• Robert Downey Jr. doesn't pretend to be a brilliant scientist — even though he's played Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, for the past 11 years.
• But on Tuesday night he attended Amazon's brand new, premier, open-to-the-public tech Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and Space (re:MARS) conference in Las Vegas — a room filled with AI legends, astronauts, and other dignitaries — as a keynote speaker.
• And just when the crowd thought that Downey Jr. was just there to entertain them, he got them all to cheer: At the end of his talk he announced that he was launching a new initiative called Footprint Coalition.
• Its goal is nothing less than to use robotics, artificial intelligence, and technology to clean up the Earth and reverse its carbon footprint, in a decade.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Robert Downey Jr. doesn't pretend to be a brilliant scientist — even though he's played Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, for the past 11 years.

But on Tuesday night he attended Amazon's brand new, premier, open-to-the-public Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and Space (re:MARS) conference in Las Vegas — a room filled with AI legends, astronauts, and other dignitaries — as a keynote speaker. 

He delivered a gag-filled talk that somehow weaved together the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the evolution of Stark's Iron Man suits, allusions to his own troubled history with drug addiction, the actual history of artificial intelligence and its pioneers, with a bunch of jokes using the Amazon Alexa voice and Matt Damon (including a videotaped guest appearance by Damon).

Read: An Amazon employee explains why thousands of workers want the company to stop selling cloud services to oil companies, just like it won't sell guns

And just when the crowd thought that Downey Jr. was just there to entertain them, he got them all to cheer: At the end of his talk he announced that he was launching a new initiative called Footprint Coalition.

Its goal is nothing less than to use robotics, artificial intelligence, and technology to clean up the Earth and reverse its carbon footprint, in a decade.

Here's how he told to the story.

"Quick disclaimer, I don't pretend to understand the complexities we face as a species, just because I portrayed a genius in my professional life. My scholastic achievement peaked at a correctional finishing," RDJ said, alluding to his troubled past that landed him incarcerated on drug charges, until he cleaned up in a court-ordered rehab treatment. Downey Jr. also told the audience how he never made it past high school. 

"On the flip side, I did play and interesting and iconic character for 11 years, Tony Stark," he said, adding that what he liked about Stark was that he went from a "soulless war profiteer to a man who was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the community."

Downey Jr., himself, also had to personally change, transforming from a troubled youth into a reliable actor and member of an ensemble acting team, as part of the "Avengers" movies' cast.

"Interestingly enough, when you want to change, the universe puts people in your life that facilitate that," he said.

And his fame gives him access to all sorts of people.

"Recently, I was at a table with super smart, impressive, expert folks about six months ago, and the following statement was made: 'between robotics and technology, we could probably clean up the planet significantly, if not entirely within a decade,'" he said, and the room burst into applause.

Read: Amazon employees were miffed at Jeff Bezos' response to their climate-change proposal: 'This is not the kind of leadership we need'

"Being essentially a 54-year-old child," he said referring to himself, "I said, 'Let's do it! Let's commit to a process, let's form a coalition.' And that did not inspire the reaction I expected. It was dead silence."

(He used courser language involving bodily waste and smells in an elevator to describe the reaction he got.)

Those smart intellectuals, who thought the tech could do it, also thought that overcoming bureaucracy, sharing intellectual property, intergovernmental cooperation would be too impossible to actually make it happen. 

But Downey Jr. wants to try anyway.

"I know it's a kumbaya type dream. It's a logistical clusterf--k," he said. "I'm down with dedicating myself to maybe one small part of making good on that statement, even in abject failure, it's still the best idea I've ever had."

So at this robotics show, he announced his Footprint Coalition, which is still so new, its website hasn't even been set up yet. The actor is promising that the Coalition will be officially off the ground in April 2020 and that he's willing to spend "the next 11 years" working on it.

"I've got to do something. I'm unemployed," he joked, a reference to the ending of the lastest "Avengers: Endgame" movie.

SEE ALSO: An Amazon employee explains why thousands of workers want the company to stop selling cloud services to oil companies, just like it won't sell guns

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• Harrowing video captured an Arizona hiker spinning in the air during a helicopter rescue on Tuesday. 
• Video from the incident shows the injured woman, who was wrapped up in a special harness and stretcher, spinning as the helicopter lifts her into the air. 
• Phoenix Fire Department officials said while spinning is "very rare" during a rescue, pilots and medical crew are well-prepared to deal with such an incident. 
• A fire official said the woman suffered no ill-effects from the spinning and was not in danger during the rescue, though she was treated for dizziness and nausea upon landing. 

Harrowing video captured a "very rare" complication in the Tuesday helicopter rescue of an Arizona hiker that left her spinning rapidly as she was lifted.

Firefighters say a woman in her 70's was airlifted off of the Piestewa Peak in the Phoenix Mountains on Tuesday morning after she was injured during a hike, Fox10 Phoenix reported. Capt. Rob McDade from the Phoenix Fire Department told Fox10 that rescuers "decided that the best course of action was to fly the patient off the mountain."

The air rescue was affected by turbulence from the helicopter rotor, which caused the woman, who was wrapped up in a special harness and stretcher, to spin as she was lifted into the air. 

