• All over the world, there are some very unique buildings that have been abandoned and left in ruins. 
• In North Korea, there is a 107-story, pyramid-shaped hotel that has never been opened to the public — despite its central location. 
• In Turkey, there is a completely abandoned community of 300 miniature castles that were meant for the wealthy. 

Not every business move is the smartest decision, especially when it comes to real estate.

All over the world, people have built truly wild homes, hotels, and resorts that are no longer in use and now abandoned. Whether it be for economic, financial, or unexplained reasons, these truly bizarre places have now become dilapidated monuments that hint at their former, unique selves. 

Keep reading to see some of the best out-of-the-box structures left in ruins. 

SEE ALSO: 10 abandoned mansions around the world that likely used to be worth millions

The Sutyagin House is often considered one of the tallest wooden houses in the world.

Entrepreneur Nikolai Petrovich Sutyagin started building the large wooden home in 1992, and it reached 144 feet with 13 stories. It took over 15 years to build the structure in Arkhangelsk, Russia. At its completion, some called it the "eighth wonder of the world."

Sutyagin said the impressive height of the house was a "happy accident."

“First I added three floors but then the house looked ungainly, like a mushroom,” Sutyagin told the Daily Telegraph in an interview. “So I added another and it still didn’t look right so I kept going. What you see today is a happy accident.”

When Sutyagin was in prison for racketeering, the house remained abandoned and began to fall apart.

While the house was abandoned for years, it was eventually deemed a fire risk. Parts of the home were taken down in 2009 to reduce the risk. However, what was left was actually destroyed in a fire in 2012. 

• President Trump declared a national emergency on February 15, 2019. This gives him special powers, which he says will help him fund a wall along the US-Mexico border.
• The President can declare a national emergency if the nation is "threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances," according to the Congressional Research Service. 
• This would be the 32nd active national emergency in the US, since the National Emergencies Act was enacted in 1976.

Following is a transcript of the video.

President Trump declared a national emergency on February 15, 2019.

Trump:"We're going to be signing… today… and registering… national emergency… and it's a great thing to do."

This gives Trump special powers, which he says will help him fund a wall along the US-Mexico border.

This would be the 32nd active national emergency in the US.

But what is a national emergency and how does it give the President more power?

The National Emergencies Act was enacted in 1976.

It empowers the President to take on special, temporary powers during a crisis.

The President can declare a national emergency if the nation is "threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances."

Declaring a national emergency isn't limited to military or war situations.

The President must make a formal declaration and specify what authority will be used.

For example, Trump plans to allocate military programming money to fund construction for a border wall.

Once the President declares a national emergency, many legal limits on his authority are lifted.

The President has 136 emergency powers, delegated by Congress…

13 of those require a declaration from Congress, but the rest do not require Congressional input.

Some of these powers allow the President to…

• Seize property  
• Assign military forces abroad
• Institute martial law
• Restrict travel
• And, in a variety of ways, control the lives of American citizens.

But there are still limits….

Both Congress and the Supreme Court may modify, limit, or revoke the President's special powers, specifically if they deem his actions unconstitutional.

Trump's recent national emergency declaration is expected to face major hurdles from Congress and the courts (BI)

National emergencies expire after a year, unless the President renews them by notifying Congress. Congress is also required to meet every six months to review each active state of emergency.

Other presidents who have declared national emergency…

The oldest national emergency still active today was declared by Jimmy Carter in November 1979.

He ordered all government property from Iran to be blocked from entering the US.

In September 2001, George W. Bush declared a national emergency against terrorism after the 9/11 attacks. This allowed him and succeeding presidents broad military powers.

In April 2015, Barack Obama declared a national emergency to block malicious cyber-threats from entering the US. 

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• Gas prices are always a hot button issue.
• With help from the INSIDER Data team, we found data from the US Energy Information Administration that shows the average amount a person spends on gas in every state, using data from 2016.
• States that are spread out or rural, like Wyoming and Maine, spent over $1,300 on average, while more urban states like New York spent less.

Who hasn't complained that the price of gas is just too much? Or that you feel like you're constantly filling up your tank?

The US Energy Information Administration calculated how much, on average, a resident in every state spends on gas every year.

Read more:A new AAA study reveals why you shouldn't buy premium gas

To help put this information into context, we created a map to visualize the data.

Maine residents spend an average of $1,343 — more than double the $623 that New York residents spend. Perhaps because the prevalence of public transportation in New York City means New Yorkers spend less time in their own cars?

Whatever the reason, urban spots like NYC or DC — or geographically small states, like Rhode Island — are your best bet if you're looking to cut back on your gas spending.

FOLLOW US: Business Insider is on Facebook

SEE ALSO: America's love for SUVs caught US carmakers off guard. Now, overcapacity is looking eerily similar to the era before the auto bailout

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NOW WATCH: What it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time

• Several 2014 remarks from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence resurfaced on Friday in the wake of Trump's national emergency declaration to secure funding for his border wall.
• One tweet criticized former President Barack Obama for taking executive action to protect unauthorized immigrants. Trump accused Obama of being "unable to negotiate w/ Congress."
• A number of critics called their past remarks hypocritical, since the Trump administration is now similarly bypassing Congress by taking executive action.

Critics accused President Donald Trump of hypocrisy on Friday, after a newly resurfaced tweet showed that he criticized former President Barack Obama for taking executive action after he was "unable to negotiate w/ Congress."

