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Bitcoin is 10 years old today — here's a look back at its crazy history (BITCOIN)

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bitcoin accepted here cryptocurrency

  • Wednesday marks the 10th anniversary of the paper which led to the creation of bitcoin, the first ever cryptocurrency.
  • On October 31 2008, bitcoin's mysterious founder Satoshi Nakamoto published a nine-page long academic style paper called "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System."
  • Since its creation, bitcoin has seen wild price swings, major battles for control, and $500 million hacks, but is now well in the mainstream.
  • Take a look back at the major events in the cryptocurrency's crazy 10 years.
  • Track the price of bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies, at Markets Insider.

Halloween 2018 marks the 10-year anniversary of the foundations of bitcoin, the world's first cryptocurrency, an asset  that can fairly claim to have altered perceptions of what can truly be considered an asset in financial markets.

A decade ago today, bitcoin's mysterious founder Satoshi Nakamoto published a nine-page long academic style paper called "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System." The paper would go on to act as the founding text for the cryptocurrency, and lead to the first bitcoin transactions being carried out in early 2009.

It's impossible to say how much bitcoin has increased in price single its earliest incarnation, because its value back then was in the fractions of cents. A conservative estimate, based on bitcoin's current price being around $6,300 per coin, and its early price being less than $0.01, would see bitcoin's value increasing more than 1 million fold in the last decade.

2008-2010: The early years

The first bitcoin transactions were carried out in private, so no one really knows when or how numerous they were, but the first trade is believed to have been between Nakamoto and developer Hal Finney. Many have speculated that Finney, who died in 2014, may actually have been Satoshi.

Bitcoin adoption grew slowly at first, with the cryptocurrency first fetching mainstream attention in May 2010 on a day that has since become known as "Bitcoin Pizza Day."

It was May 22, when the purchase of the two Papa John's pizzas by Laszlo Hanyecz from another bitcoin enthusiast marked what is believed to be the first "real-world" bitcoin transaction. Hanyecz traded 10,000 bitcoins for two large Papa John's pizzas, a sale now worth around $63 million.

2013 onwards: Mainstream appeal

Bitcoin's journey continued slowly at first, but it hit the mainstream in 2013 after the first of several hyperinflation incidents occurred in the currency. In late 2013, the cryptocurrency spike in value from around $100 per coin to $1,000 in just over a month, before halving in value over the next three or four months. Bitcoin would not hit $1,000 again until 2017.

The spike, however, drew mainstream media attention, with Business Insider's Joe Weisenthal penning a now well-known op-ed titled "I'm Changing My Mind About Bitcoin"— having just weeks earlier called bitcoin a "joke."

For the next three years, bitcoin stayed in a range of around $400 — never trading above $650 or much below $250. The most notable event during that time was the collapse of Mt Gox, the first ever exchange, which filed for bankruptcy protection after hackers stole nearly $500 million of bitcoin, and a further $30 million of cash deposits.

The hack, still the largest ever in the crypto space, exposed massive security flaws, and exacerbated bitcoin's reputation as a Wild West asset with little to no financial protection for its users.

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 09.37.04

 

2017: The bitcoin bubble inflates

After three years of relative calm, bitcoin truly hit the mainstream in 2017, a year which saw the cryptocurrency increase in value from around $1,000 per coin to almost $20,000 per coin in a matter of months.

Part of the spearhead for that huge jump in value was the bitcoin "fork" which saw bitcoin split into bitcoin and bitcoin cash, after a group of Chinese developers decided to split bitcoin's original code in protest at what Reuters calls "improvements to the currency’s technology meant to increase its capacity to process transactions."

2017 also saw the first major public efforts from financial institutions to get involved in cryptocurrencies, with two US exchanges, the CME and Cboe, creating platforms for customers to trade bitcoin futures. Numerous major banks also announced projects involving crypto, which helped fuel the rapidly expanding bubble in bitcoin's price.

That bubble began to burst just before Christmas — only a couple of weeks after futures were launched — and by the end of January 2018, bitcoin had fallen from around $20,000 per coin to just $10,000.

The falls were driven in part by rising fears that regulators planned to crack down on the cryptocurrency, which had largely operated outside the auspices of normal regulators until that point.

Bitcoin continued to decline during early 2018, before eventually stabilizing at around $7,000 per coin. It has remained in the $6,000 to $7,000 range since June, and the volatility that characterised the market in 2017 and early 2018 has all but evaporated. On its 10-year anniversary, bitcoin is trading at $6,305 per coin, according to Markets Insider.

While it has now well and truly entered the mainstream consciousness, there are still concerns that it has longevity, and could ultimately fail. Even Wences Casares, widely known as bitcoin's "Patient Zero" for his role in spurring interest in crypto in Silicon Valley, expressed worries about its future.

"It may work, it might not work,"he told Bloomberg on Monday. "We are in the equivalent of 1992 for the internet."

SEE ALSO: 'Market manipulation 101': 'Wolf of Wall Street'-style 'pump and dump' scams plague cryptocurrency markets

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Papa John's spikes after a report says private equity firms are fighting for a stake in the pizza chain (PZZA)

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Papa John's

  • Private equity firms are fighting to acquire a stake in the pizza chain Papa John’s, according to Reuters.
  • Shares of the pizza chain rallied 10% following the news.
  • Papa John’s is likely to be valued at $63.50 per share during a potential acquisition, Jefferies analyst Alexander Slagle recently said.
  • Watch Papa John's trade live.

Papa John's shares rallied 10% Tuesday after a Reuters report said private equity firms are fighting to acquire a stake in the pizza chain.

Reuters reports, Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners are among the private equity firms competing to buy a stake.* 

Private equity firms KKR & Co and Roark Capital have also been vying for Papa John’s, with binding offers expected in the next few weeks, according to Reuters' sources.

Hedge fund Trian Fund Management, an investor in fast-food chain Wendy's that had expressed interest in Papa John’s, is said to be considering a potential investment should a deal for the sale of the company not be reached.

A special committee formed by Papa John’s board of directors is exploring a sale as part of a wide review of strategic alternatives, and there is no certainty that the company will agree to a sale, the sources added.

No matter who buys Papa John's, investors care most about what the pizza chain might be worth in the event of an acquisition. Jefferies analyst Alexander Slagle recently said that Papa John's is likely to be valued at $63.50 per share during an acquisition— 18% above where shares settled on Tuesday. Slagle made the conclusion by comparing Papa John’s potential deal with Inspire Brands' recent purchase of Sonic.

Pap John's was down 6% this year through Tuesday.

* An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated the private equity firms were trying to buy the  30%  stake owned by the former CEO and chairman John Schnatter. 

Read more stories on Papa John’s:

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10 things you need to know before the opening bell (FB, AAPL, PZZA)

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Halloween Chile

Here is what you need to know.

Markets just got another ominous warning sign about the health of China's economyChinese manufacturing PMI fell to 50.2 in October — just above contractionary territory and to its lowest level since July 2016, according to data released Wednesday. 

Bitcoin turns 10On October 31, 2008, bitcoin's mysterious founder Satoshi Nakamoto published a nine-page-long academic-style paper called "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System," paving the way for the world's first cryptocurrency. 

Baillie Gifford has gotten in early on Amazon, Facebook, and Alibaba — here are 2 under-the-radar stock picks the firm lovesThe 110-year-old Scottish investment firm that manages $255 billion and has made a name for itself by getting in early on a wide range of Silicon Valley unicorns told Business Insider in an exclusive interview about two names it expects to deliver big returns in the future.

Facebook users stallThe social media giant reported revenue spiked 33% year-over-year to to $13.7 billion, missing Wall Street estimates, and said that its US daily active users were unchanged from second-quarter levels at 185 million.  

