine straight weeks.

SEE ALSO: Michelle Obama's new memoir was one of Amazon's best-selling items on Cyber Monday. Here are 25 things we learned from 'Becoming.'

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence. Current subscribers can read the report here.

As streaming becomes an increasingly mainstream behavior among consumers, the video industry has produced new combinations of streaming video programming services to prepare for the progressive overhaul in how media is distributed.

These streaming bundles have emerged in response to the problems of media fragmentation, cord-cutting, and high consumer costs. Declining usage of traditional TV across every demographic, particularly among young viewers, has also demanded new solutions to the traditional distribution model that is pay-TV.

Although streaming media bundles are still evolving, four distinct models have emerged:

• Skinny bundles — Cheaper, streaming versions of the traditional pay-TV bundle, but with fewer channels.
• SVOD aggregators — Facilitate a la carte sign-ups to third-party streaming services through a central user portal. The primary example so far is Amazon Channels, Amazon's SVOD partner program. 
• SVOD integrations — SVOD services like Netflix that bring their offerings to a traditional operator's service.
• Streaming service partnerships — Combine one or more streaming services under a single offering, at a lower cost than the total price separately.

In the SVOD Bundling Report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the state of the US video ecosystem and how media companies are refining their distribution strategies to meet the changing needs of consumers. The report situates each of the four bundle model types within the overall SVOD market, and investigates the overarching advantages and challenges each faces. Finally, we predict how player dynamics might transform and adapt, outlining best practices for providers to succeed within the new TV landscape.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• SVOD bundles partake in a growing SVOD market in the US. Business Insider Intelligence estimates that the SVOD market totals $13.6 billion in 2018, primarily driven by uptake on services from SVOD giants Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. 
• Streaming video accessed on over-the-top (OTT) platforms is going mainstream, while consumers — particularly younger viewers — are reducing usage on live, linear TV. Traditional TV usage among viewers ages 18-24 has dropped 48% since 2011, 35% among 25-34 year olds, and 18% in the 35-49 demographic. 
• Skinny bundle services are growing in popularity, with 7.2 million subscribers in the US, but they suffer fundamental financial sustainability problems. 
• Distributors with at-scale platforms and powerful back-end tech can capitalize on the growing consumer demand for content consolidation among consumers. Faced with a fragmented and expanding universe of content options, more than two-thirds of consumers say they would prefer to get all their services from a single source, per Hub Entertainment Research. 
• Winners in the bundling shakeout will have prioritized internet-connected tech, an effective user experience, reasonable pricing, and content diversity. 

In full, the report:

• Identifies the four SVOD model types that have emerged as alternatives or supplements to traditional distribution.
• Investigates the top advantages and challenges of each model type.
• Outlines strategies that players across media and distribution companies can use to address business or market challenges.
• Explores how the dynamics of each model type will evolve as services converge under new bundled offerings.

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Hello! Here's everything you need to know on Thursday, January 17.

1. Apple has flagged a drop-off in employment opportunities for some "groups."It's not a hiring freeze, but collapsing iPhone sales have led CEO Tim Cook to warn of a looming squeeze for "certain groups."

2. The Feds have arrested a man accused of plotting terror attacks. The 21-year-old from Georgia was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly planning strikes on the White House and other government buildings.

3. Investors have been greenlit to subpoena Azealia Banks and Grimes in lawsuit against Elon Musk and Tesla. The court granted the motion in a lawsuit centering on Musk's"funding secured" tweet.

4. Special counsel Robert Mueller is sparking more palace intrigue with a fresh court filing. Did the special counsel just drop a new lead about the direction of his Russia probe?

5. "#WheresMitch?":Freshman Democrats led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez want Mitch McConnell to come and front criticism for the government shutdown.

6. And in another stinging blow to the Chinese tech-giant, Huawei faces new allegations that it stole trade secrets from US companies.A criminal investigation has been opened.

7. British Prime Minister Theresa May has again come through a no-confidence vote. But her premiership is pretty far from unscathed.

8. The current State of this Union?Whenever and wherever it will be, the iconic and now controversial presidential address holds little hope of a solution for the president's self-imposed government shutdown.

9. A Texas man allegedly paid for deep-tissue massages and nightclub dances using campaign donations meant for Trump, Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. The man from Austin funneled the cash for his own extravagant uses, prosecutors allege.

10. A brutal Ann Coulter has really doubled down on pressuring the US president: She said Trump's presidency will be "dead, dead, dead" if he doesn't build that wall.

And finally ...

It can often be no pleasure cruise, the life of a teacher... so here are some of the best and the worst places planetwide for guiding young minds.

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NOW WATCH: China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy

• The Internet of Things is fueling the data-based economy and bridging the divide between physical and digital worlds.
• Consumers, companies, and governments will install more than 40 billion IoT devices worldwide through 2023.
• The next five years will mark a pivotal transformation in how companies and jurisdictions operate, and how consumers live.