In 2014, after Obama signed the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program to protect the unauthorized immigrant parents of US-born children, Trump tweeted that Republicans "must not allow President Obama to subvert the Constitution of the US for his own benefit."

Read more: Trump says he 'didn't need to' declare national emergency but wants to get the border wall 'done faster'

Trump also vented at length on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" about Obama's move, calling it "unconstitutional" and potentially impeachable. CNN's KFile first reported on the footage on Friday.

"Now he has to use executive action and this is a very, very dangerous thing that should be overwritten easily by the Supreme Court," Trump said. "So we're looking now at a situation, it should absolutely not pass muster in terms of constitutionality, but it depends on what these justices do."

The 2014 remarks took on a new meaning on Friday, after Trump himself took executive action and declared a national emergency so he could bypass Congress and secure funding for his border wall.

'Overturn immigration law with the stroke of a pen'

The declaration came after months of negotiations with Congress, and even a 35-day government shutdown.

Yet Democrats refused to yield on the wall funding, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers ultimately produced a spending bill that fell far short of providing the $5.7 billion Trump had demanded.

Instead, the bill offered $1.375 billion for new fencing, and stipulated that the fencing had to use existing designs, and couldn't use concrete or any of Trump's prototype designs.

Eager to avoid another shutdown, Trump signed the bill on Friday and declared the national emergency. Senior administration officials told reporters in a conference call that Trump would take $6 billion from Title 10 funding and $600 million from the Treasury's forfeiture fund.

Already, the declaration has prompted at least one lawsuit.

Trump's old comments weren't the only ones to resurface on Friday. Vice President Mike Pence was also criticized for his previous comments on Obama's 2014 executive action.

Read more: Trump will declare a national emergency to build his border wall. Here's what could happen next.

C-SPAN footage tweeted by the Republican strategist Bill Kristol showed Pence, who was then the governor of Indiana, urging Obama to work with Republican lawmakers to find "genuine common ground" rather than taking executive action to bypass Congress.

"I think it would be a profound mistake for the President of the United States to overturn immigration law with the stroke of a pen. Issues of this magnitude should always be resolved with the consent of the governed," Pence said. "Signing an executive order, giving a speech, barnstorming around the country defending that executive order is not leadership."

• Read more:
• Here's the full text of Trump's national emergency declaration to build his border wall
• The Trump administration is already being sued 4 hours after the president's emergency declaration
• Trump praises several conservative media pundits during emergency declaration speech in Rose Garden
• Nancy Pelosi slams Trump's plan to declare a national emergency to fund the border wall, argues that he should declare one on gun violence instead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch President Trump announce deal to end the government shutdown for 3 weeks

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.

The voice app ecosystem is booming. In the US, the number of Alexa skills alone surpassed 25,000 in January 2018, up from just 7,000 the previous January, in categories ranging from music streaming services, to games, to connected home tools.

As voice platforms continue to gain footing in homes via smart speakers — connected devices powered primarily by artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled voice assistants — the opportunity for voice apps is becoming more profound. However, as observed with the rise of mobile apps in the late 2000s, any new digital ecosystem will face significant growing pains, and voice apps are no exception. Thanks to the visual-free format of voice apps, discoverability, monetization, and retention are proving particularly problematic in this nascent space. This is creating a problem in the voice assistant market that could hinder greater uptake if not addressed.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, explores the two major viable voice app stores. It identifies the three big issues voice apps are facing — discoverability, monetization, and retention — and presents possible short-term solutions ahead of industry-wide fixes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• The market for smart speakers and voice platforms is expanding rapidly. The installed base of smart speakers and the volume of voice apps that can be accessed on them each saw significant gains in 2017. But the new format and the emerging voice ecosystems that are making their way into smart speaker-equipped homes is so far failing to align with consumer needs. 
• Voice app development is a virtuous cycle with several broken components. The addressable consumer market is expanding, which is prompting more brands and developers to developer voice apps, but the ability to monetize and iterate those voice apps is limited, which could inhibit voice app growth. 
• Monetization is only one broken component of the voice app ecosystem. Discoverability and user retention are equally problematic for voice app development. 
• While the two major voice app ecosystems — Amazon's and Google's — have some Band-Aid solutions and workarounds, their options for improving monetization, discoverability, and retention for voice apps are currently limited.
• There are some strategies that developers and brands can employ in the near term ahead of more robust tools and solutions.

In full, the report:

• Sizes the current voice app ecosystem. 
• Outlines the most pressing problems in voice app development and evolution in the space by examining the three most damning shortcoming: monetization, discoverability, and retention. 
• Discusses the solutions being offered up by today's biggest voice platforms. 
• Presents workaround solutions and alternative approaches that could catalyze development and evolution ahead of wider industry-wide fixes from the platforms.

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• Adventurous couples from all over the world have wed in unique places, like in a hot-air balloon or underwater.
• Others have held their wedding ceremonies at the top of glaciers or inside cold ice chapels.
• Some couples have also tied the knot in unexpected locations, including fast-food chains, art festivals, and amusement parks.
• INSIDER rounded up 27 awe-inspiring photos of unconventional weddings from couples from have thought outside the box.

If you're looking for ways to make your wedding unique, try adding personalized touches in your decor or serving custom edible treats.

Those who are particularly adventurous may also consider tying the knot somewhere unexpected, like at the top of a glacier or inside a chapel made of ice.

Below, we rounded up 27 photos of couples who have turned their weddings into one-of-a-kind experiences, from getting married underwater to saying, "I do," while riding a rollercoaster.