Apple announces new productsThe tech giant unveiled new iPad Pros, Mac computers, and more, at an event in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday. 

Private-equity firms are reportedly fighting for Papa John's. Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners are among the private-equity firms trying to buy the pizza chain, Reuters says.

An NFL player who pleaded guilty to insider trading is facing an 8-game suspensionThe Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks was suspended eight games after he pleaded guilty to insider trading. He faces a up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in December.  

Stock markets around the world are in rally modeJapan's Nikkei (+2.16%) led the gains in Asia and Britain's FTSE (+1.32%) is out front in Europe. The S&P 500 is set to open up 0.6% near 2,699.

Earnings reporting remains heavyGeneral Motors, Kellogg, Molson Coors, and Yum Brands report ahead of the opening bell while Express Scripts, Fitbit, and Sturm Ruger release their quarterly results after markets close.

US economic data flowsADP Employment Change will be released at 8:15 a.m. ET and Chicago PMI will cross the wires at 9:45 a.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is up 2 basis points at 3.14%. 

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Sundar Pichai emailed Google staff saying he is 'deeply sorry' for the firm's record on sexual misconduct

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Sundar Pichai

  • Sundar Pichai emailed Google staff saying he is "deeply sorry" for sexual misconduct at the company following last week's explosive New York Times report.
  • The email comes after news emerged that Google staff are planning a walkout to protest against the company's handling of the sexual misconduct allegations.
  • Pichai alluded to staff dissatisfaction in the email, and said Google must take a "much harder line on inappropriate behavior."

Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent an email to staff saying he is "deeply sorry" for the sexual misconduct of top executives laid bare in a report by The New York Times.

Ars Technica obtained the email, which was reportedly sent to employees on Tuesday evening. It followed an all-staff meeting at the company last week, in which Pichai and Google cofounder Larry Page addressed concerns.

"So first, let me say I am deeply sorry for the past actions and the pain they have caused employees. Larry mentioned this on stage last week, but it bears repeating: if even one person experiences Google the way the New York Times article described, we are not the company we aspire to be," he wrote.

The New York Times described sexual misconduct on the part of Andy Rubin, the creator of Android. Rubin left Google in 2014 following allegations he coerced a woman into oral sex, the Times reported. He denies the allegations.

Read more:Google employees are reportedly planning a walkout this week in protest of the recent sexual misconduct revelations

This email comes after news of a planned walkout by Google staff emerged on Monday. The "women's walk" is scheduled to take place on Thursday, and was organised in the wake of last week's all-hands meetings. In his email, Pichai alluded to staff dissatisfaction, writing:

"Since last week, I've heard from many of you. Some of you wrote me personally. Others have shared their thoughts with leaders and fellow Googlers. One thing that's become clear to me is that our apology at TGIF didn't come through, and it wasn't enough. We hear you."

Pichai also said in the email that Google has to take a "much harder line on inappropriate behavior." Yesterday an executive named in the Times piece — a director at Google's research lab Alphabet X named Richard DeVaul — reportedly resigned without an exit package.

Business Insider has contacted Google for comment.

You can read Sundar Pichai's full email here.

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'Red October' sees US stocks endure their worst month since the financial crisis

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Sean Connery Hunt for red october

  • The S&P 500 is set to finish the month having had its worst October since the 2008 financial crisis.
  • Benchmark US index has lost around 8.5% in October, the biggest monthly drop since February 2009.
  • Both the Dow Jones and Nasdaq have also endured major losses.
  • Concerns ranging from a US-China trade war, Federal Reserve interest rate policy and a slowdown in global growth led to a wave of heavy selling.
  • Global stocks have also slumped, with the MSCI All-World Index losing 4.5%.

Stocks are set to end October having endured the worst month for the S&P 500 since February 2009 and the worst October since the 2008 financial crisis. The benchmark US index is set to drop about 8.5%, only outdone by the 16.8% loss the index witnessed in 2008, just weeks after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. 

The month was plagued by bad news but lacked a clear catalyst. Concerns ranging from a US-China trade war, Federal Reserve interest rate policy and a slowdown in global growth led to a wave of heavy selling in the S&P, as well as the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq.

Selling was not limited to the US, with Chinese stocks plummeting, and the MSCI All-World index dropping about 10% across October.

In the US in particular, the biggest concern for investors is that after years of monetary stimulus and a short-term boost from the Trump administration's tax cuts, more rate rises and lower bond prices will ultimately bring the US economy to a halt.

Growth is still going strong, but many believe that will flip soon, particularly when factoring in the potential negative impact of President Trump's trade war, which by some measures is already starting to hurt the domestic economy.

Another factor for the markets is the slowing Chinese economy, which after a decade or more of blockbuster growth is reaching maturity, bringing with it smaller increases in GDP. Debt levels in China are also huge, another major concern for many in the markets.

China's current account balance is down significantly from last year's 1.3% and will likely turn into a small deficit in 2019. If so that would be the first time in 24 years.

"The larger the stimulus used by China to offset the trade war impact, the bigger will its deficit likely be," UBS's Tao Wang, chief China economist, said in a report earlier in the month.

That may hurt confidence and hasten outflows, putting pressure on the nation's currency.

"Although CNY depreciation can partially offset trade war impact, a large depreciation will likely hurt domestic confidence, trigger panic outflows and risk financial stability," UBS said.

The tail end of October has seen an additional negative driver, particularly for the Nasdaq, as disappointing earnings reports from the US tech giants AmazonGoogle, and Snap helped to further drag down sentiment.

Oil prices are also a major concern, with the combination of looming sanctions against Iran, and the possibility that Saudi Arabia will choke output in response to international outcry over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the country's consulate in Istanbul, leading some to believe prices could ratchet higher in coming months.

High oil prices tend to stunt economic growth, particularly in developing markets where increasing oil consumption is a key driver of rapid growth. Brent traded as high as $84 per barrel in early October, and while it has now fallen around 9% to $76 per barrel, that remains an elevated level compared to the past four years.

Stocks may have witnessed a horror month, but look likely to bounce a little on October's final day, with the S&P 500 set to gain about 0.7% once markets open at 9.30 a.m. in New York.

SEE ALSO: ALBERT EDWARDS: Investors are ignoring the 'most underrated risk' in markets, one that could spark an imminent blowup

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A travel blogger couple fell to their deaths trying to take a picture from a cliff in Yosemite National Park

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taft point

  • A couple have fallen to their deaths from Taft Point in Yosemite National Park.
  • They've been named as 29-year-old Vishnu Viswanath and 30-year-old Meenakshi Moorthy.
  • The couple were self-identified adrenaline junkies.
  • They had a travel blog and Instagram page, where they posed in some of the most beautiful locations on Earth.

A travel blogging couple fell to their deaths on October 24 after trying to take a picture on a cliff in Yosemite National Park.

National Park Service spokesperson Jaime Richards identified the couple as 29-year-old Vishnu Viswanath and 30-year-old Meenakshi Moorthy, who were married.

The cliff, called Taft Point, is a tourist hotspot for taking an amazing picture, but the drop is 800 feet, and there is no railing.

The couple posted pictures of themselves travelling around the world on their Instagram page "holidaysandhappilyeverafters."

Viswanath and Moorthy's Instagram account currently has about 18,000 followers. They also ran a travel blog with the same name, which has been taken offline.