Being successful in the digital age doesn’t just require knowing the latest buzzwords; it means identifying the transformational trends – and where they’re heading – before they ever heat up.

Take the Internet of Things (IoT), for example, which now receives not only daily tech news coverage with each new device launch, but also hefty investments from global organizations ushering in worldwide adoption. By 2023, consumers, companies, and governments will install more than 40 billion IoT devices globally. And it’s not just the ones you hear about all the time, like smart speakers and connected cars.

To successfully navigate this changing landscape, individuals and organizations must understand the full extent and functionality of the “Things” included in this network, the key drivers of each market segment, and how it all relates to the work they do every day.

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has forecasted the start of the IoT’s global proliferation in The IoT Forecast Book 2018— and the next five years will be transformational for consumers, enterprises, and governments.

• Consumer IoT: In the US alone, the number of smart home devices is estimated to surpass 1 billion by 2023, with consumers dishing out about $725 per household — a total of over $90 billion in spending on IoT solutions.
• Enterprise IoT: Comprising the most mature segment of the IoT, companies will continue pouring billions of dollars into connected devices and automation. By 2023, the total industrial robotic system installed base will approach 6 million worldwide, while annual spending on manufacturing IoT solutions will reach about $450 billion.
• Government IoT: Governments globally are ushering in IoT devices to spur the development of smart cities, which would be equipped with innovations like connected cameras, smart street lights, and connected meters to provide a real-time view of traffic, utilities usage, crime, and environmental factors. Annual investment in this area is expected to reach nearly $900 billion by 2023.

Want to Learn More?

People, companies, and organizations all over the world are racing to adopt the latest IoT solutions and prevent growing pains amidst a technological transformation. The IoT Forecast Book 2018 from Business Insider Intelligence is a detailed three-part slide deck outlining the most important trends impacting consumer, enterprise, and government IoT — and the key drivers propelling each segment forward.

Representing thousands of hours of exhaustive research, our multipart forecast books are considered must-reads by thousands of highly successful business professionals. These informative slide decks are packed with charts and statistics outlining the most influential trends on the leading edge of your industry. Keep them for reference or drop the most valuable data into your own presentations to share with your teams.

Whether you’re newly interested in a topic or you already consider yourself a subject matter expert, The IoT Forecast Book 2018 can provide you with the actionable insights you need to make better decisions.

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• Security forces loyal to Zimbabwe President Emmanuel Mnangagwa have violently suppressed widespread protests triggered by a massive hike in fuel prices.
• Zimbabwe police armed with AK-47 rifles detained more than 600 civilians, including pastors, in a brutal crackdown in the economically devastated nation.
• A doctors' group told the Associated Press it had treated more than 60 gunshot wounds in what it has called a "human-rights crisis."
• It is the worst violence since August when Mnangagwa was elected.
• Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said that ZANU PF "thugs" earlier attacked and firebombed, Morgan Tsvangirai House, the party's headquarters in Harare.

Across an economically broken Zimbabwe, AK-47-wielding security forces have been rounding up activists, detaining religious leaders and 'abducting' others amid a fierce crackdown following widespread popular unrest, the Associated Press has reported.

Sparked over the weekend by stunning fuel price hikes, a doctors' group told the AP it has treated dozens of gunshot wounds in a "human-rights crisis."

State security minister Owen Ncube confirmed the arrests on state media and praised security forces for "standing firm" in the face of the deadliest violence since President Emmerson Mnangagwa led his nation's first election without the man who ruled for 38 years, unopposed.

Robert Mugabe — the freedom fighter who became prime minister in 1980 and president in 1987 was deposed in 2017 and the former southern African economic powerhouse had reason to be optimistic.

Then, on the weekend, five months after his election, Mnangagwa imposed a near 140% hike in gas prices and the urban centers from Harare to Bulawayo erupted in protest.

Since then, there has been more than 600 arrests, the AP reports.

But instead of alleviating the stagnant queues of drivers waiting to refuel, the move sparked an almost immediate backlash amid a severe shortage of dollars and daily supplies while devastating inflation hit 31% in November, the highest since 2008.

Soldiers loyal to Mnangagwa conducted a house-to-house search while violently suppressing civilians who have taken to the streets, The Financial Times reported.

Suspected Zanu PF followers attacked Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change, headquarters, the Morgan Tsvangirai House, in Harare according to Jacob Mafume MDC National Spokesperson.

"Typical Zanu PF DNA in arson, theft and thuggery," he said.

Just 24 hours later, government forces entered homes in the capital city Harare using an illegal internet shutdown as cover.

Backlash

The death toll remains uncertain. Amnesty International reports eight people were killed on Monday when police and military fired into crowds, but Zimbabwe's government offered conflicting death-toll numbers.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa blames the opposition, AP reports, equating the protests with terrorism.