On Valentine's Day in 2011, aquarists Kathryn O'Connor and James Oliver got married while swimming underwater.

The couple wed inside a large tank at the London Aquarium in London, UK, while sea turtles, cownose rays, and various types of fish swam past them.

However, their officiant didn't join them underwater.

Instead, he stood just outside the tank, allowing the couple to read his cue cards which said things like, "You may exchange rings."

The underwater wedding still featured some traditional elements.

Oliver and O'Connor both wore pretty traditional attire. The groom donned a suit, albeit sans blazer, while the bride wore a wedding gown underneath her diving gear.

• Sinemia has emerged as an alternative to a struggling MoviePass in the movie-ticket subscription space.
• But the startup has been plagued with complaints from subscribers, over 150 of whom have contacted Business Insider since November, mainly over sneaky fees.
• Since December, 20 of those Sinemia subscribers have contacted Business Insider to complain about a "misuse fee," which they said had been unfairly applied.
• Some claimed Sinemia's tech was to blame for them missing a check-in in the app, which prompted the misuse fee.
• "There is no glitch in the Sinemia app that prevents any users from checking in at the theater," Sinemia said in a statement.

While MoviePass has struggled — from a new class-action lawsuit by customers, to its parent company getting kicked off the Nasdaq— its competitor Sinemia has also faced a litany of criticisms from subscribers.

Earlier this month, some Sinemia subscribers got upset when the movie-ticket subscription service demanded two forms of ID to verify their accounts. But of the over-150 angry customers who have contacted Business Insider about Sinemia since November, the biggest complaint has been its sneaky fees.

One particular fee that has rankled Sinemia subscribers lately is a “misuse fee,” one of seven ways Sinemia has charged customers.

Here’s how Sinemia previously explained the fee to Business Insider: If users don't check in two hours before or after their show start time, "the full ticket price may be charged to the customer's payment method. Sinemia provides a warning the first time a customer does not check in, and Sinemia does not charge a fee for the first misuse."

That seems reasonable — but only in a world where Sinemia’s tech functions properly.

20 Sinemia subscribers contacted Business Insider complaining that they had been charged misuse fees unfairly, with some claiming glitches in Sinemia’s app prevented them from checking in.

"There is no glitch in the Sinemia app that prevents any users from checking in at the theater," Sinemia said in a statement to Business Insider on Friday. "We've recently updated the app with a smarter map even for rare cases out of our control, so if GPS is weak due to any issues with their own internet connectivity, customers now can see how far they are from the check-in area and can head there to check-in successfully."

Still, some Sinemia subscribers claimed the app hadn't let them check in on occasion.

“I bought an advance ticket this weekend, but when I tried to check in to my movie at the theater, the Sinema app wouldn’t let me,” one person said. “I got an email from them the next day saying because I didn’t check in, my account was locked and I had to pay a $17.50 misuse fee before I could use it again. I replied right away to let them know what happened. They replied fairly quickly back, saying that their reports indicated I hadn’t opened the app since I bought the ticket. I replied again mentioning there must be a fault in their reports because I opened the app several times the day of the movie and the day after. Their last reply says there was no problem on their end, and they’re still holding my account hostage.”

The feeling of having an account held “hostage” was echoed by some other subscribers who complained to Business Insider, since Sinemia does not let customers continue using its service until the “misuse fee” is paid.

Many also said they tried to resolve the issue with customer service but got insufficient help.

“I have been charged misuse fee of $29.99 for not checking in which I tried to check in and wouldn’t let me,” one subscriber said. “I got an email saying I got charged because I didn’t check in. Since then, I emailed them about 30 times regarding the misuse fee and have never got any response back from them. I am very disappointed and don’t know what to do next. I have paid about $300 for the whole year.”

In November, after Sinemia was hit with a class-action lawsuit over a new fee, the company pledged to make big changes, including beefing up customer service.

"Sinemia has increased their customer support team to help address any issues users have and to get answers to them faster," the company said at the time.

But Sinemia subscribers have continued to contact Business Insider since that time, complaining about its lack of adequate customer support. Its rating from the Better Business Bureau has, however, climbed from an F to a C.

"Our user base continues to increase rapidly, and our customer service is growing rapidly to deliver a better customer experience,” Sinemia said in a statement to Business Insider on Friday.

If you have any information about Sinemia, or have a story about your experience with the service, contact the author at nmcalone@businessinsider.com.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: There are serious health reasons why you shouldn't eat your boogers

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• Presidents' Day weekend marks when most big outdoor gear retailers mark down past-season styles to make room for the spring.You can pick up favorites that are rarely on sale for hundreds of dollars off.
• Find a few of the best winter products on sale right now below.
• You can also check out 40 other Presidents' Day weekend sales worth knowing about this weekend.
• For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Insider Coupons.

Presidents' Day weekend, for outdoor gear retailers, is a perfect time to clear the shelves for the spring. And that means  for those attentive enough to be on the lookout, there are plenty of beloved winter classics at pretty incredible discounts.

From Patagonia fleeces to Hydro Flasks to Mountain Hardwear's StretchDown, here are a few of the most highly rated cold weather essentials on sale right now. 