CHASING SUNSETS or CHASING LIKES ??? 😛 ... Sooo today on #socialmediabadasstribe we are talking about limits of #doitforthegram.😶Yeah sure it can be limitless but guys, we reaaaallly need to have boundaries(this is handy as life lessons too but we will revisit that later😉) A lot of us including yours truly is a fan of daredevilry attempts of standing at the edge of cliffs ⛰and skyscrapers🌆, but did you know that wind gusts can be FATAL??? ☠️ Is our life just worth one photo? ... When we squirm at another selfie attempt gone south 😱 from a skyscraper, let’s remember to save that in our core memory 🧠 and not the memory dump 🛢(I am still on the Inside Out 🎬 train y'all 😬) Same applies when we get our knickers in a twist and hog a spot till we get the perfect shot🙄 I know I know, I am guilty as charged for all of this 🤦‍♀️ and if I didn’t have Mr. Two Goody Shoes, Vishnu 🤭 with me, I am not even sure if I would have written this post. ... Let us all try to be responsible digital citizens and use our “numbers” to be transparent and honest, shall we?🤗 None of us is perfect and the more we accept it and share our flaws as much as our wins, we are one step closer to creating a sane social media without the scary brouhahas.💕✨ ... Still there?👀 Woohoo, a backflip is in order, or wait maybe a pizza? 🍕 What about a unicorn ice-cream 🦄 🍦 with some Disney-approved cotton candy 🍭🍬 and pixie dust infused sprinkles 🧚‍♀️ if…..IF you could tell me the one time you were effin’ proud of being candid and real AF in social media? 😎 ... PS - Not sponsored but sweatshirt is from @radearthsupply • • • #grandcanyonnps #northrim #instagramaz #visitarizona #travelarizona #shotzdelight #discovertheroad #usaroadtrip #visittheusa #outdoorsusa #exploretheusa #womenwhoexplore #iamtb #radparks #thediscoverer #gtgi #sheisnotlost #wearetravelgirls #hikemore #radgirlslife #travelreality #dreamscape @womenwhoexplore @visit_arizona @visittheusa @shotzdelight

A post shared by TravelCreatives❤️Minaxi+Vishnu (@holidaysandhappilyeverafters) on Mar 28, 2018 at 8:45am PDT on

Their posts include them skydiving, flying in hot air balloons, standing on cliff faces, and posing in some of the most beautiful locations in the world.

According to AP, Moorthy's brother-in-law said she wanted to work full time as a travel blogger. She was a self-described adrenaline junkie and "quirky free spirit."

"Roller coasters and skydiving does not scare me," she apparently said.

taft point couple

"A lot of us including yours truly is a fan of daredevilry attempts of standing at the edge of cliffs and skyscrapers," Moorthy wrote in one of her Instagram captions. "But did you know that wind gusts can be FATAL??? Is our life just worth one photo?"

Viswanath was also a fan of the lifestyle. His cover photo on Facebook pictures him and Moorthy smiling with arms around each other at the Grand Canyon, with the caption "living life on the edge."

SWIPE RIGHT TO SEE SOME EPICNESS 🤘 FROM #WOMENSMARCHONNYC ... You know when I said I have a thing for badass 👊Wonder(ful) Women? Yesterday, I decided to be one myself and participated in the #WomensMarch here. I went alone and was on the verge of a meltdown 😶 for the first few minutes since everyone had their own squad and a tad reserved to accept this pink haired girlie 💕👩 but then I met my SISTERHOOD and I came back with a fiery tribe 🔥to dance with and mad memories to die for ✨ ... It is ironical like @gloriasteinem said, the moment a woman chooses to behave like a full-human-being, she gets into a hell lotta troubles,😏and from yesterday my sisterhood and I, we have been subjected to a lot of “trolls” and controversies from people who couldn't care less about all this.🙄Let me help you here.🤗 〰️ WHY are we doing this and WHO are we doing this for⁉️ ... 🔻We want the society to RESPECT OUR CHOICES. Treat us like a FULL HUMAN BEING. We love being a Mother/Wife/Chef but we do not want it to be FORCED on us. 〰️ 🔻Many women are labeled and objectified and not treated as INDIVIDUALS.We want to end that. 〰️ 🔻As much as we love our near and dear ones and would even die for them, we do NOT exist solely for EVERYBODY ELSE’S PURPOSE. 〰️ 🔻Like many trailblazing visionaries and virtuosos did before us and still doing, if THEY had not marched for us, we would probably still forced to be with shaven heads and slaving for someone else. 〰️ 🔻So it all boils down to #pinkpositivelight “RESPECT MY EXISTENCE OR EXPECT MY RESISTANCE” (@royabab 😍) 〰️〰️〰️ 🔴 Also, Feminism is NOT equal ❌ to Men-Hating. If anything we love and respect the men(those who return the feelings i.e.) in our life and again like Gloria said, “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” ... Please feel free to agree/disagree with these ideologies in comments and I will be more than happy to contribute to it💕 • • • #TogetherWeRise #TimesUp #NotOnOurWatch #NeverthelessShePersisted #DefineFeminism #GurlsTalk #WonderWomen #DameTravelerConnection #DameTraveler #SheisNotLost #TimeOutNewYork #seeyourcity #TheWeekOnInstagram

A post shared by TravelCreatives❤️Minaxi+Vishnu (@holidaysandhappilyeverafters) on Jan 21, 2018 at 12:01pm PST on

AP reported that another couple captured pictures of Moorthy before the couple fell. Sean Matteson said she stood out from the crowd with her pink hair and how close she got to the edge.

"She gave me the willies," he said. "There aren't any railings. I was not about to get that close to the edge. But she seemed comfortable. She didn't seem like she was in distress or anything."

sean couple

Earlier in October, scientists in India warned that some tourist spots needed "no selfie zones" because 259 people died trying to take selfies between 2011 and 2017.

"Selfies are themselves not harmful, but the human behavior that accompanies selfies is dangerous," the authors wrote in their conclusion.

"Usually the youth and tourists are frequently affected because of the desire of 'being cool,' posting photos on social media, and getting rewards in forms of likes and comments."

Deep water was the biggest risk, as 70 people died from drowning. A close second was transport — such as running in front of a train — with 51 deaths, while 48 people died from falling. Other deaths were caused by electrocution, animals, and firearms.

For example, since 2016, three popular travel YouTubers, a photographer, and two teenage boys died in waterfall-related accidents in Canada and New York.

Now whoooo wants to see some phantasmagorical photos of the🏜 American Wiiild West?🤠 For the last one week, we have been chasing sunrises and sunsets🌅,milky ways🌌 and mountain mists🏔 , petrified deserts and petroglyphs🌀aaaand some goblins too (wink wink😉) ... Buuut before we savor the sheer cosmic poetry of the sensual southwest🧡, I want to share something with y’all. A special edition of #pinkpositivelight and #socialmediabadasstribe combined, with(out😉) further ado presenting 💎 “LIVE AND LET LIVE” 💎 Not a shocker was it?😏 But then why oh why is this concept way harder than rocket science for a few ⁉️ ... "LIVE AND LET LIVE" can also be translated as “TO EACH THEIR OWN". To me, it means everyone in this cosmos ✨ has a darn right to make decisions to affect their life as long as it is not mentally or physically hurting others in a purposeful manner.✌️ ... Now for some reason, God knows why🤷‍♀️ some people love to pelt passive aggressive words and berate and hate others in public.🤦‍♀️ I agree, there is no point in actively following folks who are not our cup of joy, but it does not give any of us a right to be hurtful to them and propagate hate.❌ ... Now kindly allow me to put it in another way. LIFE IS SHORT people. Like reallllyyy short.❤️ Honestly, I am not promised tomorrow and this pink haired girl wants to live her teeny life twirling💃with the people she loves and swirling⚡️her wand to get to her goals and dreams. She doesn't wanna waste it having anxiety attacks cos of cyberbullying and planning agendas on how to ruin someone’s day.😞 ... If that sounds right up your alley too, let us start with a happy dance 💃🕺and we need not even wait till the black moon 🌙 to get on our broomsticks⚡️✨and fly to the land of promises and possibilities! 🤩 🔹All of us have a story. 🔸All of us have a right to fight for our dreams. 🔹And nobody has a right to exercise power over us to promote hate for whatsoever petty or not so petty reasons they have.👊 ... Remember, you stand in your own light.🌟 You choose whether you want to blaze🔥 love or hate! • • • #RoadTripUSA #discovertheroad #instagramaz #visitarizona #route66roadtrip #seligman #explorationgram

A post shared by TravelCreatives❤️Minaxi+Vishnu (@holidaysandhappilyeverafters) on Apr 16, 2018 at 8:43am PDT on

MyYosemitePark.com, a travel advice site, has a photo of Taft Point and warnings not to pose on top of it.

