• Neither former President Barack Obama nor former First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to endorse a candidate during the 2020 Democratic primary, according to The New York Times.
• Privately, however, Obama is meeting with declared or potential candidates, offering candid advice — and according to a Politico report, he has been since 2018.
• Potential candidate Beto O'Rourke, the former congressman representing El Paso and former Senate candidate, gave a window into his meeting with Obama in a recent interview with Oprah.
• "You asked if he encouraged me to — he did not," Mr. O’Rourke said in response to Oprah's question if Obama had encourage him to run for president. “But he was very generous in sharing what his thought process was, leading up to that decision."

Neither former President Barack Obama nor former First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to endorse a candidate during the 2020 Democratic primary, The New York Times reported.

Privately, however, Obama is meeting with declared or potential candidates, and according to a Politico report he has been since 2018.

The Times reported that "more than a dozen" hopefuls — including Sens. Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren, along with the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, and the former mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg — have met with Obama.

Potential candidate Beto O'Rourke, former congressman representing El Paso and former Senate candidate, gave a window into his meeting with Obama in a recent interview with Oprah.

"You asked if he encouraged me to — he did not," Mr. O’Rourke said in response to Oprah's question if Obama had encourage him to run. “But he was very generous in sharing what his thought process was, leading up to that decision."

Those close to Obama who spoke to The Times, and his former chief strategist David Axelrod, who was not speaking on behalf of the former president, have said that he won't make an endorsement. Even former Vice President Joe Biden, who may make a 2020 run, doesn't expect to get the Obama nod.

He's not short on advice, though.

"President Obama counsels candidates to always show up and make their case even in areas or in front of audiences they may not necessarily win; express views and positions that reflect their genuine beliefs; and share a positive vision for the country true to their own personal story," senior advisor Eric Schultz told The Times.

Since leaving office, Obama has been calculated in his public remarks (wary of becoming a foil for President Donald Trump). His forays into Washington politics have been few. They include campaigning for Democrats during the 2018 primary, and responding to a December ruling on his signature healthcare bill.

SEE ALSO: Michelle Obama reportedly had a secret meeting with Meghan Markle while she was in London

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Hype around artificial intelligence has never been higher — and one industry where it has a chance to make a major impact on profits is retail.

Business Insider Intelligence projects that AI will boost profitability in retail and wholesale by nearly 60% by 2035, setting off a wave of excitement and investment among companies.

The areas where AI will have its biggest impact are personalization, search and chatbots.

But as hype and misunderstanding continue to build, it’s become harder than ever to keep sight of the true disruptive potential of AI.

Find out how AI is being implemented in these three areas and how each one can impact revenue in this new FREE slide deck from Business Insider Intelligence.

In this third and final installment of the three-part Future of Retail 2018 series, Business Insider Intelligence takes a hard look at the retail use cases where AI can make an impact, explores noteworthy examples of retailers implementing the technology, and weighs the benefits of investing in AI today.

As an added bonus, you will gain immediate access to our exclusive Business Insider Intelligence Daily newsletter.

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

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Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.

1. Business Insider spoke with 30 current and former Amazon workers across the US, the UK, and Europe about what it's like to work during peak season, from Black Friday to Christmas. They described a "brutal" reality of long hours, physical labor, fears about taking time off, workplace injuries, and the pressure to keep the wheels turning, even when the weather is treacherous.
2. Google says the built-in microphone it never told Nest users about was "never supposed to be a secret."In early February, Google announced that Assistant would now work with its home security and alarm system Nest Secure, but users didn't know a microphone even existed on their Nest security devices to begin with.
3. A new iPod is reportedly coming in 2019. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a new research note over the weekend, detailing upcoming Apple products to be released in 2019, and the note said a new iPod Touch was on the way.
4. Elon Musk doubled down on a bold claim he made about how quickly Tesla vehicles will be able to drive themselves. Musk said he is "certain" that Tesla vehicles will be able to operate without any driver intervention by the end of this year, pending regulatory approval, during an interview with ARK Invest.
5. Google will reportedly reveal details of its Netflix-esque game-streaming service "Project Stream" at next month's Game Developer’s Conference, Fortune reports. Sources told Fortune that the event will be a "coming out party" for Google's entry into the video game industry.
6. Google's former chief financial officer, Patrick Pichette, has said European startups need more funding to become giants before companies like Google "take them out."Pichette said British AI company DeepMind, acquired while he was at Google, could have been a UK champion had it stayed independent.
7. YouTube announced that it's overhauling its community guidelines with a new strike system for offending content, the Verge reports. The biggest change will be a new first-time "warning strike" which carries no punishment.
8. Google's new cloud boss made his first acquisition. Google Cloud announced Tuesday that it would acquire the Israeli startup Alooma, an "enterprise data pipeline" platform.
9. A controversial startup that was charging $8,000 to fill your veins with young blood says it's halted operations after a warning from regulators. Last month, Business Insider reported exclusively that blood-transfusion startup Ambrosia claimed to be up and running in 5 cities.
10. Amazon's new Virginia data center is getting a bunch of tax breaks, and it gives insight into how the company reduces its tax liability. Even outside of the deal that Virginia offered to Amazon to expand its operations there, the company has been benefiting from tax breaks in the state.

Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear 10 Things in Tech each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.

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NOW WATCH: Earth's north magnetic pole is on the move — here's what will happen when our poles flip

• A merger between Walmart-owned Asda and Sainsbury's is under threat after a competition authority warned the deal could increase prices and reduce quality.
• The UK Competition and Markets Authority said it has "extensive concerns" about the deal, which would create a £13 billion ($17 billion) grocery giant.
• "We have provisionally found that, should the two merge, shoppers could face higher prices, reduced quality and choice, and a poorer overall shopping experience across the UK," said Stuart McIntosh, the chair of the group within the CMA investigating the deal.
• The supermarkets hit back, however, questioning the CMA's analysis, and saying that the deal would actually lead to lower prices.