Below are a few you should know about, but you can shop the Presidents' Day weekend sales directly below:

• Shop the Patagonia sale here
• Shop The North Face sale here
• Shop the REI sale here
• Shop the Backcountry sale here

Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket

Patagonia Men's Micro Puff Jacket, $124-$149 (originally $249) [You save $100-$125]

Patagonia Women's Micro Puff Jacket, $124-$149 (originally $249)[You save $100-$125]

The North Face Women's Osito 2 Jacket

The North Face Women's Osito 2 Jacket, $69.30 (originally $99) [You save $29.70]

Patagonia Women's Lightweight Better Sweater Marsupial Fleece Pullover

Patagonia Women's Lightweight Better Sweater Marsupial Fleece Pullover, $71 (originally $119) [You save $48]

The Lightweight Better Sweater Marsupial Pullover has pouch-style pockets to keep your hands toasty. It's Fair Trade-certified sewn and available in three colors.

• On "Business Insider Today" on Facebook Watch, INSIDER CEO Henry Blodget breaks down why Americans would support a wealth tax.
• According to a recent poll, more than 60% of registered voters support the wealth tax proposal put forth by Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.
• Only 75,000 American families would qualify for this tax, but they're so rich that it would generate revenue of an estimated $2.8 trillion over a decade.

A couple of decades ago, it would have been unthinkable.

A “wealth tax”?

It would have sounded deeply un-American.

But now, after 4 decades of tax policies designed to reward investors and owners, America has the greatest wealth inequality since the so-called “Gilded Age” of the 1920s. And the idea of a wealth tax is actually popular!

According to a recent poll, more than 60% of registered voters support the wealth tax proposal put forth by Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.  Just as startling, this support includes half of Republicans!

Warren’s proposal would tax the wealth of only the richest Americans — those with assets of $50 million or more.

These folks would pay a tax of 2% per year on assets between $50 million and $1 billion, and 3% on assets over $1 billion.

Only about 75,000 American families are rich enough to qualify for that. But they’re so rich that the tax would generate revenue of an estimated $2.8 trillion over a decade. That would help reduce our massive government spending deficit.

Of course, billionaires have already denounced the idea. Starbucks billionaire Howard Schultz called it ridiculous. Bloomberg billionaire Mike Bloomberg said it was unconstitutional.

That’s hardly surprising. No one wants to pay more taxes.

But don’t fall for the arguments you’ll hear about how a tax like this would remove the incentive to work.

A 2% tax on assets over $50 million still leaves you with more than 98% of your wealth. And if you’re upset about losing that 2%, you actually have an incentive to work harder to earn it back.

Compared to the tax policies we’ve had for the past few decades, a wealth tax is a radical idea. But our current policies have led us to the situation we’re in now — in which the US economy only works well for the richest Americans.

We need to make our system work for everyone. If a wealth tax helps us do that, then let’s consider it.

Watch the latest episode of "BI Today," in which INSIDER CEO Henry Blodget discusses what a wealth tax would mean for the economy »

SEE ALSO: A majority of Americans approve of Elizabeth Warren's new tax on the wealthy, according to a new poll

NOW READ: Wealthy investor Nick Hanauer says the US economy mints billionaires while many Americans are struggling, and there's no excuse for it

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

• Former Googler and Gusto COO Lexi Reese asks interview questions about the chapters of your life story in order to figure out what your core values are.
• If you use lots of "I" statements, that suggests you're more egotistical than interested in serving others.
• Reese said she hires more for a candidate's values than for role-related fit.

"If your life is a book, tell me about the chapters of that book."

For Lexi Reese, COO of human-resources software company Gusto, that's a go-to prompt in job interviews.

To be sure, Reese, who previously held management positions at Google and American Express, wants to hear what you've accomplished over the course of your life and career. But more importantly, she said, she's interested in why you made the choices you did.

"You can suss out things like ego," she said. "Is your ego focused on, 'I'm proud of doing the right thing in a way that's going to impact lots of people?' Or is your ego placed on, 'I did this and I did that and I am so great?'"

Specifically, she's listening for a ton of "I" statements, which doesn't suggest a desire to serve others.

Reese added that she generally hires a person more for their values than for role-related fit. (Gusto's website indicates that their company values include "go the extra mile" and "do what's right.")

Read more: Starbucks' former HR exec says a job candidate's answer to a simple interview question predicts success better than their entire resume

Reese's interviewing technique sounds similar to online bra company ThirdLove's. As Ra'el Cohen, ThirdLove's chief creative officer, previously told Business Insider, her team likes to ask job candidates, ""What was the last mistake that you and your last team made, and what did you learn from it?"

In ThirdLove's case, they're actively looking for the candidate to use the word "I" instead of "we," because it suggests that the person takes ownership and responsibility for mistakes instead of blaming them on others.

As for Reese, she's seeking job candidates who have spent a lot of time thinking about their own values. "We try to find people who are really deliberate about where they want to build their careers," she said, "and why they're trying to build them here."

SEE ALSO: When the CEO of $5.9 billion Canada Goose interviews job candidates, he gives them a warning — and their response speaks volumes about whether they get the job

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Availability bias: discussing what occupation is most likely to cheat on their spouse

• Individual investors are suffering from information overload from too many options, Marie Chandoha, chief executive officer of Charles Schwab Investment Management, told Business Insider.
• Asset managers should focus less on innovation and more on simplifying their line-ups, she said. 
• Managers also need to consider the best types of products for an investment strategy. Just because ETFs are popular, Chandoha cautioned, doesn't mean they're the best option. 

Investors have more options to put their money to work than ever before – but that's not necessarily a good thing, says one of the asset management industry's leaders.