"It would only take a loose rock or bad footing to plummet,"the site reads.

Spokeswoman Richards said officials were investigating how Viswanath and Moorthy fell, but it would take a few days.

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Meghan Markle spotted a fan she used to message on Instagram during her royal tour, and gave her a hug

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Meghan Markle New Zealand

  • During her tour of New Zealand, Meghan Markle met a fan that she used to message on Instagram and encourage to be herself.
  • Meghan hurried towards Hannah Sergel, 20, and gave her a hug in Auckland on Tuesday.
  • Sergel said that New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, messaged her a photo of the moment Meghan spotted her in the crowd.
  • Sergel said that she and Meghan would message when Meghan was an actress and still had her own social media accounts.

Meghan Markle spotted a young fan that she used to message on Instagram in the crowd on her royal tour in New Zealand.

The Duchess of Sussex saw Hannah Sergel, 20, in the crowd on Tuesday, holding a sign that said: "It's Hannah from Instagram."

She exclaimed "Oh my god!" and rushed towards Sergel, giving her a hug. 

Meghan deleted all of her social media when she joined the royal family. But Sergel said that they messaged on Instagram before that, when Meghan was an actress. Sergel said Meghan used to encourage her to work hard and do well at university.

Sergel told New Zealand's News Now 1 that Meghan "would tell me to do well at university and encourage me to be myself."

Read more:Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced off in a rubber boot throwing contest — and Meghan's team triumphed

She shared an old video on Twitter that Meghan had addressed to her, where Meghan says "I hope I get to meet you soon."

Sergel gave Meghan a letter when they met on Tuesday, which was passed to Prince Harry for safekeeping.

Meghan could be seen holding the letter in photos later in the day.

Meghan Markle

Sergel said that Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand who was present when Sergel and Meghan met, sent her a photo of the moment that Meghan spotted her in the crowd.

Sergel told News Now 1: "She said 'Thank you for getting in touch,' and then she gave me a hug and said she would read my letter that I gave her."

The royals were in Auckland, New Zealand, last leg of their royal tour. 

The royal couple has already visited Australia, Fiji, and Tonga. They return to the UK on Thursday.

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Benedict Cumberbatch committed one of the cardinal sins of fashion — and even his die-hard fans aren't sure about it

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Benedict Cumberbatch seen with a moustache as he leaves leaves BBC Radio Two Studios after promoting his new film 'The Grinch'

  • Benedict Cumberbatch made a pretty wild fashion faux pas on Monday.
  • The British actor wore a double corduroy leisure suit in mustard brown on his way to the BBC studios in London.
  • Cumberbatch's super-fans bemoaned the outlandish look, but they still love him anyway.
  • The actor's choice is yet another signal that monochrome is well and truly in vogue.

Benedict Cumberbatch committed one of the cardinal sins of fashion on Monday when visiting the BBC studios in London to promote his new film, "The Grinch."

The "Doctor Strange" actor wore a full corduroy leisure suit in mustard brown, essentially making the fashion faux pas of double denim but in cord — and even his die-hard fans (known as the "Cumberb-----s") are finding it hard to defend him.

"Benedict Cumberbatch must have been quite chilled when he left the house," one person wrote on Twitter, "though I'm not sure that justifies a corduroy suit."

"He looks like some cheesy 1970s spy tv show guy here. Still love him to bits," another fan wrote.

"Dear haha when i saw this orange clothes, i just thought WTH [what the hell]," a user called "Jill's Cumberbatched" added.

It's not exactly a look you'd expect from the boarding school-educated 42-year-old, but it does show that the attitude to doubling up on your materials is changing.

Read more: Meghan Markle ditched her signature heels and wore $120 eco-friendly sneakers on a boat

More and more fashion icons are opting for double denim and monochrome looks and, while it may seem wrong, the look can be mastered expertly.

Fellow British actor Tom Hardy show exactly how to pull off the one-colour look earlier this year when he wore all white to Comic-Con.

tom hardy

Hardy switched up the look by wearing a range of palettes and patterns that gave his outfit depth and stopped it looking like a monochrome tracksuit. He also accessorised with a classic steel bracelet.

You'll notice that Cumberbatch looks a lot better below with his green beanie on, which adds another layer of colour and texture to the outfit.

Benedict Cumberbatch leaving Global Radio Studios after promoting his new film 'The Grinch' - London

Cumberbatch also tore a page out of Meghan Markle's style playbook, wearing a pair of the highly in-vogue, eco-friendly Veja sneakers.

The stylish low-top trainers feature sustainable leather — making them an environmentally conscious choice — and retail for a reasonable $120.

While the Cumberbatch ultras may not agree with this particular look, it's yet another celebrity signaller that monochrome is well and truly in.

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The psychological reasons why you don't forget the songs you listened to as a teenager

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listening music headphones podcast

  • People tend to enjoy listening to songs they heard while growing up.
  • It may be more than just nostalgia.
  • As teenagers, our bodies are full of hormones and intense feelings.
  • This means we can latch on to songs more than we do when we're older.
  • But there could also be an evolutionary explanation — being popular helped our distant ancestors survive.
  • The result is never forgetting a song you heard when you were young.

When I think back to being a teenager, music is a vivid part of the memories. Certain songs and artists take me back to school, friendships, parties, and even remind me of the intense, angsty emotions I left behind long ago.

Not only did I leave behind strong feelings in my youth, but also, apparently, the ability to appreciate new music.

Earlier this year, a survey by Deezer found that people tend to stop listening to new songs and artists by age 30. One reason for this is because between the ages of 12 and 22, our brains go through a lot of changes. We're incredibly hormonal and sensitive, so if we hear a song we really love, it's more likely to stay with us forever.

When we hear songs we like later in life, it might not elicit the same strong response because we aren't such sponges anymore.

We also often turn to music when we want to shut off from the world. And this can happen when we're particularly angry, upset, or generally having a lot of feelings. During puberty and the devastating relationship woes that come with growing up, music was likely a big part of helping you through it all.

Read more: Scientists finally figured out why you get goosebumps when you hear your favourite song

When economist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz analysed Spotify data, he found that if you were in your early teens when a song was first released, it will be more popular among your age group a decade later. Radiohead's "Creep," for example, is a favourite among 38-year-old men, but it doesn't even reach the top 300 songs for those born 10 years earlier or later.

Similarly, an article in Quartz explains why people in my generation — the millennials — will always remember Carly Rae Jepson's "Call Me Maybe."

"We're evolutionarily primed to take in a lot more social and emotional information during our teenage years than in other part of our life," wrote author Katherine Ellen Foley. "It's why your ultimate throwback playlist really depends on when you were in the throes of adolescence."

Earlier on in human evolution, the teenage years were where people tried to find mates. Behavioural adaptations we make to be popular and liked at this age may be strongly linked to that.

For example, listening to the same songs as everyone else helps to solidify your social standing in the group.

I never particularly liked "Call Me Maybe." It didn't stop me hearing it everywhere. Sometimes, it's just easier to pretend you like something that everyone else is singing, wearing, or watching.

We tried to fit in with a group back at school, so we collected as much social ammunition as possible to make sure everyone else knew we were relevant.

Although it seems less important in adulthood, when you've had more time to work out who you are, the connection is obviously hard to shake.