A proposed £13 billion ($17 billion) mega-merger between two of Britain's biggest grocery stores, Sainsbury's and Walmart-owned Asda, is under threat after the UK's competition authority warned the deal could increase prices and reduce quality for customers of both brands.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday that it has "extensive concerns" about the deal, which was first announced in April 2018, and added that it may not be possible for the two supermarket giants to address its concerns completely. That puts the entire merger under threat.

"We have provisionally found that, should the two merge, shoppers could face higher prices, reduced quality and choice, and a poorer overall shopping experience across the UK," said Stuart McIntosh, the chair of the group within the CMA investigating the deal. "We also have concerns that prices could rise at a large number of their petrol stations."

As such, McIntosh said, the CMA may have no alternative but to block the deal. "It is not clear at this stage that a suitable package of assets could be found to provide an effective and comprehensive remedy,"the CMA said in a statement.

The merger between Asda, which is owned by US retail behemoth Walmart, and Sainsbury's, is set to create a supermarket chain with more than 30% of the UK's overall grocery market share. That would make it easily the largest chain in the UK, overtaking Tesco, which currently holds around 28% of market share.

Asda currently has around 630 locations, most of them large supermarkets, while Sainsbury's has over 1,400, although many are smaller, convenience focused stores.

Read more:Walmart beats as online sales surge

In a joint statement, both Asda and Sainsbury's expressed concerns about the CMA's findings, saying that the merger could actually allow costs to consumers to be lowered, and accusing the watchdog of "moving the goalposts."

"These findings fundamentally misunderstand how people shop in the UK today and the intensity of competition in the grocery market. The CMA has moved the goalposts and its analysis is inconsistent with comparable cases," the two grocers said.

"Combining Sainsbury’s and Asda would create significant cost savings, which would allow us to lower prices. We are surprised that the CMA would choose to reject the opportunity to put money directly into customers’ pockets, particularly at this time of economic uncertainty," the statement concluded.

News of the CMA's concerns around the proposed merger sent shares in Sainsbury's sharply downward on Wednesday, with the company's stock price losing as much as 15% in the first minutes of trade.

By around 8.50 a.m. GMT (3.50 a.m. ET) it had recovered marginally, but remained more than 12% lower at £2.51 ($3.27) per share, according to Markets Insider data. As part of Walmart, Asda is not independently listed in the UK.

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

• Theresa May travels to Brussels on Wednesday in a last-ditch attempt to secure major concessions on her Brexit deal from EU officials.
• The prime minister is seeking to ensure the contentious Irish backstop, which many Tory MPs oppose, can not tie the UK permanently into the customs union.

• But the EU's Juncker dismissed the likelihood of significant progress, saying: "There isn’t enough movement for me to be able to expect this to be a discussion with a concrete outcome."

LONDON — Theresa May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to meet EU officials with plans to secure major concessions on the Irish backstop which would persuade Conservative MPs to back the deal.

The trip comes after the British chancellor admitted late Tuesday evening that the Irish backstop could not be replaced by the so-called Malthouse compromise, a plan hatched by backbenchers which aimed to use unspecified technological solutions to avoid a hard border in Ireland.

Instead, the Prime Minister will meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, with a plan to secure legal assurances that the backstop would not permanently tie the UK into a customs union.

The Irish backstop is a legal fallback designed to stop new border checks having to take place between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit.

Many Conservative MPs oppose the measure because they say it could keep the UK within the EU customs union indefinitely.

Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed that the Malthouse compromise, which had been championed by opposing factions of the Tory party, was no longer considered a viable option.

He told the Make UK manufacturing conference that it "is clear that the EU will not consider replacing the backstop with such an alternative arrangement now."

Juncker: Don't expect 'concrete outcome'

Downing Street appears to be hoping for a breakthrough in the form of legal assurances that the Irish backstop would not be permanently binding.

If May and Juncker can agree upon a strategy on Wednesday, EU and UK officials would then be able to produce documents to give force to the new plan.

The EU has repeatedly said it will not reopen the Brexit deal which both sides struck last year. But some officials have floated the idea of a "legal codicil," a document produced in tandem to the withdrawal agreement which clarifies its legal definition

The goal is for that legal addendum to allow Geoffrey Cox, the UK attorney-general, to change his legal advice, which currently says that the backstop could be permanent. 

Cox is expected to give a speech later this week.

But Juncker dismissed the likelihood of significant progress at today's talks at a press conference in Stuttgart on Tuesday.

He said: "There isn’t enough movement for me to be able to expect this to be a discussion with a concrete outcome."

"I don’t know what Mrs May will communicate to me tomorrow," he said, adding that he was unsure what "our British friends would actually like to have."

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

• Jarrell Miller pushed Anthony Joshua so hard he almost fell over.
• The two fighters had to be kept separate by security at a media event to promote their June 1 world title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
• Miller said he shoved Joshua because he was "smiling" and that "there was nothing to smile about."
• Joshua said he'd "murder" Miller come the summer, and expects to knock him out by the fourth round.

Jarrell Miller almost shoved Anthony Joshua off his feet when the two went head-to-head at a media event in New York City on Tuesday.

The heavyweights were in the United States to promote their June 1 world heavyweight championship fight, which has Joshua's four titles on the line.

But the face-off was over before it had even really begun because Miller put his hands on Joshua and pushed him so hard on the shoulders that the Londoner had to take a few steps back to regain his balance.

Read more: Anthony Joshua's next fight confirms he's this era's Floyd Mayweather

Watch the shove right here:

Speaking to the boxing YouTube channel iFL TV, Miller said that he shoved Joshua because he was "smiling" and that there was "nothing to f------ smile about."

He also said he "respects war" and that he wants what Joshua has (presumably the heavyweight belts) and will therefore "take it."

After the shove, Joshua stepped to Miller but the two fighters were kept separate by event security.