Phoenix Fire Department officials said in a press conference on Tuesday that hoist rescues are very common, and the line attached to the rescue basket usually prevents spinning as the helicopter lifts off the ground. However, the line failed to do so in the Tuesday rescue.

Read more:The school resource officer who failed to confront the gunman during the Parkland shooting has been charged with child neglect and perjury

"It's a known phenomenon in the hoist rescue industry," Paul Apolinar, chief pilot for Phoenix Police said. He added the spinning was "very rare" and has only happened twice during their 210 rescue missions using the hoist in the last six years.

Phoenix Fire Captain Bobby Dubnow said the woman suffered no ill-effects from the spinning and was not in danger during the rescue, though she was treated for dizziness and nausea when they touched down in the base landing zone. She was then sent to a local hospital to be treated for her injuries. 

"We're not trying to minimize what happened up there," Dubnow said, though he said the crew was well-trained to deal with the incident.

"Nothing happened today that we weren't prepared to deal with."

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some of the key takeaways:

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

In full, the report:

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

To get this report, subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

	This report and more than 275 other expertly researched reports
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	And more!

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• Sudan's ruling military moved to crush the protest movement opposing its grip on power on Monday, killing dozens of protesters in a furious volley of gunfire. 
• A doctor's group linked to the political opposition said on Wednesday that the death toll has risen to 60, Reuters reported.
• The pro-democracy demonstrators have been camped outside the military's headquarters for months as the two sides negotiated over who would run the country after the April ouster of longtime strongman Omar al-Bashir.
• The head of the military council said early Tuesday that protest leaders shared blame for the violence, accusing them of dragging out negotiations and seeking to keep other sectors of Sudanese society out of an interim government. 

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudan's ruling military moved to crush the protest movement opposing its grip on power as security forces overran the main sit-in site in the capital Monday, unleashing furious volleys of gunfire, burning down tents and killing at least 35 people, witnesses and protest leaders said.

A doctor's group linked to the political opposition on Wednesday said the death toll has risen to 60, Reuters reported. 

With the assault, the generals signaled an end of their tolerance of the pro-democracy demonstrators, who for months have been camped outside the military's headquarters as the two sides negotiated over who would run the country after the April ouster of longtime strongman Omar al-Bashir.

The head of the military council said early Tuesday that protest leaders shared blame for the violence, accusing them of dragging out negotiations and seeking to keep other sectors of Sudanese society out of an interim government. Gen. Abedel-Fattah Burhan also said that the council was cancelling all its agreement with protest groups and would call elections within seven months.

After their protests succeeded in forcing the military to remove al-Bashir, pro-democracy demonstrators had stayed in the streets, demanding the generals move to the background and allow civilians to lead the transition.

The dispersal of the sit-in now risks escalating violence even further. Scattered by the bloody assault, protesters vowed to keep up their campaign, suspending talks and calling for a general strike and civil disobedience. They urged nighttime marches across the country.

"This is a critical point in our revolution. The military council has chosen escalation and confrontation," said Mohammed Yousef al-Mustafa, a spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals' Association, which has spearheaded the protests.

"Those are criminals who should have been treated like al-Bashir," he said. "Now the situation is either them or us, there is no other way."

Burhan's statement said military leaders would investigate Monday's violence. He didn't mention security forces, but said protests leaders bore blame for the volatile situation, because they have been "extending the negotiations and seeking to exclude other political and security forces" from participating in any transitional government.

The council and protest leaders had made progress during talks in May over an interim Cabinet and legislative body, but they split over the make-up and leadership of a sovereign council that was being discussed to govern Sudan during a three-year transition.

Burhan said the military council would now move to form an interim government to prepare for elections, which he said would be internationally supervised. He said the council was cancelling all its agreements with protest leaders.

Earlier, the military council said in a statement that Monday's violence erupted when security forces tried to clear an area adjacent to the protest camp. It said people being chased by the troops fled into the sit-in site, leading to the shooting deaths and injuries.

Activists said the assault appeared to be a coordinated move, with other forces attacking similar sit-ins in Khartoum's sister city of Omdurman and the eastern city of al-Qadarif.

The attack came on the day before the Eid holiday that ends Ramadan, the holy month when Muslims fast during daylight hours. Large numbers of troops from the military, police and Rapid Support Forces — an elite unit that during the anti-al-Bashir protests had vowed to protect the sit-in — moved in on the gathering after overnight rains, activists said.

"They are surrounding the sit-in from all directions," one activist, Amal al-Zein, said early in the assault, in which the forces burned tents and arrested those trying to flee.

An Associated Press journalist heard gunshots and explosions, and saw buses and soldiers on foot blocking roads leading to the protest site. In online videos, protesters were seen running and ducking as barrages of gunfire echoed. Smoke rose from tires set ablaze by the protesters.

Demonstrators stood behind low barricades of bricks and dug-up pavement, and some threw stones before being driven back by walls of blue-clad security forces carrying sticks. One video showed police swarming around a protester sprawled on the ground, beating him with sticks. In another video, residents opened their doors to shelter those who ran.

The Sudan Doctors' Committee said the death toll had risen to at least 35 by early Tuesday with the killing of five people in the city's Bahri district. The group said it was difficult to count deaths in areas outside the military complex in Khartoum. Hundreds of people were wounded, many by gunfire, the group said.