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Facebook's user base is declining in Europe, and that ought to terrify its American bosses (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg, Dan Rose, Sheryl Sandberg

  • Facebook's user base is declining in Europe, where privacy laws are stricter.
  • Facebook's privacy chief supports introducing new privacy laws in the US.
  • That raises the prospect of decline in the US, too.

Facebook's user base has declined in Europe, the company reported Tuesday on its third-quarter earnings call. It is the second quarter in a row in which Facebook has lost European users.

The decline is significant because Facebook has more users in Europe than it does in the US. The downshift comes after the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal and the implementation of Europe's new continent-wide privacy law known as GDPR.

The two issues have been on Europe's front pages for months, forcing users to acknowledge how much information they are giving away. Facebook's response to the GDPR rules required all users to inspect their privacy settings — and the result seems to have been that many users dialed down their engagement with the app.

Facebook executives have promised they will follow Europe's lead on privacy regulation in the US, raising the future prospect of similar declines in North America.

  • Facebook monthly active users in Europe: 375 million
  • Facebook monthly active users in the US: 242 million

Two million users have abandoned the service in Europe on a monthly basis since the first quarter, and 4 million have abandoned it on a daily basis. The third quarter was the first full quarter in which the GDPR rules were in force.

Facebook

  • Decline in European monthly active users, Q1 to Q3: 377 million to 375 million
  • Decline in European daily active users, Q1 to Q3: 282 million to 278 million

When asked at a conference in Europe last week whether she would support the introduction of an equivalent to GDPR in the US, Facebook's chief privacy officer, Erin Egan, said "yes.""We support strong and effective privacy legislation in the United States and around the world," Egan said. "We recognize the value of regulation of privacy."

Read more:How to see all the apps tracking you on Facebook — and block them

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also made noises about being more careful with user privacy, though he has not specifically supported an American version of GDPR. Apple CEO Tim Cook, speaking at the same conference, said he would support such a move. Some US lawmakers are considering a new privacy law.

The decline in daily active users in Europe, peak to trough, was 1.4%. If a similar decline happened in the US, Facebook would lose about 3.4 million users, based on Tuesday night's numbers.

Facebook stock was up about 5% in premarket trading Wednesday morning, perhaps because declines from GDPR were already priced in. Zuckerberg had warned investors on his first-quarter call to expect declines as a result of GDPR. Historically, Facebook's stock price has been sensitive to its user-growth numbers. US user growth in the third quarter was flat. Daily active users dipped by 1 million in the US in the fourth quarter of 2017, the only time that market has shown a sign of weakness.

Facebook

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg is a single point of failure at a company that is systemically important to the internet

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Wayne Rooney makes his DC United teammates listen to Ed Sheeran, the friend he's been captured singing duets with in pubs

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Wayne Rooney DC United

  • Wayne Rooney has claimed he is the locker room DJ at MLS club DC United.
  • As captain, Rooney gets the pick of the music and says he blasts out tunes by his old English pal Ed Sheeran.
  • Rooney also said he would make the "perfect room-mate," that he can buy British tea unrecognised at American supermarkets, and is looking forward to the upcoming playoffs.
  • Rooney leads DC United into Friday's knockout match against Columbus Crew.
  • Read all of Business Insider's world soccer coverage for the 2018-2019 season right here.

Wayne Rooney recently said he turned down first-class flights because he wanted to be part of the team, but there is one privilege he has accepted with relish.

As captain of DC United, the MLS team he joined in July, he gets to pick the music — and that means one thing; songs from his friend Ed Sheeran, the smash hit performer he once sang a duet with at a pub in Manchester in 2014, a year before they sang "Angels" together at a bar in New York.

"As captain, I put the music on that I want rather than their music all the time and I don't think it is bad,"Rooney told the BBC. "It is a bit of James Bay, Ed Sheeran, Mumford and Sons, it is quite chilled out really."

He added that he "would be the perfect room-mate."

Perhaps looking back to rejecting offers of private hotel rooms and first-class flights, Rooney said: "I think it is important that you are part of the team and you do what your team-mates are doing. I've never been someone who wants special treatment, I wouldn't come in and start demanding things."

Ed Sheeran and Wayne Rooney

Buying British tea

Rooney has revolutionised life at DC United.

Prior to the Englishman's arrival, DC United struggled in the lower positions of the Eastern Conference. But within months, Rooney helped lift the team into a coveted play-off place by finishing fourth, with 51 points.

Regardless of his success there so far, he remains a relatively anonymous figure as soccer lacks the widespread popularity of the NFL or the NBA.

This, for Rooney, is a positive as it means he can go to the supermarket unrecognised and buy British tea.

"It is a bit more relaxing for us as a family," he said. "If you want to go to the supermarket or pop out and get a coffee then it's quite easy to do. At times in England, it could be a bit difficult but here not that many recognise you, or they are really respectful when they see you, so that is definitely a big difference."

He added: "The supermarket has an international aisle so there are British ones, you can get your normal tea and stuff. Even the small differences, like a bar of chocolate or a packet of crisps was a bit different, so when you come across one you enjoy it a bit more."

One of Rooney's more notable moments in the MLS arrived in August when he fired back at his fiercest critics with a glorious "quarterback"-style pass that led to an incredible last-minute winner in a 3-2 win over Orlando City.

Rooney showed a bulldog's tenacity and pin-point accuracy, but the 33-year-old played the move down, credited the scorer Luciano Acosta instead, and is hoping for more success in the weeks ahead — when the MLS playoffs get underway.

Luciano Acosta and Wayne Rooney

"I chased the guy back and won the tackle and played a long ball to Luciano Acosta, who scored a great header," Rooney said. "I think his header actually gets lost — for the size of him, for him to get up so high and score a great header…!

"For the team, it was a big moment to go from drawing the game to winning the game and really giving us that belief that we could go on and make the play-offs."

Rooney is next in action on Friday, when DC United plays Columbus Crew in a knockout match.

SEE ALSO: Wayne Rooney turned down private hotel rooms and first-class flights when he joined DC United to be 'part of the team'

DON'T MISS: Wayne Rooney fired back at his fiercest critics with this glorious 'quarterback' pass that led to an incredible last-minute winner

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A 17-year-old detonated a homemade bomb at Russia's FSB intelligence agency, killing himself and injuring 3 others

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russia fsb security service office.JPG

  • A 17-year-old entered the office building of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in Arkhangelsk, north Russia, and blew himself up with a homemade bomb on Wednesday.
  • He died of his own injuries and wounded three other FSB staff members.
  • Russia opened an investigation into suspected terrorism.

A 17-year-old detonated a homemade bomb to the office building of Russia's intelligence services (FSB) in the country's north, killing himself and wounding three staff members.

The suspect entered the building in Arkhangelsk, a city in northern Russia, on Wednesday morning and blew himself up at the entrance, Reuters reported. He died of his own wounds.

The explosion took place around 8:52 a.m. local time, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

A spokesman for Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee told state news agency TASS: "According to preliminary data, the person, who entered the building, took an unidentified object from his bag, which exploded some time later in his hands. As a result, he received fatal wounds."

The three FSB staff members who were injured were taken to hospital, Interfax reported.

Russia is treating the case as suspected terrorism, Reuters added, citing the country's Investigative Committee. Investigators said the suspect, who was not named, was from the city.

The investigation will be led by federal authorities in Moscow, Reuters reported. 

Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, is looking into the teenager's motive, the agency added.

Igor Orlov, governor of the Arkhangelsk region, said that security would be tightened in the region, Interfax reported.

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Facebook is set to jump at the open (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg

  • Facebook reported mixed third-quarter results on Tuesday.
  • The social-media giant said US daily active users held at 185 million.
  • Shares rallied more than 5% ahead of Wednesday's opening bell.
  • Watch Facebook trade live here.