Joshua will be able to get his hands on Miller for real on June 1 when they fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the Brit — perhaps rankled by that shove — said he will "murder" Miller and knock him out by the fourth round.

The summer showdown will be Joshua's first bout in the U.S. as a professional.

SEE ALSO: Anthony Joshua's next fight confirms he's this era's Floyd Mayweather

DON'T MISS: Ngannou knocked out his opponent in 26 seconds, insulted Brock Lesnar, then called-out heavyweight champ Dan Cormier at a wild UFC event

UP NEXT: Conor McGregor's comeback fight will likely be against 'Cowboy' Cerrone, and it has all the makings of a UFC classic

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

• Up to three MPs are ready to quit the Conservative party, well-placed sources tell Business Insider.
• Heidi Allen, Sarah Wollaston and Anna Soubry are on the brink of resigning from the Tories and joining the Independent Group which was launched this week by ex-Labour MPs.
• All three oppose Brexit and are at threat of deselection from Conservative party members.
• The resignations could take place as early as soon as Wednesday lunchtime.
• The party's "moderate" wing is furious with Conservative authorities for failing to protect MPs from an increasingly pro-Brexit, hardline membership.
• Eight MPs have quit Labour to form the Independent Group.

LONDON — Up to three Conservative MPs are expected to quit the party this week, possibly as early as Wednesday, in protest against the leadership's handling of Brexit and general direction of the party.

Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston, two of the party's most vocal opponents of Brexit, are believed to be ready to resign imminently despite friends pleading with them to stay, sources closes to both have told Business Insider.

Their backbench colleague, Anna Soubry MP, is on a "knife-edge" and considering breaking away, the same sources said.

BBC Newsnight also reported on Tuesday that the three aforementioned MPs were expected to quit the Conservatives on Wednesday and join the "Independent Group" of eight former-Labour MPs. The resignations are set to take place at around midday, possibly after Prime Minister's Questions, further reports suggested.

Allen, Wollaston and Soubry are leading supporters of the People's Vote campaign for another Brexit referendum and have implored the prime minister to pursue a softer break from the European Union at the very least.

However, Theresa May's refusal to adopt these positions plus a widely-shared belief that they will soon be ousted by an increasingly hardline, pro-Brexit party membership, has led them to the brink of walking away for good.

An ally of Allen told BI that they had emailed her this week, "begging her to stay" in the party.

Figures in the "moderate" wing of the Tory Party are furious with Conservative Campaign Headquarters for failing to prevent former UK Independence Party supporters and hardline Brexiteers flooding local parties nationwide.

Allen, Wollaston and Soubry plus other Conservative MPs are being threatened with deselection by party members.

One Conservative source told BI this week: "If the party doesn’t act soon enough we’re going to experience a wave of deselections as more and more moderate MPs get targeted.

"We want and need these people to make sure we win a majority next time round. United we form a paradoxical grouping occasionally but one which properly represents the diversity of thought in the country.

They added: "Whatever the outcome the likes of Leave.EU won’t ever be happy — Margot James and Tobias Ellwood both voted for the prime minister's deal and they’re still being targeted for God’s sake."

This follows a warning from the party's former leader and ex-prime minister, Sir John Major, that the party's membership was dragging it further to the right of the political spectrum.

The party membership "appears to be 'hollowing out' traditional Conservatives, while former UKIP members strengthen the anti-European Right of the party," Major warned in a speech on Tuesday.

Former Cabinet minister Justine Greening, another MP who has been linked to a potential Conservative split, has reassured allies this week that she intends to stay in the party.

However, least a small handful of Tory MPs are expected resign and become independent MPs, joining eight MPs who abandoned the Labour Party to form "The Independent Group" this week.

Joan Ryan MP became the eighth MP to quit Labour and join the group on Tuesday evening after seven of her colleagues, including former shadow ministers Chuka Umunna and Chris Leslie, did so on Monday morning.

The former Labour MPs cited party leader Jeremy Corbyn's handling of Brexit and allegations of antisemitism within his party as the main reasons for their decision to quit after months of tension and speculation.

SEE ALSO: More Labour MPs are set to quit the party as Corbyn refuses to back a new Brexit referendum

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NOW WATCH: Michael D'Antonio reveals Donald Trump's 'strange' morning ritual that boosts his ego

This is a preview of the “Global Fintech Landscape” premium research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence,  click here.

Since sprouting in the US and UK around 10 years ago, fintech has spread globally. Now, after years of proliferation, countries around the world are starting to see their fintech industries mature. Additionally, we continue to see the emergence of new hotbeds for fintech. This indicates that the space is still far from being fully developed, and that there are many new ways in which startups and their technologies continue to change financial services.

The fact that many new players are emerging in the space also suggests that attention is shifting away from the main countries where fintech is prevalent, and that investors are seeing the potential of newer, conventionally untapped markets.

The spread of fintech can be largely seen in the emergence of fintech hubs — cities where startups, talent, and funding congregate — which are proliferating globally in tandem with ongoing disruption in financial services. These hubs are all vying to become established fintech centers in their own right, and want to contribute to the broader financial services ecosystem of the future. Their success depends on a variety of factors, including access to funding and talent, as well as the approach of relevant regulators.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence compiles various fintech snapshots, which together show the global proliferation of fintech, and illustrate where fintech is starting to mature and where it is just breaking onto the scene. Each snapshot provides an overview of the fintech industry in a particular country, and details what is contributing to or hindering its further development. We also include notable fintechs in each geography, and discuss what the opportunities or challenges are for that particular domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Besides the US and UK, there are plenty of other countries developing strong fintech hubs. Australia, Switzerland, and China, which are profiled in this report, have managed to leverage their stable financial centers of Sydney, Zurich, and Shanghai, respectively, to spur fintech development and attract funding.
• There are also a number of emerging fintech markets, including Brazil, Israel, and Canada, that are likely to play a big part in the global fintech ecosystem in the future. These countries have nascent but rapidly developing fintech hubs, as well as supportive regulatory environments, that could help them cement strong positions in the broader fintech scene.
• Many more fintech hubs will likely morph into big fintech players. This could push investors to increasingly wake up to the opportunities in new markets, leading fintech funding to become more diversified in the future, particularly outside of the UK and US.