Medical personnel and wounded were trapped in clinics as troops overran the area.

"Wounded people are lying on the ground in the reception area as there are not enough beds," said Dr. Azza al-Kamel of the Royal Care hospital.

Hundreds were arrested, said al-Zein and another activist, Hisham Shalabi. Photos posted online showed dozens of men and women lined up on the pavement, sitting or lying face down, under guard by troops.

The assault ended the sit-in at the heart of the movement that echoed the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings — although Sudan's sought to learn from the mistakes of other protesters. Protest leaders insisted the removal of al-Bashir after 30 years in power was not enough. Tens of thousands remained in place in Khartoum and other camps around the country, demanding a fast transition to civilian rule.

The negotiations had imposed a degree of peace. But tensions mounted in recent weeks as the talks yielded little progress. Protesters demanded the military have only limited involvement in a transitional government, but the generals have resisted relinquishing power.

Just over a week ago, Burhan met with his two top allies, the president of Egypt and the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates. Those leaders backed al-Bashir's removal and have given strong support to the military council. They also deeply oppose movements such as those that swept the region in 2011.

After Monday's violence, the Sudanese Professionals' Association called for closing main roads to "paralyze public life" across the country. The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, which has represented protesters in the negotiations, called for toppling the military council and more street protests.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the crackdown and called for authorities to allow an independent investigation, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "There was use of excessive force by the security force on civilians," Dujarric said.

The U.N. human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, expressed alarm at reports that live ammunition was used, including "next to, and even inside, medical facilities."

The embassies of the United States and Britain also expressed concern. Amnesty International urged the U.N. Security Council to consider imposing sanctions on members of Sudan's ruling military council.

The military "has completely destroyed the trust of the Sudanese people and crushed the people's hope for a new era of respect for human rights and respect for the right to protest without fear," said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International's deputy regional director for East Africa.

___

Associated Press writer Bassam Hatoum reported this story in Khartoum and AP writer Samy Magdy reported from Cairo.

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• YouTube is facing criticism for its stuttered steps in taking action against a popular YouTuber who has a history of making homophobic and racist comments about Vox journalist Carlos Maza.
• In response, Google employees are posting to social media using the hashtag "NoPrideinYT" to express their disappointment in the company's inaction and lack of protection for LGBTQ+ YouTube creators.
• A Google engineer told Business Insider that morale is low among LGBTQ+ employees and allies, and that "it's hard to put my shoes on every day and go to work when I don't think the company I work for supports my identity."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google employees are taking to social media to protest their company's lack of action against a YouTuber who has used his channel to hurl homophobic slurs at a journalist.

Using the hashtag #NoPrideInYT, Google employees have been criticizing the company — which owns YouTube — for failing to curb harassment and abusive language, and adhering to policies that fail to protect members of the LGBTQ+ community.

"It's hard to put my shoes on everyday and go to work when I don't think the company I work for supports my identity," a Google engineer, who wished to remain anonymous, told Business Insider.

The internal outrage comes days after a Vox journalist named Carlos Maza shared in a viral Twitter thread that he was facing a slew of harassment at the hands of a YouTuber with almost 4 million subscribers, Steven Crowder. Crowder, a notable right-wing personality, has posted several videos over the years referring to Maza as a "lispy queer" and a "gay Mexican," among other racist and homophobic language. 

YouTube said Crowder's language didn't violate any policies, although it acknowledged what was said was "clearly hurtful." The video-sharing platform updated its response Wednesday to say it had suspended Crowder's ability to make money from ads on his videos, but said that the action would be reversed as long as Crowder removed links to official t-shirts he sells through his channel that say, "socialism is for f---."

Read more: YouTube says it has 'suspended' the ability of a star with millions of fans to make money from his videos, following a huge backlash

But YouTube's efforts to respond to the debacle — which the company acknowledged had "harmed the broader community"— did little to curb the deluge of backlash. Some on social media pledged to boycott YouTube and the rest ofGoogle's family of toolsand services. At least one LGBTQ+ advocacy organization — the Pride Foundation of Maryland— has removed its content from YouTube in protest, while other nonprofits are being encouraged to follow suit.

A coordinated group of activist Google workers, called "Googlers Against Hate," posted to Twitter accusing YouTube of harming the LGBTQ+ community with its decisions even as the company continued to promote its rainbow-adorned marketing campaign for Pride Month.

Offline, the effects of Google's decisions are palpable internally at the company, the Google engineer told Business Insider. He said that instead of June being a month to celebrate pride, LGBTQ+ employees and allies are disheartened, and morale is low.

"This isn't the first case of YouTube basically masquerading hate speech as 'healthy debate,'" the engineer said. "It just continues this narrative that Google executives are completely disconnected from Google employees' wants, needs, and identities."

The past few years for Google have been marked by a flurry of internal employee pushback to decisions by its executives. Google has seen its employees protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct, the building of a censored search engine for China, and, most recently, the appointment of a member of Google's artificial intelligence ethics board who has a history of transphobic comments.