There are now more than 10,000 mutual funds and exchange-traded-funds, according to Morningstar. Investors have a hard time choosing among all those options, Marie Chandoha, chief executive officer of Charles Schwab Investment Management, told Business Insider in a recent interview. 

"No matter who they are, [investors] say ‘there’s too much product out there. It’s overwhelming; it’s hard to get through,’" Chandoha said. "I don’t think that’s good for the industry ... You don’t need to have complicated products to get good results." 

The business that Chandoha oversees manages $360 billion for a variety of clients, from individual investors to registered investment advisers.

Sign up here for our weekly newsletter Wall Street Insider, a behind-the-scenes look at the stories dominating banking, business, and big deals.

"I really hope the industry moves toward less innovation," Chandoha said. "I’ve been using this phrase ‘simplicity is the new innovation.’"

Chandoha's successor – she's retiring in March – told Business Insider in December that the business is growing differently than its peers, by focusing on high-quality, low-cost products in categories that scale instead of by expanding its menu. For example, the firm offers 22 exchange-traded funds and 85 mutual funds, while BlackRock lists 344 ETFs and 595 mutual funds.

Chandoha said that increasingly popular ETFs may not be the right fit for some investment strategies, including alternatives. Index funds, for example, work well in an ETF, while a less liquid asset class is better suited for a closed-end fund. 

See more: Investors are fleeing active funds in the worst month for managers in nearly 2 years

"Being thoughtful about what kind of wrappers make sense for what kinds of asset classes is important," she said.

• Read more:
• Almost half of Americans haven't put a dime toward retirement. BlackRock's president breaks down how technology can help.
• A partner at a $221 billion firm outlines how asset managers are sabotaging themselves and their clients — and unveils his plan to fix the industry
• The CMO of $998 billion asset manager Nuveen explains how the brand is trying to stand out in an increasingly crowded field
• There's one clear winner in the asset-management business in 2018, and it shows how the industry's changing

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Western Union CEO: Migrants are responsible for $600 billion in payments a year, yet they "have no voice"

• Ja Rule, one of the creators behind Fyre Festival, announced on Thursday he wanted to create another music festival.
• It would add another unbelievable chapter to Ja Rule's career, which has spanned three decades and featured chart-topping albums, box-office bombs, and a bizarre feud with 50 Cent.
• Ja Rule has managed to avoid liability for the doomed Fyre Festival.

Rapper Ja Rule, one of the creators of the infamous Fyre Festival, revealed on Thursday that he wants to create another music festival, saying, "in the midst of chaos, there's opportunity."

The rapper has denied liability for the catastrophic festival, which was the subject of two recent documentaries, and he has distanced himself from Fyre CEO and convicted fraudster, Billy McFarland, who orchestrated the event.

Read more: Ja Rule wants to put on another event like Fyre Fest: 'In the midst of chaos, there's opportunity'

Such a venture would add another unbelievable chapter to Ja Rule's career, which has spanned three decades and has featured chart-topping albums, a couple of box office bombs, and a bizarre feud with 50 Cent that took a humorous turn months ago.

Read on to see the remarkable twists and turns of Ja Rule's career:

SEE ALSO: Ja Rule wants to put on another event like Fyre Fest: 'In the midst of chaos, there's opportunity'

DONT' MISS: This leaked Fyre Festival pitch deck shows how Billy McFarland was able to secure millions for the most overhyped festival in history

Ja Rule, born Jeffrey Atkins in 1976, grew up in the neighborhood of Hollis in Queens, New York City.

Source: Biography

Ja Rule started rapping professionally in 1993 ...

Instagram Embed:
//instagram.com/p/BotkAE7HcwI/embed
Width: 540px

Source: Biography

... and burst into the mainstream in 1998 as a featured performer on the Jay-Z single "Can I Get A..."

Source: Biography

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.

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.

Join the conversation about this story »

• At least five people are dead and multiple police officers and civilians were injured in a shooting at a manufacturing facility in Aurora, Illinois.
• The gunman, 45-year-old Gary Martin, was killed. It was unclear whether he died by a self-inflicted wound or by police officers, law enforcement officials said.
• Martin was a former employee at the manufacturing plant, police said.
• Five police officers and multiple civilians were reportedly injured. The officers are in stable condition. At least two people were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a hospital spokesperson cited by Reuters.

A suspected gunman has been "neutralized" after a shooting at a local manufacturing facility in Aurora, Illinois, according to city officials.

At least five people are dead. At least five police officers and multiple civilians were injured in the shooting, local news outlets and city officials said.

The gunman has been identified as 45-year-old Gary Martin, a former employee of the manufacturing plant. A woman who identified herself as Martin's mother said he was fired two weeks ago and was "way too stressed out," according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 

At least two people were taken to the Rush Copley Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, Reuters reported citing hospital spokeswoman Courtney Satlak.

On Friday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. local time, the police department tweeted that the scene near 641 Archer Ave. had been secured and there was "no longer a threat to the area." Aurora is about 50 miles west of Chicago.

The station reported that the Kane County Medical Examiner was en route to the scene.

Federal authorities from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also responding, the bureaustweeted. Local newscasts showed a massive police presence on the scene, with firemen, police, and SWAT responding.

WGN-TV reporter Mike Lowe reported the Kane County Sheriff bomb squad and the Aurora Police Department surrounded an apartment believed to be linked to the suspected gunman late Friday afternoon.

One witness who works at the plant, John Probst, told ABC 7 Chicago that the shooter was one of his colleagues, and that he saw him "running down the aisle" before he and his peers fled.