 In full, the report:

• Outlines how the fintech industry has changed over the past 10 years.
• Details which cities are the most likely to succeed as fintech hubs at present and going forward.
• Highlights notable fintech startups in each of these markets.
• Discusses the potential opportunities and challenges these countries are facing today and in the future.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >>Purchase & Download Now
2. Subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> Learn More Now

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you've given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of Fintech.

SEE ALSO: Latest fintech industry trends, technologies and research from our ecosystem report

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• Joan Ryan MP has quit the Labour Party and joined the newly formed Independent Group.
• Ryan, a former government whip, cited leader Jeremy Corbyn's response to antisemitism in the party and Labour's stance on Brexit in a letter outlining her decision to leave.
• She is the eighth Labour MP to quit and join the Independent Group.
• More Labour MPs are expected to quit in the next few weeks. 

LONDON — An eighth Labour MP has resigned from the party and joined the newly formed Independent Group.

Joan Ryan, the member of Parliament for Enfield North, quit Jeremy Corby's Labour on Tuesday evening, citing antisemitism within the party and Labour's stance on Brexit.

"Over the past three years, the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn has become infected with the scourge of anti-Semitism,"she wrote in a statement.

"[Labour] is playing games with Brexit, with the very real prospect that we crash out of the EU without a deal ... And it is developing a cult around the leader, replacing Labour's traditional message of openness, hope and optimism with an all-consuming narrative founded on rage, betrayal and the hunt for heretics."

The departure of Ryan, a seasoned MP and former government whip, comes a day after seven other Labour MPs quit the party following months of tension and disagreement over the leadership's handling of Brexit and hundreds of allegations of antisemitism against party members.

The seven — Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker, and Ann Coffey — told a press conference in central London that they were quitting Labour to become independent MPs, operating under the name the "Independent Group."

It is the biggest Labour split since a handful of senior figures walked away from the party in 1981 to form a centre-left party called the Social Democrat Party.

"British politics is now well and truly broken," Chris Leslie, one of the seven departing MPs, said at the press conference on Monday morning. "The evidence of Labour's betrayal [on Brexit] is now clear for all to see."

Another Labour MP, former minister Ian Austin, has said that he is considering quitting the party over antisemitism.

Responding to the news of the split on Monday, Labour leader Corbyn said he was "disappointed that these MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election."

Labour has also announced plans to give the British public the power to trigger by-elections in constituencies where MPs have quit the parties for who they were elected. Currently, the law only allows constituents to "recall" MPs who are sentenced to prison, suspended from Parliament for two weeks, or found guilty of making a misleading claim.

Here's Joan Ryan's full statement:

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• Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar faced a tough few years while struggling to attract millennial customers.
• The restaurant chain made a comeback in 2018, in part thanks to the Dollarita.
• Here are 12 things to know about Applebee's.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar: the restaurant that welcomes people to the neighborhood with late-night appetizers, two-for-$20 meal deals, and gloriously cheap cocktails.

Although we voted it a personal favorite, Applebee's has faced a tough few years. But after struggling to attract millennials and closing more than 150 locations between 2017 and 2018, the quick-service restaurant chain made an unexpected comeback in 2018.

While you're sipping on a dollar margarita or chowing down on mozzarella sticks, enjoy these 12 facts about one of the world's favorite restaurant chains.

1. The founders picked the name out of a phone book

Founders Bill and T.J. Palmer looked for inspiration in a phone book and fell in love with the name "Appleby." After finding there was already a copyright on the name, they changed it to "Applebee's."

2. The Palmers considered 2 other names for the restaurant

They considered "Cinnamon's" and "Pepper's" before settling on "Applebee's."

3. The first Applebee's opened in Atlanta

The Palmers opened the first Applebee's in Atlanta in 1980.

4. Applebee's originally had a drug-store theme

The restaurant's full name when it debuted was "T.J. Applebee's Rx for Edibles & Elixirs."

5. By 1989, Applebee's had 100 locations

Applebee's spread across the country and opened 100 locations before the end of the decade. By 1998, they had 1,000 restaurants.

6. The biggest Applebee's is 3 stories tall

The world's largest Applebee's sits just north of Times Square in New York City. It may be a whopping 3 stories high, but don't fret — you can get the same great deals as you would at a normal-sized 'Bee's.

7. The Dollarita may have saved the restaurant from turmoil

When all else failed, cheap cocktails saved the day. The Dollarita, Applebee's beloved $1 margaritas, was introduced in October 2017 and kicked off a "cheap drinks revolution" that helped make the restaurant popular again.

Read more: We compared meals at Applebee's and TGI Fridays as the chains battle for dominance, and the winner is clear

8. Applebee's cocktails are just as unique as they are inexpensive

Now the restaurant chain regularly comes up with new, creative cocktails. In 2018 they served Bahama Mama, Jolly Rancher, and Zombie cocktails — all for just $1 each.

9. Applebee's has almost 2,000 locations worldwide

Applebee's is the largest casual-dining chain, with almost 2,000 locations around the world. You can find your favorite late-night appetizer deals in places such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Guam, and Indonesia.

10. Applebee's hosted a New Year's Eve party with $375 tickets

In 2013, Applebee's hosted a glamorous New Year's Eve party in New York that cost $375 per adult. Kids tickets cost a mere $250. The upscale event featured an open bar, a DJ, and party favors.

11. IHOP and Applebee's are sibling restaurants

Applebee's and IHOP are both owned by Dine Brands Global.