Facebook was set to open higher by more than 5% Wednesday after reporting mixed third-quarter results.

The social-media giant announced Tuesday that it earned $1.76 a share, easily beating the $1.47 that Wall Street analyst surveyed by Bloomberg were expecting. Revenue surged 33% versus a year ago to $13.73 billion, but that was shy of the $13.80 billion that was expected.

Facebook said its US daily active users held at 185 million, coming as a relief to investors after a tumultuous few months. The company has been trying to repair the reputational damage done by the recent scandals, including Cambridge Analytica and the hack of 30 million users' sensitive data.

"Growth is decelerating, yet '19 seems to be a pivot point with investment stabilizing," the Jefferies analyst Brent Thill said in a note sent out to clients following the results.

"As we model out into '20 we see EPS growth accelerating into high teens and model $10+ in EPS in '21. It will probably take a few qtrs for sentiment to reverse, but with FB trading ~20x our '19 EPS (17x '20) we see more upside than down. We believe patient investors will be rewarded at these levels as FB turns the corner on investment in '19."

Last quarter, Facebook said its monthly active users in the US stalled and warned that revenue growth rates would decline by "high single digit" percentages in the coming quarters.

Shares had plunged 35% through Tuesday after that report, sending Facebook shares to their lowest level since April 2017.

Facebook

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Most of the people who died in the Lion Air crash are probably trapped at the bottom of the ocean by wreckage, rescuers say

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lion air

  • Rescuers searching for the Lion Air plane wreck in the Java Sea say most of the 189 people onboard are likely trapped inside the wreckage.
  • Indonesia's navy found a 22-meter part of what they think is the plane, after picking up an emergency transponder signal on Tuesday night. 
  • The 40-meter long Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed after leaving Jakarta's Soekarno–Hatta airport on Monday. No survivors have yet been found.

Most of the 189 people who died in the Lion Air plane crash on Monday are likely trapped at the bottom of the ocean by wreckage, the Indonesian search and rescue agency said.

Most bodies were probably "trapped inside the fuselage of the plane in the seabed" of the Java Sea, according to a statement cited by Bloomberg, from the Indonesian National Search And Rescue Agency's (BASARNAS) Director of Operations Bambang Suryo Aji.

Read more:What we know about the victims of the Lion Air plane crash off Indonesia, where there were 'likely no survivors'

So far, rescuers have recovered around 49 body bags of human remains and given them to investigators, CNN reported.

The body bags may not contain complete human bodies, as Reuters reported individual body parts were found by rescue teams after the crash on Monday. 

lion air shoes

It came after the Indonesian navy located a large object on the sea bed, which they think is a large chunk of fuselage from Lion Air flight JT 610, the jet which crashed into the sea early Monday morning.

Experts found a 22-meter-long object, which they think is the largest part of the 40-meter long Boeing 737 MAX, the Associated Press reported.

Navy officer Haris Djoko Nugroho said in a television interview on Wednesday: "There are some small objects that we found, but last night, thank God, we found a large enough object," AP reported.

Lion Air planes have encountered technical problems before — the same aircraft which crashed on Monday had problems on its last fight and passengers said the plane rose and fell several times after take off.

Boeing's share price took dive as a result of Monday's crash.

All 189 people are likely dead, officials have said. 

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Khashoggi lowered his guard before his fatal visit to the Saudi consulate because they were so nice to him on an earlier trip, fiancée says

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jamal khashoggi

  • Jamal Khashoggi first visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on September 28, and was calmed by the fact that employees there were so nice to him, his fiancée Hatice Cengiz told ABC News.
  • He had been worried about getting captured and jailed like other Saudi dissidents in the past.
  • The journalist visited the consulate again on October 2 — where Saudi agents killed him inside.
  • Cengiz also called on Donald Trump to view Khashoggi's killing "from the point of view of humanity, adding that "it should come before international politics and diplomacy."

Jamal Khashoggi lowered his guard before his fatal visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul because officials were so nice to him at an earlier visit four days prior, his fiancée said.

The Saudi critic and journalist initially visited the consulate unannounced on September 28 — four days before his death — to request documents to get married, his Turkish fiancée Hatice Cengiz told ABC News, in an interview published on Tuesday. She made her remarks in Turkish, which were translated into English by ABC News.

He was wary about that first visit because he was worried he would end up imprisoned by the kingdom, like many other Saudi journalists in the past, Cengiz said.

"He thought of the possibility of them capturing him," Cengiz told the network, referring to Khashoggi's qualms before the first visit. "He didn't want to face the consequences of his political views."

hatice cengiz khashoggi fiancee

But after he came out, he said he was pleasantly surprised by the "nice treatment and hospitality" from consulate employees, which encouraged him to visit again on October 2 to pick up the rest of his documents for his impending marriage. Khashoggi had been married before and was hoping to collect documents certifying his divorce before marrying Cengiz.

Cengiz said: "He was very pleased with their nice treatment and hospitality," adding that Khashoggi had been feeling "homesick" and felt an "emotional connection" to home while in the consulate.

"At that point he mentioned how unnecessary it was to worry," Cengiz said.

That trip, however, proved to be fatal: Cengiz had said she waited outside the consulate for 11 hours for Khashoggi to emerge, only to find that he never did.

Read more:Here's everything we know about the troubling disappearance and death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Watch a video of Cengiz's ABC News interview here:

Saudi officials has since admitted that the journalist died at the hands of Saudi agents inside the consulate that day as part of a preplanned murder, but fell short of naming the person or people who ordered the job.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is widely believed to have orchestrated the murder, though Riyadh has repeatedly tried to distance him from it.

Reuters cited Arab and Turkish intelligence sources last week as saying that the operation that led to Khashoggi's death was coordinated by one of Crown Prince Mohammed's henchmen via Skype.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president, hinted that the Saudi investigation into Khashoggi's killers could be an attempt to cover up for someone. It appeared to be a warning shot to Crown Prince Mohammed.

Read more:Erdogan hinted that Saudi Arabia is turning its Khashoggi probe into a cover-up, and it looks like a warning shot at the crown prince

saudi consulate istanbul

Cengiz also criticized the President Donald Trump's reaction to Khashoggi's killing. The journalist was a US green card holder and wrote for The Washington Post.

She told an audience in London earlier this month, according to Reuters: "President Trump should help reveal the truth and ensure justice be served. He should not pave the way for a cover-up of my fiancé's murder. Let's not let money taint our conscience and compromise our values."

She also called on Trump to "look at this from the point of view of humanity and consider it an international tragedy, and it should come before international politics and diplomacy."

Trump criticized the Saudi reaction to Khashoggi's death as "one of the worst in the history of cover-ups" but refused to cancel a $110 billion arms deal he negotiated with the kingdom last year.

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NOW WATCH: 'Game of Thrones' star Maisie Williams has left Arya Stark behind to help fight nepotism in the arts industries


Shift to pickups and SUVs drives an earnings beat for GM in third-quarter —stock surges 10% pre-market (GM)

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Chevy Silverado

  • General Motors posted a beat on third-quarter earnings.
  • The automaker earned an adjusted $1.87 a share on revenue of $35.8 billion.
  • Pickups and SUV sales in the US drove the results.
  • Shares surged nearly 10% ahead of Wednesday's opening bell
  • Watch General Motors trade live.

General Motors on announced third-quarter results that topped Wall Street estimates. The automaker earned an adjusted $1.87 a share on revenue of $35.8 billion. Analysts had expected $1.26 per share and revenue of $34.85 billion.

The North American market again pulled the train for the largest US automaker by sales. GM achieved a 10.2% margin, on the back of new pickup trucks and crossover SUVs.

But the China market was also strong. 