SEE ALSO: 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ people come out on the internet first, study finds

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NOW WATCH: We had our earbuds tested for bacteria to find out if it's gross to share headphones

• As the tech-industry giants come under scrutiny from governments worldwide, a top Amazon exec shrugged off the potential fallout of antitrust investigations.
• Jeff Wilke, the CEO of Amazon's worldwide consumer operations — which encompasses its e-commerce operations — said he thinks tech companies, including Amazon, should be scrutinized, but he's not worried about what investigators would find. 
• Wilke's comments came at Amazon Re:Mars, a new conference showing off the retailer's latest and greatest technology, including updates on its idea to deliver packages via drone.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the tech-industry giants come under scrutiny from governments worldwide, a top Amazon exec shrugged off the potential fallout of antitrust investigations.

During a Q&A press conference on Wednesday during Amazon's Re:Mars robotics, artificial-intelligence and space-tech conference in Las Vegas, Jeff Wilke, a top Amazon executive, was ready to be asked about the topic. Wilke is CEO of Amazon's worldwide consumer operations, which includes retail, warehouses, Amazon Prime, Amazon Go, and technology such as delivery drones (aka Amazon Air).

"We believe the most substantial entities in tech deserve scrutiny, and it's our job to build a company that passes scrutiny," he said. 

When a reporter asked him if he thought Amazon should be broken up, he simply answered, "no."

Amazon shows how it all works

The questions and comments came in the context of Amazon's first-ever Re:Mars conference, at which the company is giving the public a rare peek at the robots and artificial-intelligence technologies the company employs to run its business.

For instance, presentations during a roughly two hour morning keynote featured various Amazon executives explaining how Amazon uses robots and AI to help it sell and deliver more than 14 million products every day.

Jenny Freshwater, the director of forecasting and capacity planning for Amazon, discussed the algorithms her team uses to help Amazon predict which products customers will order so the company can stock enough supplies to meet its speedy Prime delivery promises, which can range from hours to two days.

Brad Porter, the vice president of robotics at Amazon, also discussed how Amazon has more than 200,000 robots worldwide in its warehouse, next to its 300,000 warehouse employees, to sort billions of packages a year. These robots take items from the shelves and send them off to the trucks and planes that deliver them to all over the world.

Wilke said the company has mostly been "heads down" building products and services for customers, and the conference came about because "we have a lot to share." The conference is "a chance to learn from science and to contribute and advance the conversation," he said during the press conference. 

Before this open-to-the public version of Re:Mars, this was an annual invitational and mostly off-the-record event thrown by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in Palm Springs, California, every year. The private event still took place this year and will continue to exist. But in contrast, Bezos is not wandering the floor here at the more open Re:Mars. He will speak on stage on Thursday.

Demystifying AI

Wilke said at the press conference that Amazon wants to talk more about all the AI technology that Amazon uses in its everyday operations. The idea is to help demystify it a bit.

But the conference comes against a backdrop of controversy over some of Amazon's AI technology and its private-label business.

For instance, Amazon has come under scrutiny for selling its facial-recognition tech, Amazon Rekognition, to law-enforcement agencies after allegations that it did a less-than-perfect job in recognizing the faces of people of color (although Amazon said those findings were based on tests that didn't have the tech configured correctly.)

Wilke said Amazon is being responsible in its use of artificial intelligence and "auditing" the models it uses to train its AI tech for "bias." He also said the company has earmarked $10 million with the National Science Foundation to fund grants for researchers studying the fairness of the machine-learning system. And he said Amazon is working with the tech giants Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, and the OpenAI in a consortium called Partnership on AI to come up with industry-standard guidelines for AI tech.

As for the fear that Amazon house brands could be the subject of investigation, Wilke had a response to that as well. He said that private-label products have always been part of retail and that Amazon's competitors do up to 20% of their sales via their own house brands.

Amazon's private-label business is 1% of its total sales, he said, describing it "as a tiny fraction of our business." 

And he said Amazon does not give its corporate employees access to any seller data in order to choose which products to create on its own. It uses "data that is available to anyone. It's the bestseller list," he said.

Amazon looks at which items are selling best when deciding which items it should manufacturer on its own, he said.

"We don't allow anyone inside Amazon to have access to any individual seller's data to build a private label," he said.

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• Despite his lead in the polls, former Vice President Joe Biden still has work to do to convince many New Hampshire primary voters to support him in 2020, according to voters INSIDER talked to. 

• "I'm all for a candidate who can bring a polarized country together right now, but I don't know necessarily whether I agree with Biden on all of his values yet," one female college student told INSIDER in Concord, NH. 
• Many New Hampshire voters are slow to make up their minds in the primaries, weighing their options after hearing directly from multiple candidates. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

CONCORD, NH — Former Vice President Joe Biden is a known quantity across the country and particularly among New Hampshire voters, who are some of the most important in the nation given the state's early primary. 

And he's currently leading the 2020 Democratic field in the state in most polls.  

But Biden still has work to do to convince many New Hampshire primary voters to support him in 2020, according to INSIDER's conversations with attendees at two campaign events on Tuesday. The events — one in the tiny mountain town of Berlin and the other at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Concord — attracted predominantly older, white crowds in a state with little racial diversity. 