12. Wanda Sykes once voiced the Applebee's mascot

Actress and comedian Wanda Sykes once voiced the Applebee's mascot, a talking Red Delicious apple that urged people to get together over dinner.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Read more:
• 11 of the best happy hour deals at chain restaurants
• Applebee's is making a comeback by ditching food that people 'can't pronounce'
• 16 restaurant chains you once loved that you'll likely never be able to eat at again

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NOW WATCH: Michael D'Antonio reveals Donald Trump's 'strange' morning ritual that boosts his ego

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• Trump wrote on Twitter that reporters do not seek comment from the White House before publishing bombshell stories, in an apparent reference to a New York Times piece about his conversations with former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker.
• New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman called it "a lie" that she and her team did not reach out to the White House communications staff before publication.

New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman said it was "a lie" when President Donald Trump claimed reporters do not reach out for comment in advance of publishing a story.

The Times reported Trump called former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to ask him if an attorney appointed by the president could un-recuse himself in an investigation by the Southern District of New York regarding 2016 payments. Trump responded by lambasting the publication during a Wednesday morning Twitter tirade.

"The Press has never been more dishonest than it is today," he wrote. "Stories are written that have absolutely no basis in fact. The writers don’t even call asking for verification. They are totally out of control. Sadly, I kept many of them in business. In six years, they all go BUST!"

Read more: Democrats won't wait for the Mueller report to investigate Trump, but impeachment remains a long shot

During an appearance on CNN's "New Day" Wednesday morning, Haberman said, "That's a lie" when asked by host John Berman if it was true reporters do not seek comment.

Haberman noted that she sent several emails to White House communications staff asking for comment, but "they went unanswered."

"We went through a detailed list of what we were planning on reporting," she said. "They chose not to engage."

"Whether his aides are not telling him what we are looking at or whether this is a game and he knows what it is and he's pretending that he doesn't, I can't read his mind," Haberman added. "But we certainly followed normal reporting practices and went over it at length with both the White House and Department of Justice."

SEE ALSO: Why Beto O’Rourke could lose if he decides to run for president

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• Rachel Sussman is a relationship expert and marriage counselor in New York City.
• She often sees couples who are having trouble communicating or spending enough time together.
• She also works with couples who aren't connecting sexually or have grown apart.

Celebrity couples like Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell and Barack and Michelle Obama have spoken about how their relationships benefited from seeing a therapist. The truth is that relationships involve hard work, and even the most well-suited couples sometimes need extra guidance to sort through issues that come up. 

Rachel Sussman, a relationship expert and marriage counselor in New York City, is one such resource for people in relationships who need to talk things out. Here are five common issues that she often encounters and how she helps couples work through them.

Not spending enough time together

When one or both people have demanding jobs or busy schedules, especially if they have a child or children, Sussman finds that couples don't end up having enough time to focus on each other and their relationship.

"It sounds corny, but a relationship is like a plant and if you don't water it and nurture it, it will not grow," she said. "That's where I work with them, really looking at a schedule and trying to find a way that they can connect. Because they have to. You have to find time."

Disinterest in sex

Sussman often works with couples who aren't connecting sexually.

To address the problem, she begins by learning more about the couple's sexual history. She asks what sex was like when they were first dating, during the first year of their relationship, and when things changed.

"I always explain to them that going back in time is not possible, otherwise everyone would want to go back in time," she said. "But what is possible is creating a new sex life, a new sexual relationship, based on who each of the parties is today and what each of their needs and wants and desires are today." 

Read more: A relationship therapist breaks down the 5 most common problems couples have in bed

Growing apart

People are supposed to grow and change over time, Sussman says. But these changes can make couples feel like they don't have anything in common anymore.

"The million dollar question is what happens when a couple changes [in a way that] makes them grow apart, if they were more aligned in an earlier phase of their relationship?" she said. "That's an excellent use of couples therapy. What we try to flesh out is are there still areas where they are aligned and focus on that, and create some distance and space in a healthy way around areas they're not aligned."

Individual's problems affecting the relationship

In therapy sessions, Sussman looks to distinguish between an individual's problems that need to be addressed separately and problems that the couple can work through together.

"It takes a while to flesh out what the couples' problem is versus what the individual problem is," she said. "It's usually two individuals with issues that are playing out and manifesting into a couples' issue."

On occasion, Sussman will recommend that one or both of the individuals see her or another counselor on their own.

"Sometimes the couples that I see are two pretty healthy people that are just having a hard time joining over something," she said. "But oftentimes it's each person's personal demons and issues that are causing these problems."

Communication issues

Sussman finds that when a couple tells her that they're having problems communicating, it's usually indicative of something deeper.

"They'll say, 'We have communication problems.' They do, but they usually have a bigger problem and they're not communicating well over it," said Sussman. "That being said, couples that have a really good communication style — not being defensive, using active listening, which is when you don't cut each other off and validate the other person's perspective — those couples tend to have much healthier relationships and they really can talk about anything."

• Read more:
• A relationship therapist breaks down the 10 most common fights couples have
• Couples think they go to counseling because of money, sex, and parenting — but therapists know the real problem is usually lurking underneath
• How to have a successful marriage that lasts, according to relationship experts who married each other
• 5 ways to be less codependent in your relationship

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Roger Stone explains what Trump has in common with Richard Nixon

• During an interview with Sam Jones for the latest episode of "Off Camera,"Daniel Radcliffe spoke candidly about how he used to drink excessively to cope with public scrutiny as a teenager. 
• The "Harry Potter" star that because of his own experience, he empathizes with Justin Bieber, who had highly publicized run-ins with the law. 
• "There is no blueprint for starting young and working stuff out," Radcliffe said."That's why whenever people are having a go at Justin Bieber drag racing cars or whatever, I'm always like, 'Yeah, but you never know. Stuff could be super crazy for him right now.'"

Daniel Radcliffe opened up about drinking to cope with fame as a teenager, and he says that he empathizes with stars like Justin Bieber who also struggled with growing up in the spotlight.