"As soon as we heard shots, we took off out the front door," he said. He added that he saw one person bleeding badly, and could still hear gunshots after he left the building.

Probst said there were roughly 30 people in the building when the gunfire started. He added that the shooter was a man in his 30s, and that he used a pistol with a laser on it.

Lawmakers weighed in on the news Friday afternoon. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said he was monitoring the situation, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois also tweeted that he was watching.

"My heart breaks for Aurora. I'm tracking updates on the situation with my staff," Durbin said. "Thank you to the members of law enforcement who are responding to the emergency."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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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.

The virtual reality (VR) market is expected to rally in 2018 after seeing slow growth from 2016 to 2017. The uptick will be largely catalyzed by the emergence of the newest headset form factor, stand-alone VR headsets, which address some of the biggest pain points that have prohibited mainstream consumers from adopting VR.

This new form factor is more affordable than cost-prohibitive high-end headsets and more capable than its smartphone-powered counterparts. Additionally, it features in-unit processing that frees the VR headset from wires. The first major stand-alone headset, the Vive Focus from HTC, was launched in January of this year, and more from other major companies like Oculus and Google are expected to follow over the next six months. 

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence lays out where the VR market is and forecasts how it will grow over the next five years. We dissect the various hardware categories and the unique strengths and opportunities of each, and identify how they will gain traction at different points of the market’s evolution. Finally, we examine various components impacting consumer adoption.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Business Insider Intelligence forecasts shipments of all VR headsets to grow 69% year-over-year (YoY) to reach 13.5 million in 2018. Powering that growth is the stand-alone VR headset category, which is expected to account for 30% of total headsets shipped in the year ahead. 
• The VR hardware market is volatile because getting a device right is a balancing act. On one hand, the price point needs to be affordable for most consumers, and on the other, the experience has to be distinctive and immersive enough to convince a consumer to strap a visor to their face on a regular basis. 
• While only a handful of stand-alone VR headsets will hit the market in 2018, they mark the biggest step toward mainstream adoption of consumer-oriented VR headsets by making the technology more accessible for the average consumer. 
• Declining price points, coupled with high-quality headsets and the introduction of a game-changing app, are crucial for the VR industry to achieve before VR can really gain traction on a global scale.

In full, the report:

• Forecasts the growth projections and shipment expectations of the global VR headset market, and breaks it up by the major headset categories.
• Explores the four major segments in the current VR hardware market, defined by the hardware needed to power the experience — stand-alone, smartphone-powered, PC-powered, and game console-powered VR.
• Identifies the key players shaping the burgeoning stand-alone VR headset segment.
• Discusses the biggest challenges to VR development and adoption.

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The healthcare industry is in a state of disruption. Digital solutions are becoming a necessary part of the new global standard of care for patients and regulation is being fast-tracked to catch up to digital health innovation.

These rapid changes will have ripple effects across the entire healthcare system, impacting incumbents and new entrants alike.

Based on our ongoing analysis, understanding of industry trends, and conversations with industry executives, Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has put together The Top Five Trends Shaping The Future of Digital Health.

To get your copy of this free report, click here.

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• Life insurance is fundamentally hard to sell; it’s morbid to think about, promises no immediate rewards, and often requires a lengthy paper application with minimal guidance.
• Despite the popularity of personalized products in other areas of finance and fintech, life insurance largely remains unchanged.
• A small, but growing pocket of insurtech startups are shaking up the status quo by finding ways to digitize life insurance and increase its appeal.

Life insurance is a fundamentally difficult product to sell; it requires people to think about their deaths without promising any immediate returns.

And, despite tech innovations and the development of personalized services in other areas of finance, life insurance remains largely unchanged.

Luckily, there is a small but growing pocket of insurtech startups looking to modernize it. These companies are finding ways to digitize life insurance to  appeal to consumers — and they’re giving incumbents the opportunity to revamp traditional offerings, either by partnering with them or using their technology.

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has forecasted the shifting landscape of life insurance in the The Future of Life Insurance report. Here are the key problems insurtechs are tackling:

• Lack of education: Forty percent of US consumers told the Life Insurance and Market Research Association (LIMRA) that they feel intimidated by the life insurance application process, often drastically overestimating its cost and facing uncertainty about how much or which type of coverage to buy.
• Inconvenient application process: It can take weeks or months for coverage to take effect because of the sheer number of meetings and parties combing through paperwork in each round of the application process. The risk for the insurer often warrants reviews from the carrier, a team of underwriters, a broker, and even a medical examiner.
• Low customer loyalty: Life insurance tends to be a “set it and forget it” type of purchase, with very few people revisiting it after buying. Insurers and consumers therefore have limited contact for most of the relationship — with the exception of an annual bill, of course.
• Inefficient data management and processing: The aggregate data life insurers rely on is typically fed into algorithms that make broad assumptions about particular populations, and often incorporate outdated medical documentation — all of which can delay applications and result in unnecessary rejections.

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The need for modernization in life insurance is clear: Overall sales are slowing and policy ownership is hitting record lows. And because it’s such a tightly-regulated space, innovation from incumbents has stagnated — but they’re not helpless. Consumer-focused and insurer-focused startups have emerged to offer new technologies and process improvements.

The Future of Life Insurance report from Business Insider Intelligence looks at the two main strategies life insurtechs are adopting to drive change in this market, for the benefit of both buyers and sellers. In full, the report discusses best practices incumbents and startups should adopt to steer clear of the risks attached to applying emerging technologies to such a tightly regulated product.