"Despite challenging market conditions, GM China achieved record third-quarter equity income, driven by a strong mix of vehicles in popular segments, led by record Cadillac sales and strong Chevrolet deliveries," the carmaker said in a statement. "GM China is introducing 10 new or refreshed models in the second half of 2018."

In comments to the media after the results were announced, new CFO Divyha Suryadevara highlighted GM's fundamentals, especially pricing. 

"Our disciplined approach to the US market, combined with strength in China and further growth of GM Financial, drove a very strong quarter," she said in a statement. "We will continue to take actions to mitigate headwinds including foreign currency volatility and commodity costs."

GM surged in pre-market trading Wednesday, up more than 9% to $37. Shares were down 18% this year through Tuesday. 

GM Chart

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Early data on Hasan Minhaj's 'Patriot Act' suggests it could succeed where other Netflix talk shows have failed

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patriot act with hasan minhaj

  • "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj" is Netflix's latest foray into talk-show territory, and a social-media analysis from Crimson Hexagon suggests it has a shot at success.
  • Netflix's other talk shows, such as "The Break with Michelle Wolf," have been canceled.
  • But Crimson Hexagon found that people talked more about and had a more positive reaction to "Patriot Act" when it premiered compared to the other shows.
  • "Patriot Act" is similar to HBO's "Last Week Tonight" in that Minhaj focuses on a single issue each episode, and critics have praised the host's humor and unique perspective.

 

Hasan Minhaj's new Netflix show, "Patriot Act," might be the cure to the streaming service's talk-show woes.

"Patriot Act" debuted on Netflix with two episodes on October 28, and will be dropped on a weekly basis. A social-media analysis from consumer-insights company Crimson Hexagon, provided to Business Insider, suggests that audiences are already more interested in "Patriot Act" than they were with Netflix's other talk programs when they premiered.

Topical shows have proven to be a challenge for Netflix, as they break its usual strategy of dropping all episodes at once for users to binge at their leisure. The streamer's last few attempts — "Chelsea" with Chelsea Handler, "The Break with Michelle Wolf," and "The Joel McHale Show"— have all been canceled. "Patriot Act" hopes to break the cycle.

Crimson Hexagon measured online conversations and sentiment on the premiere dates for those four shows, and found that "Patriot Act" was talked about more and better received than the other three (we excluded David Letterman's Netflix show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," as it isn't released on as frequent a basis).

While "Chelsea" wasn't far behind, more people posted about "Patriot Act" when it debuted. The number of posts were over double and triple for "Patriot Act" than they were for "The Joel McHale Show" and "The Break," respectively.

netflix talk shows patriot act

"Patriot Act" also led in sentiment, with only 8% of social-media reaction being negative. Compare that to Handler's show, for which 25% of the reactions were negative.

Reviews have been positive, as well. Vulture said that Minhaj has the humor and perspective to talk about sensitive issues that other hosts would not have. 

"That’s why Minhaj’s voice is necessary in this realm of television," Jen Chaney wrote.

Variety's Caroline Framke wrote, "Probably the sharpest tool in 'Patriot Act’s' arsenal is its host’s sharp, singular perspective. Minhaj is the first Indian-American to host this kind of show, and 'Patriot Act' (led by Minhaj’s  co-creator/head writer Prashanth Venkataramanujam) makes it count."

talks shows netflix patriot act

Minhaj seems to be what sets "Patriot Act" apart, but what else makes it different? Minhaj, a former "Daily Show" correspondent, told The Hollywood Reporter that it feels like a "visual podcast meets one-man show" and that he'll mention President Trump "very little," instead focusing on a single issue each episode, similar to HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." 

 The show has even recruited New York Times, Vice, and ProPublica reporters as writers, according to THR.

"I want to do deep investigative reporting," Minhaj said. "And then some stuff that just makes me angry that I'll talk about for four minutes that's just funny for funny's sake."

SEE ALSO: 'Bodyguard' is the latest hit British TV show that Netflix has streamed to American audiences, and it has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

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'Not as spooky as feared, but ghosts remain': Here's what Wall Street is saying about Facebook's decelerating growth (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook on Tuesday reported revenue that missed Wall Street estimates and stalling user trends during the third quarter. Shares are up as investors had already prepared for even the worse. 

The social-media giant earned $1.76 a share, beating the $1.47 that was expected by analysts, according. Its revenue grew 33% year-on-year to $13.73 billion, but still missed the $13.8 billion that was anticipated. 

Meanwhile, Facebook said it had 1.49 billion and 2.27 billion worldwide daily and monthly active users, up from the 1.47 billion and 2.23 billion in the previous quarter. Notably, its daily average users in the US and Canada have flatlined since the Q1 2018 at 185 million.

The company also said it will invest more aggressively, and called for a 40- 50% operating expense growth in 2019 guidance.

Analysts across Wall Street were relieved that users didn't flee the social network in droves after a string of scandals. But they have mixed opinions about Facebook's long-term outlook.

Here's what Wall Street is saying about the quarter:

Goldman Sachs — 'Better than feared'

Price target: $195 (from $205)

Rating: Buy

Facebook's results "were better than feared both in terms of 4Q18 guidance commentary as well as their outlook on expense growth in 2019 and beyond," said Heather Bellini at Goldman Sachs.

"Management guided revenue growth to sequentially decline by mid to high single digit percentages, compared to last quarter when they guided revenue growth to decline by high-single digit percentages in both 3Q and 4Q."

She continued: "Importantly, the company updated its calculation methodology for MAUs and DAUs in the quarter 'to exclude certain data signals that were previously misclassified as user account activity'. Excluding the impact of this adjustment, DAUs would have been 15 million higher, MAUs would have been 9 million higher." 



RBC Capital Markets — 'Facebook still has many growth levers left to pull'

Price target: $190 (from $225) 

Rating: Outperform

Facebook is "one of the most 'underlevered' internet companies," said RBC analyst Mark Mahaney. "Facebook still has many growth levers left to pull, not least of which is video advertising."

He added: "Facebook has, so far, effectively addressed one of the most significant overhangs from its IPO days, the lack of Mobile monetization. Mobile Ad Revenue is a material part of the overall Ad Revenue mix (92%)."

"Facebook currently drives EBITDA margins in the mid-40%s. An outlook for increased operating expense investment should drive these down, but we think that increased investment is actually a positive at this point in the company's growth."



Jefferies — 'Not as spooky as feared, but ghosts remain'

Price target: $200 

Rating: Buy

"Not as spooky as feared, but ghosts remain," said Jefferies analyst Brent Thill.

"Growth is decelerating, yet 2019 seems to be a pivot point with investment stabilizing," Thill added. "However, the bulk of the investment and deceleration will be accounted for and we view the investments as prudent for long term sustainability."

He continued: "Facebook connects more than 2 billion people from around the world to nearly 6 million advertisers with best in class data and targeting capabilities delivering high quality and relevant advertising to its loyal userbase."

 



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Facebook approved fake political ads 'paid for' by Cambridge Analytica (FB)

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Mark Zuckerberg

  • A new Facebook tool showing users who is paying for political ads can be easily manipulated.
  • Business Insider ran two fake ads listed as "paid for by" the defunct political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, despite the fact Cambridge Analytica is banned from Facebook.
  • Facebook's verification and ad approval processes did not catch the two fake ads, which ran for two days to a limited audience.
  • Facebook pulled the ads down after they violated its policies. It said the ads transparency tool will be important for users to see who is "accountable for any political ad."

Facebook's new political ad transparency tools allowed Business Insider to run adverts as being "paid for" by Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy that dragged Facebook into a major data scandal this year.

The investigation demonstrates that political advertising on Facebook is still open to manipulation by bad actors, even with greater efforts at transparency. This is despite commitments from chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to solve the company's misinformation problem.