"There is no blueprint for starting young and working stuff out," Radcliffe said during an interview with Sam Jones for the latest episode of "Off Camera.""That's why whenever people are having a go at Justin Bieber drag racing cars or whatever, I'm always like, 'Yeah, but you never know. Stuff could be super crazy for him right now.'"

Bieber rose to fame after being discovered by Scooter Braun and releasing an EP that featured "One Time" and "One Less Lonely Girl." He's had several run-ins with the law over the years. This includes pleading guilty to charges of careless driving and resisting arrest and being put on probation for a vandalism conviction in 2014. 

Radcliffe, who was a child when he first starred as the titular character in the "Harry Potter" films, explained that he later turned to alcohol to cope with being recognized in public.

"There is an awareness that I really struggled with, particularly in my late teens when I was going out to places for the first time, where you would feel — again, it could have largely been in my head — you would feel watched when you went into a bar, when you went into a pub," Radcliffe said. "In my case, the quickest way of forgetting about the fact that you're being watched was to get very drunk."

The 29-year-old actor went on to say that getting drunk resulted in people paying even more attention to him, which then caused him to "drink more to ignore that more."

"It can affect your psyche," he added. 

Read more:Daniel Radcliffe explained why he 'never felt cool' playing Harry Potter

Radcliffe said that he also had added pressure "to be delighted all the time" and felt that because he was famous and wealthy, he didn't "have the right to ever feel sad or to not be excited about the whole thing all the time."

The "Miracle Workers" star said that "it took a few years and it took a couple of attempts" before he stopped drinking. 

Radcliffe said that he was "lucky" to meet some actors and other friends who also helped him avoid a downward spiral. He added that he's also "much happier now."

"Even at the lowest point, I still loved my job so much and I still loved going to set," he said. "There was never a day where my own s--- would affect how I was on the set. There was never a point where I was like, 'Oh, I wish this hadn't happened to me. I wish I wasn't Harry Potter.' That just didn't happen."

Watch the video below.

• Read more about Radcliffe:

• Daniel Radcliffe thinks that a 'Harry Potter' reboot will 'definitely' happen during his lifetime
• Daniel Radcliffe revealed his favorite 'Harry Potter' movie, and he knows fans would disagree
• Daniel Radcliffe reveals which 'Harry Potter' death was the most difficult for him to get over
•  

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NOW WATCH: Sea cucumbers are so valuable that people are risking their lives diving for them

• Bella Hadid wore a corset dress by Versace to a Bulgari event in Rome on Tuesday.
• The red dress had an eye-catching jewel-encrusted bodice with a long fitted skirt.
• She paired the dress with red I Love Vivier pumps by Roger Vivier.
• Hadid has worn several corset-style outfits in the past year.

Bella Hadid is no stranger to corset-style designs, and she's also never one to shy away from a bold color. On Tuesday, Hadid blended those two design elements effortlessly while hitting the red carpet.

The 22-year-old Victoria's Secret model attended a Bulgari event in Rome wearing an eye-catching red dress by Versace. 

The corset dress had a cinched waist design that flowed out into a long fitted skirt. The deep-red jewels on the bodice added a touch of sparkle to the bold color of the dress. 

According to Harper's Bazaar, Hadid paired the dress with £465 ($606.94 USD) I Love Vivier pumps by Roger Vivier.

Hadid has worn quite a few corset-style designs in the past year, including this semi-sheer ensemble she wore in September 2018. 

Later in September 2018, she also mixed a corseted silhouette with the underwear-as-outerwear trend with this lingerie-inspired look.

Read more:Bella Hadid turned some see-through lingerie into a minidress — and it's proof that Hollywood is obsessed with underwear as outerwear

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

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The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to pilot a payment model that could help reduce Medicare and Medicaid patient transports to costly emergency departments by steering them toward alternative forms of care, like telemedicine or urgent care, instead, according to The Associated Press.

Under the HHS' pilot, ambulance providers will have equal financial incentive to deliver patients to the ED or connect them with urgent or telemedicine care, which should spur greater foot traffic to the latter two services. For context, currently, Medicare typically only pays for emergency ambulance services if the patient is transported to a hospital. If successful, the HHS could expand the program nationwide.

Diverting patients away from emergency departments and toward telemedicine or urgent care represents a massive savings opportunity for the HHS. Emergency room (ER) visits account for a significant chunk (7%) of US healthcare's rising costs, and the price of an ER visit rose 24% to just shy of $2,000 between 2013 and 2017, while usage ticked up 10% over the same period, according to a newly released Health Care Cost Institute report.

Moreover, a large portion of these costly visits is avoidable: In 2017, more than 4 million of the 23 million ED visits made to a group of 750 US hospitals were potentially preventable, representing an $8.3 billion annual savings opportunity, per a recent report from healthcare consultancy Premier. The HHS estimates that scaling the payment model could save Medicare $500 million annually.

The proposed payment model is the latest indicator that hospitals should make strategic investments to control the first touch points of care. Healthcare’s "front door"— the services consumers interact with prior to seeking hospital care or for less serious conditions — is undergoing a transformation: We've seen an uptick in consumer use of retail health clinics and urgent care clinics, and younger generations prefer nontraditional healthcare services like virtual care for many services.

Combined with the HHS' proposal to incentivize ambulatory providers to transport more patients to lower cost, nonhospital care, these signs point to a need for providers to diversify how they reach patients. Providers should consider telemedicine investments and partnering with or acquiring walk-in clinics to ensure their revenue isn't undermined by any shifts in how consumers access healthcare: Health systems New York-Presbyterian, Cleveland Clinic, and BayCare have partnered with Walgreens, CVS, and Publix, respectively, for example.

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SEE ALSO: THE US HOME HEALTHCARE REPORT: How US providers are using telehealth to tap into the booming home healthcare market

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

• Wave sprays are a quick and easy way to achieve textured beachy waves without having to leave the comfort of your own home.
• Our top pick is the Ouai Wave Spray because it adds shine and volume while giving you effortlessly chic tousled waves.