"I'm all for a candidate who can bring a polarized country together right now, but I don't know necessarily whether I agree with Biden on all of his values yet," said Kate Richards, a Concord, NH native and rising sophomore at Bates College.

Richards pointed to Biden's controversial treatment of Anita Hill during her 1991 congressional testimony concerning her sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. 

Ryan Buchanan, a 33-year-old Democratic State House representative from Concord, told INSIDER he's skeptical Biden is progressive enough to win his vote. 

"You don't become a senator from [Delaware] unless you're supported by corporate America," Buchanan told INSIDER, noting that Biden's home state is particularly friendly to corporations. "And I think we've had enough of that in American history." 

Several attendees said climate change was their top issue — and a few female voters said they're particularly concerned about the future of reproductive rights. 

Many New Hampshire voters are slow to make up their minds in the primaries, weighing their options after hearing directly from multiple candidates. 

But others don't need any convincing. 

Jack Polidoro, a retired research biologist and registered independent who favors a Biden-Kamala Harris ticket, has had dozens of candidates sign baseballs for him since 1996.

He already has a baseball signed by Biden — and even one by Jill Biden. But he came back for more on Tuesday evening in Concord — this time he brought a glossy photograph of the former VP's face. 

Sandy Bergquist, a retired teacher and Biden supporter from Lancaster, NH, said the former vice president has the experience and "know-how" she wants in the White House. Bergquist's affection for Biden only deepened on Tuesday when he paused his event in Berlin, NH to carry over a chair for Bergquist, who was sitting on the floor. 

"I never dreamt that anything like that would happen," she told INSIDER after the event. 

Here's what New Hampshire voters told INSIDER about Biden and the 2020 primary: 

SEE ALSO: Joe Biden keeps joking about touching women on the campaign trail, and audiences are laughing about it

Ryan Buchanan, 33, Democratic State House Rep. from Concord, NH: "My biggest concern isn't that Trump gets re-elected. My biggest concern is that we go back to the politics that led to Trump getting elected. Because the next guy who's gonna come along and exploit that is going to be a lot smarter and a lot worse than Trump is."

Sandy Bergquist, retired teacher from Lancaster, NH: "[Biden] will bring the stability and the calm and the know-how. He's been in the Senate, he knows what it's about, he's not the same man he was 40 years ago. He has moved along with the times, but we need him."

John Coutier, 20, registered independent. "The tariff thing with China is really affecting our company. We’ve had to lay people off. [Trump]'s trying to do the right thing, but at the end of the day it's going to end up hurting us. I think Biden would try to reason with China.”

Jack Polidoro, retired research biologist and registered independent: "Who's more qualified than [Biden]? I can’t think of anybody. I just want to see America go back to forward progress ... A Biden-[Kamala] Harris ticket would be great — she kicks butt."

Mattison Howard, 16, an ACLU volunteer from Concord, NH: "I like Kamala Harris a lot, Elizabeth Warren definitely ... Other than ACLU issues, climate change is a big issue for me."

Kate Richards (left) and Sophie Johnson, rising college sophomores from Concord, NH. Kate: "I'm all for a candidate who can bring a polarized country together right now, but I don’t know necessarily whether I agree with Biden on all of his values yet. Looking at past events, the Anita Hill thing stands out to me."

Katharine Dargis, 71, retiree from Bethlehem, NH who wrote in a Republican for president in 2016: "Joe Biden is a wonderful father, a truly kind man … wonderful children, wonderful wife. The poor Trump children are just cut adrift and it shows."

Carly Colby, 23, registered independent from Concord, NH, says she's "super excited" about Joe Biden, but also likes Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. "Women's reproductive health is my number one issue, especially right now."

Elizabeth Lamy-Harris, 58, an equine assisted therapist from Henniker, NH who voted for Sanders in 2016: "I'm very impressed with Biden, and I couldn't have said that coming in. I'm feeling better about his viewpoints on the environment ... Every issue I was like, 'Wow, that's what I agree with.'"

Michael and Dawn Lydon, retirees and ski instructors from Lancaster, NH. Dawn: "I’m listening to see what [Biden's] new policies are. I know what his old policies are, but those have to be upgraded."

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Popular men's grooming startup Harry's has expanded its product offering beyond shaving and shower essentials with a new line of hair products.
• The collection includes taming cream, texturizing putty, sculpting gel, and two-in-one shampoo and conditioner.
• Harry's hair products were designed for all hair types, and they're available for $7-$12 at Harry's.

In 2013, Harry's started out as a high-quality, yet affordable alternative to annoyingly pricey razors and shaving essentials, but over the last six years it's blossomed into a total men's grooming brand, selling everything from skincare to shower products.

Now, the Harry's is expanding once again to cater to most men's nearest and dearest feature: their hair.

The Harry's hair collection includes (from softest to hardest hold): Taming Cream, Texturizing Putty, and Sculpting Gel. Additionally, the collection includes a convenient and easy-to-use two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. The products were designed to accommodate all hair types and hairstyles.

Harry's sent the Insider Picks team the entire lineup to try ahead of the launch, and we wrote up our thoughts below. The best part, though, is that each product is priced between $7 and $12, they won't burn a hole in your wallet if you want to try them all.