Vice first reported last week that the Facebook political ads tool could be manipulated, with the publication securing approval to buy fake Facebook ads on behalf of US Vice President Mike Pence, terrorist group ISIS, and 100 US senators.

Business Insider carried out a similar test, setting up false political ads that were captioned as being "paid for by Cambridge Analytica," the defunct political advertising firm which harvested Facebook data and weaponized it during the 2016 US election. Cambridge Analytica is banned from Facebook and has gone into administration. 

Earlier this month, Facebook introduced a compulsory "paid for" disclosure for any advert relating to political issues in the UK. The feature has been live in the US since May and is also available in Brazil. The goal is to show users who is paying for ads that are attempting to sway their votes or opinions on significant political issues. Additionally, anyone who wants to post political adverts now has to clear several verification hurdles.

How we got fake ads on Facebook

The test involved Facebook approving Business Insider to place political ads on its services. That required verifying our driver's licence and a UK address.

Facebook political ads approval

Once these were verified, we were temporarily approved to place political ads via a Facebook page.

Business Insider set up a page posing as an NGO, called "Insider Research Group," and ran two ads with the disclosure of "paid for by Cambridge Analytica."

We used existing ads that had been run by the Vote Leave and BeLeave campaigns during the UK's Brexit referendum in 2016. We accompanied them with inflammatory captions and links to Leave.EU's and Cambridge Analytica websites.

Here's a screenshot of one ad we ran:

Facebook Cambridge Analytica

And the second ad:

Fake Facebook CA ad

We chose to run the ads over two days to a limited local audience in east London to test whether Facebook's moderators or automated filters would pick up on the fake "paid for" disclosure or the Cambridge Analytica name.

Running a campaign and setting it live on Facebook requires further approvals from the company, separate from its requirements for running political ads. But at no point during the verification or approvals process did Facebook flag that the ads did not meet its standards.

The adverts were seen by Facebook users and brought to the attention of Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr, who blew open the Cambridge Analytica scandal in an interview with whistleblower Christopher Wylie in March.

Facebook pulls the fake ads down

Facebook confirmed that the adverts violated its policies, even though they were not caught during the approval process. The company did not explain how the adverts slipped the net. 

A spokesman said: "This ad was not created by Cambridge Analytica. It is fake, violates our policies and has been taken down. We believe people on Facebook should know who is behind the political ads they’re seeing which is why we are creating the Ads Library so that you can see who is accountable for any political ad. We have tools for anyone to report suspicious activity such as this."

Facebook said it takes both a proactive and reactive approach to approving the "paid for" disclosures. The two ads originally appeared in Facebook's archive of all UK political ads on its site, but have now been labelled as "disapproved." The company emphasised that it needs the help of users, journalists, and researchers to report suspicious activity.

Facebook's transparency tools are intended to help people become better informed about potential misinformation and inflammatory political advertising on its platform. The social network has come under close political scrutiny for its role in enabling misinformation during the US 2016 presidential election and, to a lesser degree, the UK's Brexit vote.

Business Insider's investigation follows UK politicians uncovering evidence of a shadowy ad campaign encouraging British citizens to lobby against Prime Minister Theresa May and her plan for Brexit. That campaign pre-dates Facebook's transparency tools, but Conservative politician Damian Collins stated that it was worrying "we have absolutely no idea who is behind it."

At the UK launch of the ad tools earlier this month, Facebook said the new service was not explicitly designed to catch malicious actors, but to provide transparency. But Business Insider's small test does raise questions about the efficacy of Facebook's verification processes.

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People are vaping vitamins as part of a new trend, but health experts warn it could do more harm than good

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  • The concept of vaping vitamins has increasingly been causing a stir in the wellness community.
  • The companies behind the vapes promise that all your basic nutrient needs are just a puff away.
  • However, there is no substantial scientific research to back up these claims, and health experts aren't convinced.

The wellness industry loves nothing more than a new development designed to help them in their quest for ultimate health.

From nootropics to turmeric lattes, the health-conscious among us are always looking for the magic pill that will transform our mental and physical wellbeing.

The latest trend to emerge isn't a pill at all, but rather a puff of smoke; enter, vitamin vaping — essentially, inhaling vitamins.

Instant B12 ⚡️ www.vitaminvape.com

A post shared by VITAMINVAPE (@vitamin_vape) on Apr 15, 2018 at 12:47pm PDT on

The companies leading the charge, such as VitaminVape, Breathe, and Vitastik, hope that vaping will replace vitamin infusions, pills, and injections. 

However, with relatively little research into the idea, health experts aren't convinced.

Nicotine and tobacco-free, vitamin vapes are designed to help you reach your daily nutrient goals in a fruity-flavoured puff of smoke. 

VitaminVape, for example, sells B12 vapour, which it says will allegedly result in improved nerve function, cell health, and energy levels.

The companies claim studies have proved that breathing in vitamins is more efficient than taking them orally.

Aromatherapy 2.0 - What's the difference between VitaStik and similar products? Besides being the first product in this space since 2014, there are many differences...but the most important boils down to one word ...EDIBLE !!! Edible Organic made and filled in USA Formulas. Our Motto since 2014, "If you wouldn't Eat it, then you should Never Inhale it". We cannot express the importance of this enough ✅ Our Formulas are not just cGMP FDA complaint, food and pharmaceutical Grade, CE certified, FCC certified, RoHS certified, Intertek certified, but they are actually designed to be Ingested and Inhaled. Using Ingredients you actually want and most people need to ingest if you care to maintain a healthy life. Our Vitamin Aromatherapy Stick is made from usda certified organic crushed fruits, flowers, herbs, and their distillates. If you drank other products Formulas...well, let's just say life probably wouldn't be so good for you over the next few weeks, and this is with the understanding that the respiratory system is far more sensitive then our robust digestive systems. #VitaStik #VitaStick #InstaMood #InhaleVitamins #InhaleFlowers #InhalableFlowers #VitaminVapor #VitaStix #VitaminAromatherapy #AromatherapyStick #VitaminVaporizer #Vitamins #VitaAngels #DiffuserSticks #VitaStikOfficial #VitaStic Be smart, buy direct, there are many others out there since we created this space in the market, but they are NOT EQUAL www.VitaStick.com

A post shared by VitaStik® (@vitastik) on Sep 17, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT on

However, most of the research lauded as scientific backing of their products actually relate to the benefits of the vitamins themselves, and not of vaping them.

What's more, the small amount of research that has been done into inhaling vitamin mists was mostly carried out in the 1950s and 1960s— and none has been conducted looking at vaping vitamins specifically. 

Not only are the supposed health benefits of vitamin vapes unproven, but some respiratory health experts fear they may actually do more harm than good.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2017 which looked at the link between the use of B vitamins and lung cancer risk further supported the theory that taking too much of certain vitamins can be harmful.

It's worth nothing that at $45 for three disposable Breathe "pens," vaping vitamins also certainly isn't a cheap habit to take up.

"To me, [using vitamins and nutrients] is a marketing ploy to sell this product and make it look healthier. Consumers associate vitamins with health," Regan Bailey, a nutritional epidemiologist at Purdue University, told Scientific American.

"These products might be completely safe, but they might not be. We know literally nothing about the safety or efficacy of inhaling vitamins."

Read more:The 11 biggest mistakes people make when they try to eat healthy

Other nutrition experts point out that no supplement, vape, or IV vitamin drip can ever compare to eating a nutritious, balanced diet.

"The problem with a 'vitamin vape' is that there is nowhere near enough research to determine if they are even safe," registered associate nutritionist and Re-Nourish author Rhiannon Lambert BSc MSc ANutr told INSIDER.

"Even supplements come secondary to whole foods as they are not always bioavailable to the body. The key to good health is not hiding in a vaping product and nothing will be able to compete with a well balanced diet that includes complex carbs, protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables." 

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