There's nothing quite like a day at the beach. Besides having a relaxing time lounging in the sun, all it takes is one quick dip in the salt water to give you perfectly textured wavy hair. Since beach trips and tropical vacations aren't always an option, beauty brands have decided to bottle up the beach's essence in the form of wave sprays to give you those tousled beach waves every day.

Wave sprays not only give you piece-y, mussed waves just like the ocean would, but they often add volume, shine, and texture to your hair. Some feature ingredients that offer UV protection for your locks, while others help restore moisture to dry and damaged strands.

To help you find the right wave spray for you, we've done the research and trawled through hundreds of buyer and expert reviews to find the best option. Whether your hair is fine, thick, frizzy, or damaged, these products will give you the beachy waves of your dreams.

Here are the best wave sprays you can buy:

• Best wave spray overall: Ouai Wave Spray
• Best wave spray for fine hair: IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
• Best wave spray for thick hair: Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray
• Best wave spray for frizzy hair: OGX Moroccan Sea Salt Spray
• Best wave spray for dry/damaged hair: Herbivore Sea Mist Beach Wave Hair Mist

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best wave spray overall

Why you'll love it: The Ouai Wave Spray is a lightweight wave spray that smells great and works well.

The Ouai Wave Spray is one of the best-selling items from celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin's haircare line. The weightless spray is specially formulated to create beachy waves while enhancing texture and adding shine.

Unlike other wave sprays that feature sea salt, Ouai's wave spray uses rice protein, so it is safe to use on both color-treated and keratin-treated hair. It is also made without any parabens and sulfates and is not tested on animals.

Shoppers love how the spray gives them perfectly tousled waves and its beautiful floral smell. Not only is it an Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner, but the magazine's Deputy Beauty Director also said it was the only spray that, "gave my hair a cool, messy texture that lasted all day."

The spray has over 40,000 likes on Sephora with a 3.7-star rating. One shopper wrote, "I have very thick straight hair that has just enough wave to make it impossible to let it air dry and go. I tried it with this spray and it dried beautifully with lots of volume and natural wave. I have been skeptical that a wave spray would work on my type hair but I loved this stuff. It is a bit pricey but would be great to have on hand if you are running late."

A few reviewers said the spray can make your hair crunchy if you apply too much too closely, so they recommend spraying lightly from a distance until you see how your hair dries with it.

Pros: Lightweight, gives beachy waves, texture, and volume, adds shine, can be used on color-treated and keratin-treated hair

Cons: Can leave hair crunchy if you spray too much too closely

Buy the Ojai Wave Spray at Sephora for $26

The best wave spray for fine hair

Why you'll love it: The IGK Beach Club Texture Spray gives voluminous waves to even the finest and thinnest hair.

If you have thin or fine hair and have issues keeping waves or adding volume, give the IGK Beach Club Texture Spray a try. The salt-free texturing spray is extremely lightweight so it won't weigh down hair.

The spray's glycerin and gluten-free hydrolyzed wheat protein formula leave you with textured waves without leaving behind any stickiness. The aerosol can delivers an even finish and can be used on both wet and dry hair.

It has a 4.4-star rating with more than 10,000 likes on Sephora. One reviewer wrote, "I have fine hair with a hint of a natural wave that I'm always trying to draw out. I've tried a multitude of sea sprays, texturizing products, dry shampoos, and mousses. So far, this is my favorite."

A few customers were put off by the high price, but you can buy a miniature size for $14 first to try it out before spending a lot on the full-size spray.

Pros: Great for volume and texture, lightweight spray, won't leave hair sticky, gives you piece-y tousled waves

Cons: Pricey but comes in a test size to try first

Buy the IGK BeachClub Texture Spray at Sephora for $29

The best wave spray for thick hair

Why you'll love it: The Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray is a texturing wave spray that works great on even very thick hair.

The Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray is a two-in-one hairspray that will give you tousled waves as well textured and shiny strands. It is a buildable aerosol spray so you can add as much as your hair needs, making it perfect for thick hair that tends to soak up products quickly.

The wave spray is formulated with kaempferia galanga root extract that offers natural UV protection, as well as safflower seed oil that works to soften and condition hair. It can be applied to both wet and dry hair and won't leave it grainy or sticky.

It has 4-stars on Birchbox with more than 24,000 reviews. Most shoppers can't get enough of the fresh fruity smell. One reviewer wrote, "Didn't think it would work with my thick hair but it really did! After I washed my hair, I used this after towel drying and my hair turned out great.”

The spray is much more expensive than the average wave spray but most users said it was well worth the cost.

Pros: Buildable spray, adds texture and shine, natural UV protection, softens and conditions hair

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray at Birchbox for $42

• Hurricane Irma, which struck the Caribbean and the Southeastern US in September 2017, was one of the largest and most powerful storms in history.
• Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson rode out the storm at his compound on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. 
• Branson described the experience as "14 hours of a screaming train going by."
• Irma directed affected 1.2 million people and caused more than $3 billion in damage.

Hurricane Irma was one of the largest and most powerful storms in history. Irma, which struck the Caribbean and the Southeastern US in September 2017, was a Category Five hurricane that generated sustained winds of 187 mph. The storm was also massive, roughly the size of Texas. 

Which is why many were shocked when Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson decided to ride out the storm at his compound on Necker Island, one of the British Virgin Islands. 

Branson and a handful of Necker's staff spent the night in the private island's reinforced wine cellar. 

Recently, Branson recounted what that evening was like for those in the cellar.

"It was 14 hours of a screaming train going by," Branson said in an interview with Business Insider. "We were very lucky to be in a wine cellar, a good concrete wine cellar."

According to Branson, the group took full advantage of the wine cellar's contents during the night to pass the time.

"It didn't feel so bad when we came out, we were all in a good mood," he said. 

Read more: I flew Virgin Atlantic from London to New York to see if Richard Branson's airline is still one of the world's best — here's the verdict.

However, the devastation caused by the hurricane was sobering for Branson.