Insurtech startups will soon set new industry standards and consumer expectations around this complex product. That, in turn will serve as a catalyst for innovation among legacy players.

Companies included in this report: Ladder, Haven Life, Getsurance, Tomorrow, Fabric, Atidot, AllLife, Royal London, Polly, Life.io, Legal & General, Vitality, Discovery, John Hancock, Dai-ichi Life.

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• Pat Brown, a criminal profiler from Prince George’s County, Maryland, created an event called "White Women Yoga Meetup."
• The event was created on a platform called Meetup, which aims to "create thriving communities" based on shared interests, according to its website.
• On her blog, Brown said that she created the event after finding herself "locked [out] of many dozens of groups" that were intended for people of color, which she feels are "a way of keeping white people from joining."
• On Twitter, people have called the event racist and questioned why Meetup is allowing the group to advertise on its site.
• Speaking to INSIDER, Brown said that she never intended to carry out the event, and was actually trying to "bring forth the racism and separatism promoted by Meetup." In a separate statement sent to INSIDER, a Meetup representative that the event has been removed from its site.

Pat Brown, a criminal profiler from Prince George’s County, Maryland, is facing backlash on social media after creating a yoga event that's only open to white women.

The event, called "White Women Yoga Meetup," appears to be scheduled to take place in Washington, DC on March 2. 

"This MeetUp group is to allow space for White women to gather in the name of yoga, surrounded by the supportive community of White people, White yoga instructors, and all around safe White spaces," the meetup's description reads.

So far, seven women including Brown appear to have RSVP'd online.

The event was created using an online platform called Meetup

On Meetup's website, users are encouraged to "create thriving communities" based on shared interests. For example, groups are available for people to learn how to cook, try scuba diving, and make crafts, among other options.

While many of the groups on Meetup are open to anyone who's interested, some are restricted to specific groups, like the "Mocha Girls Read" group that is only open to black women, and the The Divorcing Man's Support Group that's only open to divorced men.

People on Twitter are outraged by the event

While some have called the meet-up racist, others have questioned Meetup for allowing the event to be advertised on its site.

Before creating the event, Brown took to Twitter to ask Meetup why she wasn't allowed in groups created for women of color

In her tweets, Brown asked Meetup why they are "allowing this blatant racism which is against policy" on its site.

Meetup then responded, saying that groups are allowed to be created based on connections such as race, and that it would help Brown find a group that suits her needs.

Brown responded with more tweets, asking if she would be allowed to create groups that would only allow white women to join.

When Meetup did not respond to her follow-up tweets, Brown reached out to the platform over email, as stated on her blog in a post titled "White Women Yoga: Meetup, Racism and the Growing Separatism in the United States of America." 

Meetup allegedly told Brown that she is allowed to use the platform to create groups only open to white women

In her blog post, Brown shared an email she allegedly received from Meetup. In their alleged response, the platform said that "There is nothing wrong with people wanting to meet with other people and create a private space with others who share the same culture or identity."

Brown called Meetup 'both the disease and the symptom of what is happening to our country' in her blog post

"Meetup is an organization that promotes separatism and racism and has been doing so for over a decade," Brown said on her blog.

The criminal profiler continued to say that, as a mother of two biracial children and one black son, she's worried for their futures.

"I worry about my children and my grandchildren and my friends, Black and White and Asian and Hispanic, having to choose which group to belong to and who they dare not associate with," Brown said on her blog.

"Ramping up racism, refusing to associate with people of a different color, and claiming to need 'safe spaces' because even being near a person of another race is emotionally destructive," Brown said. "This should not be happening in America."

Speaking to INSIDER, Brown said that she never intended to hold the 'White Women Yoga Meetup'

"I never intended to have any events," Brown told INSIDER. "I don’t approve of the group I set up. I only did so to bring forth the racism and separatism promoted by Meetup and some members of our society."

She continued to say that she believes in inclusion and would "never refuse anyone of any race, religion, or sexual orientation in any real group" that she is part of. 

Brown also questioned why so many people have called her a racist.

Despite Brown's intentions, Meetup removed the event from its website

Speaking to INSIDER, a representative for Meetup said that the event did not match the platform's policies.

"Meetup takes the integrity and safety of our community very seriously," the Meetup representative said. "We expect that every Meetup group follow our Community Guidelines. This group was removed when we determined it did not adhere to these policies."

To read Pat Brown's full blog post, visit her website.

• Read more:
• Authorities say a Florida woman charged with a DUI was recorded going on a racist rant against a black police officer: 'My KKK friends will burn your family'
• A substitute teacher resigned after parents say she went on a rant in front of their 10-year-old kids, praising Trump and claiming MLK committed suicide
• Michelle Rodriguez said Liam Neeson can't be racist because of the way he kissed Viola Davis
• Gucci has apologized after people suggested its $900 sweater looked like blackface

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• LeBron James' first All-Star Game came in February 2005, his second year in the NBA.
• Now 34 years old, many of James' peers at the NBA All-Star Weekend were in grade school and can barely remember what they were doing at that time.
• James is now playing in his 15th All-Star Game, and many of the other players at this weekend say they only dreamed of making the NBA when James was just getting started.
• Follow Business Insider's coverage of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend here >

LeBron James is the elder statesman of the NBA All-Star Game.