Shop Harry's new hair products here or keep reading to check out our reviews.

Harry's Hair Texturizing Putty

Harry's Texturizing Putty, $12

If you're looking for some flexibility, the Texturizing Putty from Harry's is a good choice. Once applied, it provides a good hold, but unlike a paste or pomade, you can reshape your hairstyle a bit later. For example, you may want a more professional look in the morning as you head into the office, but a more messy style for happy hour after work — this putty lets you do that.

At least, that's what I experienced during a full week of using it while on vacation. I didn't need a very strong hold, but I still wanted some style. The Texturizing Putty maintained my all-day messy look, yet kept my short, straight hair in place (instead of sticking up haphazardly), despite the hot, sweaty weather. My look in the evening definitely changed from what I started the day with, so it may not work for people who want a consistent look from day-to-night.

The pliable putty is very thick and you really need to dig into it, but a little is all you need. However, the putty works best on towel-dried hair. Don't worry if it clumps up — just massage it into the hair and shape (no combing here). It leaves a matte finish, and your hair won't ever look like it's been gelled to death. The scent isn't unpleasant, but it isn't my favorite of the new Harry's products; still, it's subtle when it's on your hands and you won't smell it throughout the day. Unlike L'Oréal's Studio Line Overworked Hair Putty, Harry's feels lighter.

I used to use a pomade from Baxter of California and Sumotech from Bumble & Bumble, and the reason why I stopped is because of how expensive they are. The Texturizing Putty costs less, comes with a lot more in the jar, and works just as well, if not better. I love that it's easy to apply and maintain. Plus, the jar size meets TSA regulations, so it's the perfect hair product for travel. — Les Shu, Insider Picks Guides Editor

Harry's Hair Sculpting Gel

Harry's Sculpting gel, $8

While I like the Texturizing Putty, I love the Sculpting Gel. I'm more of a gel-kinda-guy and I like the way the liquidy product works into my hair and the semi-permanent hold it gives. The downside to most gels I've used is that my straight hair requires more of it than I like, and I also hate the "crunchy" look and feel it leaves. After trying this for a week, I'm not kidding when I say I may have found my favorite hair gel.

I find that I only need a small dollop to style my hair, even less if I'm using a comb. There's enough time for me to work with it, yet sets in pretty soon after I leave it alone. With other gels, I have this tendency to over-squeeze the bottle, but Harry's designed the cap in a way that this won't happen. The gel has a very pleasant scent, but don't worry: the smell won't stay on the hair. During my testing, the gel managed my straight hair well and into the night — even with an afternoon disco nap.

While not the same type of hair-styling product, the Sculpting Gel gives me the same experience I'd get from my all-time favorite hair product, Rewind 06 from Redken, but at half the price (or more). Rewind, for me, is easy to work with, has a good scent, and gives my hair a strong, long-lasting hold — the attributes I find with the Sculpting Gel.

At $8, it's only $2-$3 more than drugstore brands, but I like the results much more and would be happy to spend the slight premium. — Les Shu, Insider Picks Guides Editor

Harry's Hair Taming Cream

Harry's Taming Cream, $8

With the softest hold of the new products, the Taming Cream is designed for curly, coarse, or thick hair. I have thick curls so it was the best choice for me. I've been using it for a couple of weeks ahead of the launch and I love it. Before curling my hair in the morning, I add a small amount of the Taming Cream and it holds the style all day long. Even though it comes out as a white cream, it's light and can be easily worked into your hair.  You won't be left with a bunch of excess cream or white stuff in your hair — and it doesn't flake once dry.

It also has a mild scent, which I appreciate. Compared to similar products that I've used, I don't have to walk around smelling like coconuts, pineapples, and mangoes all day.  — Amir Ismael, Insider Picks reporter

Harry's Hair 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner

Harry's 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner, $7

I generally don't like two-in-one shampoo-and-conditioners because I don't know if they actually work. My hair tends to get naturally oily if I don't use conditioner, and that greasiness is what I feel when I use a two-in-one. I love Harry's packaging and the minty scent, but admittedly, I had some initial doubts.

After using it for a week, I find that it works better than most two-in-ones. Depending on your hair type, you may need to use very little or a tad more (the latter, for me). But after showering, my hair felt clean for the rest of the day and there was no irritation. A small amount will work up to a nice lather, and that smell and slight tingly feeling make showering feel so good.

I still think my separate tea tree shampoo and conditioner (Trader Joe's, nothing fancy, folks) works better at thoroughly cleaning my hair, but Harry's two-in-one is damn close. Since the natural oil in hair is actually good for keeping it healthy, I should avoid stripping it away daily. So, I am trying a new regiment that involves washing my hair with Harry's twice a day, and my separate shampoo and conditioner a couple of times a week — more if it's been a nasty day, weather-wise.

Overall, this should work for most guys, and for me, it's a nice addition to my daily hair care. — Les Shu, Insider Picks Guides Editor

• The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Amazon Prime Air permission to test their latest delivery drones in the US.
• Amazon Prime Air will start delivering packages via drones 'within months,' according to a statement from Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO Jeff Wilke.
• The FAA permit is only valid for one year, but Amazon will be able to apply for renewal. Previous Amazon drones have been approved for testing but each new design requires a new certificate.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon's drone delivery service is getting closer to taking flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently issued Amazon Prime Air a special certificate to test their latest drones, Yahoo Finance first reported, and Amazon executive Jeff Wilke said the service will be ready to deliver drones to customers "within months."