"It is a traumatic time here in the British Virgin Islands," he said in a blog post published on Virgin Group's website the day after the storm struck. "Hurricane Irma is continuing a path of destruction that brought the eye of the storm to Necker Island, Moskito Island, and the whole surrounding area."

He continued: "I have never seen anything like this hurricane. Necker and the whole area have been completely and utterly devastated. We are still assessing the damage, but whole houses and trees have disappeared."

The doors and windows outside of the wine cellar had been blown 40 feet away, he said.

All local communications networks were knocked out by the storm. As a result, his blog post had to be dictated through a satellite phone.

In total, Irma directed affected 1.2 million people and caused more than $3 billion in damage as it carved a path of destruction through the Islands and the American south. Tragically, the storm also caused 129 fatalities in the US alone. 

For Branson, this story has a happier ending.

"We've had 500 wonderful people for 18th months rebuilding Necker Island and also helping rebuilding schools in the area and it's now back and beautiful again," he said. "So we have our home back which is great."

SEE ALSO: Richard Branson reveals how his new adults-only cruise line, Virgin Voyages, will turn the cruise industry upside down

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NOW WATCH: Airports are dealing with massive lines during the government shutdown as TSA employees are working without pay

• Tax Day is April 15 this year.
• If you're expecting a federal tax refund, you can check the status on IRS.gov. If you e-file and choose direct deposit, the refund should appear in your account within 21 days.
• States that tax income also issue refunds, and you can check the status of your refund on your state's government website.
• Filers typically need two numbers to check the status of a refund: A Social Security number or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and the exact refund amount.

The sooner you file taxes, the sooner you'll get your refund. 

While the IRS is pretty quick about processing tax returns and paying out refunds— if you e-file and choose direct deposit, you'll most likely see the money in your account within 21 days — each state handles taxes differently.

Tax return processing times vary among states and refunds can be issued anywhere from a few days after submitting your return to a few months.

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Forty US states, plus Washington DC, impose either a flat or progressive income tax. Residents who have too much money withheld from their paychecks for taxes throughout the year are eligible for a tax refund, as is the case with federal taxes.

Although it's the first tax season since President Trump enacted sweeping changes to the US tax code, resulting in many Americans getting smaller federal refunds than last year, the new tax law doesn't affect state income taxes or refunds. 

Read more:Many Americans are freaking out about getting a smaller tax refund this year — here's why it's happening

In order to check the status of your state tax refund, you'll probably need two things at the very least: A Social Security number or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and your exact refund amount. Some states also ask for your date of birth, filing status, ZIP code, and the year of your return. 

SmartAsset has a list of how to check your state tax refund status in every state. 

Although federal and state tax refunds are issued separately, you can easily file your tax returns at the same time if you file electronically. The IRS Free File Lookup tool can help you find free online tax-filing options.

Join the conversation about this story »

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

• Meghan Markle is currently in New York, reportedly to celebrate her baby shower.
• The Duchess of Sussex had a packed day of socializing and seeing old friends on Tuesday.
• She had lunch with a former "Suits" co-star before spending the evening at celeb-favorite Polo Bar.
• Her baby shower is reportedly taking place on Wednesday in the penthouse suite of the Mark Hotel, and sources suggest it will be hosted by Serena Williams and Amal Clooney.
• The suite is the largest penthouse in the US, comprising of two floors, five bedrooms, four fireplaces, six bathrooms, two powder rooms, and views over Central Park.

Meghan Markle is currently in the United States, reportedly for her baby shower.

She was photographed on Tuesday with 15 of her closest friends in New York City — Serena Williams, Misha Nonoo, Jessica Mulroney, and Markus Anderson all joined the Duchess to celebrate.

And today, Wednesday, her baby shower is reportedly set to take place.

Hosted by Serena Williams and Amal Clooney, Tatler reports that a source said the afternoon shower is being held in the penthouse suite of the elegant Mark Hotel, beloved of celebrities and the fashion elite.

The suite is the largest penthouse in the US, comprising two floors, five bedrooms, four fireplaces, six bathrooms, two powder rooms, and views over Central Park.

The suite also costs $75,000 per night, and Williams is reportedly footing the bill (she and Markle both stayed in the hotel the night previously, but whether they had the penthouse or not is unclear), according to Tatler.

The Mark was reportedly chosen by Williams, who is a frequent visitor to Jean-Georges, the hotel's in-house restaurant.

According to Tatler's source, the baby shower will kick off with a flower-arranging masterclass, accompanied by a dessert table.

Kensington Palace declined to comment when asked about the shower by INSIDER.

On Tuesday evening, the Duchess of Sussex, wearing a $3,085 navy Victoria Beckham coat, headed out on the town to Ralph Lauren's Polo Bar, a restaurant beloved by celebrities.

Not only is the restaurant a celeb-favorite, it also seems an apt choice given Markle's husband, Prince Harry, is an avid polo player.

What's more, the bar menu even features a drink named after Markle's father-in-law, the Prince of Wales: a $22 cocktail made of High West Rendezvous Rye, Cherry Heering, honey, pineapple, and Champagne.

Food on the restaurant menu includes everything from a $28 avocado and crab salad (Markle's penchant for avocado is no secret) to a $70 ribeye steak with hand-cut fries.

Markle, Williams, Anderson, and Mulroney spent the evening at the A-list hot-spot (whose fans reportedly even include President Donald Trump) before the Duchess and Williams returned to the Mark to crash.

The evening out came after a long day of socializing —the mother-to-be had also been out for lunch with former "Suits" co-star Abigail Spencer.

Read more: Meghan Markle stepped out ahead of her reported baby shower in an all-black outfit with matching sunglasses

However, the duo had to abandon their lunch at the Met Breuer as the location wasn't private enough, according to Hello! magazine.

Seven-months-pregnant Markle and Spencer decided a better location would be Café Boulud at the Surrey Hotel, and moved there for their catch-up.

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