At 34, James is in his 16th overall season and his 15th consecutive All-Star Game. He still remains one of the game's best players, a remarkable fact considering that, when he first became an All-Star, many of his peers were in grade school and can't even remember what they were doing.

James made the All-Star Game in the 2004-05 season, his second in the NBA, which meant his first game was in February 2005.

When players at the 2018-19 All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, were asked about what they were doing in February 2005, most of them had a similar response.

"2005? I don't know," said James' Los Angeles Lakers teammate, Kyle Kuzma, who is 23 years old. "Fourth grade? I was probably in class. I don't know."

"I think I was in 6th grade, probably," Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris, 27, said, laughing. "I don't know. I was probably watching him, to be honest. Doing whatever a sixth grade kid would be doing."

"2005? So I was 7 years old I don't remember much," said Atlanta Hawks rookie guard Trae Young, 20, adding, "I just remember seeing highlights."

A stumped Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings simply said he couldn't do the math to figure out how old he was at the time.

LeBron helped pave the way for younger stars

Though James' first All-Star Game wasn't until 2005, he did compete in the "Rookie Challenge" in 2004, alongside Carmelo Anthony, a fellow rookie at the time.

Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns said he could remember watching them play in the Rookie Challenge — now called the "Rising Stars Challenge"— and throwing alley-oops to each other.

"I remember, I believe Carmelo Anthony throwing it off the backboard to [James], he's dunking the ball with two hands," Towns said.

Towns' memory was mostly correct, as the two players did connect on alley-oops twice, though not off the glass.

"14 years ago? Oh my god," Towns said. He added: "I remember just watching him play. It was awesome. I wanted to be at that moment. I wanted to have those moments like them. I've been very fortunate to be on the same path."

Like Towns, other players simply had dreams of playing in the NBA at that point.

"I was probably at school. Going to practice at night. Doing homework in the day," Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, 28, said. "I was just a young kid, dreaming that one day I might do the same thing that he's doing in the NBA."

Other player might not have even been so aware of James' early success. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman, who played with James in the 2017-18 season, said he was probably sleeping during James' 2005 All-Star appearance. Osman grew up in Bosnia, so the time difference made watching James complicated.

"I had to go to school the next morning," Osman said.

13 years later, Osman was teammates with James and taking lessons from him.

"Last year I had a chance to watch him. What is he doing on the court, off the court, in the game," Osman said. In addition to learning how James controls the game in close contests, Osman said James helped him learn to have a "next-play" mentality.

"The most important thing I learned from him was to have that mentality, that next-play mentality. No matter what," he said. "Because you can have a bad game. And the good thing was you have next game, game tomorrow. So, just forget about it."

Not all of the young players at this year's All-Star have had the chance to play with James, but the experience of playing against him is noteworthy.

"Every time you're able to play against someone like 'Bron, it's definitely surreal at first," said Young, whose Hawks played the Lakers this past Tuesday. "After the first quarter went by, I was on the court, I was able to relax. And at the end of the day it's just basketball."

That doesn't stop some players from marveling at James' accomplishments.

"That was a long time ago," Seth Curry of the Portland Trail Blazers said about the 2004-05 All-Star Game. "LeBron's longevity is amazing."

• Read more:
• Photos of what this year's NBA All-Stars looked like when their careers started
• JORDAN VS. DOMINIQUE: Here's every dunk from the Most famous battle in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history
• Shaquille O'Neal explained why his father's advice about staying 'broke' changed his life

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NOW WATCH: Why hosting the Super Bowl isn't worth it, according to an economist

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.

Trucking is set to transform radically in the coming years, with innovative technologies enabling trucks to take over more and more driving responsibilities, saving time and money for operators and businesses that rely on shipping.

Autonomous trucks are being tested on roads around the world, and systems from startups like Peloton and Embark could make their way into commercial trucks as soon as next year. Fleets will be able to leverage autonomous technologies to cut costs and gain a critical edge over competitors.

But to start planning for, and to eventually implement, those technologies, companies need to know what sorts of systems will be ready and when, and what regulatory hurdles will need to be overcome to get autonomous trucks on the road. 

In The Autonomous Trucking Report, Business Insider Intelligence provides an early glimpse into the emerging autonomous trucking market. First, we look at the trucking market as it stands today, offering a basic profile of the industry and highlighting a number of the challenges and issues it faces. Then, we go through the three waves of autonomous technology that are set to upend the industry — platooning, semi-autonomous systems, and fully autonomous trucks — looking at who is making strides in each of these areas, when the technology can be expected to start making an impact, and what companies can do to get ahead of the curve.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Advanced and autonomous technology will enable operators and shipping firms to eradicate some of the challenges that have long plagued them. Trucks will take over more and more driving responsibilities, saving time and money for operators and businesses that rely on shipping.
• The impact of autonomous technologies on the trucking industry will come in three major waves: platooning or fuel-saving vehicle convoys, semi-autonomous highway control systems, and fully autonomous trucks.
• Change to the trucking industry will be gradual but inexorable. Companies with foresight can start to make long-term plans to account for the ways that autonomous technologies will change how goods and products move from place to place.

In full, the report:

• Analyzes the development of autonomous trucking technology.
• Explains the waves in which advanced and autonomous technologies will start to impact the trucking industry, providing detailed explanations of how a company can take advantage of the disruptive technology transforming logistics at each stage.
• Profiles the efforts of the companies that are at the forefront of new technology in trucking, looking at what they're working on and when their efforts could start to impact the market.

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