Amazon has been working for years to develop an unmanned delivery service for its customers. Wilke, Amazon's worldwide consumer CEO, said he expects the Amazon Prime Air delivery service to grow quickly thanks to Amazon's existing delivery infrastructure. Speaking at the company's re:MARS Conference in Las Vegas, Wilke described the new drone as efficient, stable, and safe.

Read more:Amazon unveils a new Prime Air drone it says will deliver packages 'within months'

The FAA has approved previous Amazon drones for test flights in years past, but each new prototype needs a new certificate. According to Wilke, Amazon's newest drone will be able to fly up to 15 miles and is capable of delivering packages under five pounds in less than 30 minutes. For now, Amazon's certificate will only cover testing.

"The FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate to Amazon Prime Air allowing the company to operate its MK27 unmanned aircraft for research and development and crew training in authorized flight areas," an FAA spokesperson said in an official statement. "Amazon Prime Air plans to use the aircraft to establish a package delivery operation in the United States. This certificate is valid for one year and is eligible for renewal."

Several other companies are also testing delivery drones, including UPS and Alphabet's Wing. In late April, Wing's drone earned FAA clearance to drop off packages at customers' homes in Virginia. UPS partnered with the US Department of Transportation for a drone-testing program, and has been using drones to make daily medical deliveries to WakeMed in Raleigh, North Carolina.

SEE ALSO: Amazon unveils a new Prime Air drone it says will deliver packages 'within months'

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NOW WATCH: Watch Ford's delivery robot that walks on two legs like a human

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

The gig economy is becoming a core element of the labor market, pushed to the fore by platforms like Uber and Airbnb. Gig economy workers are freelancers, such as journalists who don’t work for one publication directly, freelance developers, drivers on platforms like Uber and Grab, and consumers who rent out their apartments via Airbnb or other home-sharing sites.

Gig economy workers are not employed by these platforms, and therefore typically don't receive conventional employee perks, such as insurance or retirement options. This has created a lucrative opportunity to provide tailored insurance policies for the gig economy. 

A number of insurtech startups — including UK-based Dinghy, which focuses on liability insurance, and US-based Slice, which provides on-demand insurance for a range of areas — have moved to capitalize on this new segment of the labor market. These companies have been busy finding new ways to personalize insurance products by incorporating emerging technologies, including AI and chatbots, to target the gig economy.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines how insurtechs have begun addressing the gig economy, the kinds of policies they are offering, and how incumbents can tap the market themselves. We have opted to focus on three areas of insurance particularly relevant to the gig economy: vehicle insurance, home insurance, and equipment and liability insurance.

While every consumer needs health insurance, there are already a number of insurtechs and incumbent insurers that offer policies for individuals. However, when it comes to insuring work equipment or other utilities for freelancers, it's much more difficult to find suitable coverage. As such, this is the gap in the market where we see the most opportunity to deploy new products.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Dinghy, Grab, Progressive, Slice, Uber, Urban Jungle, and Zego.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• By 2027, the majority of the US workforce will work as freelancers, per Upwork and Freelancer Union, though not all of these workers will take part in the gig economy full time.
• By personalizing policies for gig economy workers, insurtechs have been able to tap this opportunity early. 
• A number of other insurtechs, including Slice and UK-based Zego, offer temporary vehicle insurance, which users can switch on and off, depending on when they are working.
• Slice has also developed a new insurance model that combines traditional home insurance with business coverage for temporary use.
• Other freelancers like photojournalists need insurance for their camera, for example, a coverage area that Dinghy has tackled.
• Incumbent insurers have a huge opportunity to leverage their reach and well-known brands to pull in the gig economy and secure a share of this growing segment — and partnering with startups might be the best approach.

 In full, the report:

• Details what the gig economy landscape looks like in different markets.
• Explains how different insurtechs are tackling the gig economy with new personalized policies.
• Highlights possible pain points for incumbents when trying to enter this market.
• Discusses how incumbents can get a piece of the pie by partnering with startups.

SEE ALSO: These were the biggest developments in the global fintech ecosystem over the last 12 months

Join the conversation about this story »

• Apple just announced a slew of new features for Apple Watch that will be packed into its upcoming watchOS 6.
• But those new features won't include the ability for it to display the time at all times.
• This limitation is glaring, because it's a basic watch function and other smartwatches offer it.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple Watch will soon become an even more capable computer.

But it's still struggling to do the most basic thing expected of a watch — display the time.

Apple on Monday announced a slew of new features for its smartwatch at its annual developer conference. The new version of its operating system — watchOS 6 — will bring Apple's voice memo and calculator apps to the device. Users will now be able to download apps directly to their watches through its new built-in app store.

Women will be able to track their menstrual cycles with it, using a new app. And the device will even warn users when ambient noise levels get loud enough to damage their hearing. 