Many were wounded in the ensuing violence as simmering discontent over Zimbabwe's unyielding economic troubles exploded on Tuesday into spontaneous mass demonstrations.

The sudden spike to more than $3 per-litre for fuel would scare people at the best of times. At its worst, it has curdled into frustration as the nations troubled history with currency flared into a new crisis with old results: shortages, unrest and violence.

Security forces clamp down hard on the unrest

Police fired tear gas and shot live rounds into the crowds of protesters in Harare as opposition organizations called for a three-day national shutdown.

In scenes reminiscent of the unrest that shook Zimbabwe in July, businesses were looted and dozens were injured in the ensuing violence.

Harare was a smoking, deserted city a day after the spreading unrest was curtailed by waves of security forces.

Agence France Presse reporters in Harare described shops closed, minibus services that take Harare's workers to and from the outer suburbs as nowhere to be seen, and a dearth of common essentials from bread to medicine.

The Financial Times reported Mnangagwa is in Russia, seeking loans before a visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Associated Press says the hardline former general and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is leading the government in Mnangagwa's absence.

Just five months ago, Zimbabweans were full of expectation, if not hope. Mnangagwa’s succession over Mugabe was supposed to usher in a new Zimbabwe — far from the economic masochism that marked Mugabe and Zimbabwe's economic decline.

Then as the opposition had its Harare headquarters firebombed on Tuesday, Chiwenga unleashed his security forces.

Hundreds have been arrested

On Tuesday, Zimbabwe had no internet access anywhere. Social media, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and other communication services were all remotely blacked out.

According to The Media Institute of Southern Africa-Zimbabwe, a Harare-based nonprofit, an SMS was sent Tuesday, from the Minister of State in the President's Office for National Security issuing a warrant ordering the suspension of all internet services in Zimbabwe.

US Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a joint statement on Wednesday they were "deeply troubled" by the events, adding this is not what the people of Zimbabwe were promised under Mnangagwa.

Pastor Evan Mawarire became a national hero amid the anti-government protests in 2016 that cut short the Mugabe regime.

Pastor Mawarire is taken away

The religious leader, dressed in yellow, was still clutching his tattered personal Bible when security forces bundled him into the back of a car on Wednesday.

With crippling shortages of US dollars, Zimbabwe's benchmark currency, the African nation remains a victim of corruption, weak governance, black-market trading, stagnant wages and what Chris Mutsvangwa, a one-time backer of the president calls "oligopoly politics."

"This kind of life is unbearable, we have soldiers at fuel queues and now soldiers again are controlling the bread queue," one man told the Associated Press. "Are we at war?"

SEE ALSO: Explainer: The latest cash crunch behind Zimbabwe's protests

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NOW WATCH: Inside the Coast Guard's 8-week boot camp where recruits go through extreme physical tests and brutal 'smoke sessions'

• Cristiano Ronaldo just scored a winning header after a run that was timed so well, it could have been flagged for offside had he accelerated any sooner.
• Ronaldo's goal was the only one in Wednesday's game, as Juventus FC beat AC Milan 1-0 to lift the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia.
• The victory yielded Ronaldo his first trophy as a Juventus player, but the odds are it won't be his last.
• Read all of Business Insider's soccer coverage right here.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 61st minute goal was enough to settle Wednesday's Supercoppa Italiana against AC Milan, winning the striker the first Italian trophy of his career.

The Italian Super Cup, a single-game tournament, pits the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia from the previous season against each other.

As Juventus won both tournaments, the 2018 Coppa Italia runner-up, Milan, stepped-in to complete this week's fixture at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The match itself was rather poor, void of any real moments aside from one — Ronaldo's. Midway through the second half the Portuguese athlete capitalized on Miralem Pjanić's lazered pass over the top of Milan's defence and into the six-yard box.

Ronaldo, hovering just inside the penalty box, timed his run to perfection as he evaded his man marker, leaped into the air, and powered a header into the goal — 1-0.

Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo hinted he may not even end his career at Juventus

Here's a breakdown of the goal:

Watch the goal here:

Or here…

Had Ronaldo accelerated a moment sooner, his run would no doubt have been flagged offside. But, alas, it wasn't, his goal was allowed, and it was the only goal of the game.

The victory yielded Ronaldo his first trophy as a Juventus player, but with the club contesting a Coppa Italia quarter-final later this month, and sitting comfortably atop the Serie A with a seven point lead, the chances are it won't be his last.

SEE ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo denies claim from woman who says she is his ex-girlfriend that he's a psychopath and a liar

DON'T MISS: The 37 most valuable soccer players in Europe, who are all worth more than $100 million

UP NEXT: Cristiano Ronaldo hinted he may not end his career at Juventus

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NOW WATCH: Saturn is officially losing its rings — and they're disappearing much faster than scientists had anticipated