Read this: Apple's new watch update is the missing piece of the puzzle the Apple Watch needed, and Fitbit should be worried

But one thing the new software won't do is display the time at all times. Instead, as they have since the first Apple Watch debuted four years ago, users will still have to twist or raise their wrists just to check the hour.

That may not seem like a big deal, but it can be. It can force users to stop whatever they're doing with their hands — typing on a keyboard, say, or carrying luggage — just to check the time.

It's also just a plain design failure. The most essential function of a watch is to display the time, to allow the wearer to see the hour at just a simple glance. The vast majority of traditional wristwatch and many of Apple Watch's rivals offer this simple, but basic function. Why can't Apple's smartwatch?

Battery life isn't a good excuse for not displaying the time

An Apple representative confirmed that watchOS 6 won't include an always-on time feature, but declined to explain the company's rationale for leaving it out. So I don't exactly know what the thinking is in Cupertino.

But company officials would probably argue that it would diminish the device's battery life. And they could probably make a strong case that the device is selling pretty well without that ability.

That may be true, but I think many users would opt for an always-on screen if they had a choice, battery life be damned. And I'm no expert, but I would think that there are ways to minimize the impact on the device's charge.

The Apple Watch comes with an OLED screen. That type of screen doesn't have a backlight; instead, it can be set to illuminate only the particular pixels it needs for each image it displays. It likely wouldn't need a lot of power to display just a digital readout of the time or a simple pair of watch hands on a black background. Apple could also limit battery drain by not displaying the time with full brightness or use the watch's built-in ambient light sensor to adjust the brightness on the fly.

The company seem to recognize that customers use the Apple Watch as a timepiece. With watchOS 6, users will be able to set the device to buzz them every hour on the hour. And the updated software, like its predecessors will come with a new collection of watch faces. Many of these are customizable; users can have them display the date or their appointment or, now, the noise level around them.

What they can't do is have these watch faces show the time all the time. Until they can, Apple Watch will be a smart gadget, but a really dumb watch.

Got a tip about Apple or the tech industry? Contact this reporter via email at twolverton@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter @troywolv, or send him a secure message through Signal at 415.515.5594. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

• Read more about Apple:
• Apple iPhones and iPads are still missing a feature that's critical for parents and workers. And it's even more baffling now that it's available on Apple TV.
• Apple is taking on Facebook and Google by doubling down on privacy, but the plan could backfire in an epic way
• The new Mac Pro is Apple's attempt to erase a design blunder that took it 6 years to fix
• Apple's surprise defeat in the Supreme Court is bad news for Tim Cook's turnaround plan

SEE ALSO: Apple's new services 'aren't hobbies,' a testy Tim Cook told analysts

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NOW WATCH: 9 simple ways to protect your data that don't take much time, but could have huge security benefits

• The US labor market is the tightest it's been in nearly five decades. 
• Businesses are having a hard time finding workers.
• One restaurant in the Fed's Richmond district "moved to counter service and disposable utensils" to stay open with a smaller staff, the Federal Reserve's Beige Book showed Wednesday.
• Visit Markets Insider's homepage for more stories.

A tight labor market takes on many forms.

Some businesses like Target and Costco are raising their minimum wages to attract workers. Others are offering employees new perks. And one restaurant in the Fed's Richmond district had to start throwing away its forks and knives.

"A few hospitality contacts said that labor shortages led to cutting back on services," the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said Wednesday in the latest Beige Book report, which details business sentiment and economic conditions on a local level.

"Moreover, one restaurant moved to counter service and disposable utensils in order to remain open with a smaller staff." 

That anecdote, from a restaurant in the Fed's fifth district, highlights the lengths to which businesses are going to stay competitive amid ultra-low unemployment in the US. The unemployment rate in April fell to 3.6%, its lowest level since December 1969. It's expected to dip to 3.5% when the latest employment report is released on Friday, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.  

The Federal Reserve branch also noted several restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina, "closed because they couldn't find enough staff."

Read more: Jobs report crushes expectations, unemployment drops to 49-year low

Other Fed branches reported similar findings. 

The St. Louis Fed said that while commercial construction activity "improved slightly," local contacts continued to report labor shortages.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said that a "majority" of its contacts continued reporting labor shortages for low- and medium-skill workers.

"A few respondents also noted shortages in high-skill occupations such as physicians, pilots, accountants, and IT professionals," the Kansas City Fed said, adding it expects wages to rise.

More broadly, the Beige Book's national summary painted a relatively healthy economic picture. But labor shortages remained a sweeping issue, with competition boosting wages across industries. 

"Solid hiring demand was noted for retail, business services, technical, manufacturing, and construction jobs and by staffing agencies in general," the Fed said. "However, stronger employment growth continued to be constrained by tight labor markets, with Districts citing shortages of both high- and low-skill workers."

Now read more stories from Markets Insider and Business Insider:

A record $117 billion in fintech deals have been done this year as cashless payments soar in popularity

Investing legend Stanley Druckenmiller reveals why the 'best economic predictor' has him worried about the next crisis — and breaks down where you should be putting your money

Global stocks are rallying as traders see Fed comments as 'central banks to the rescue'

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NOW WATCH: Nxivm founder Keith Raniere began his trial. Here's what happened inside the alleged sex-slave ring that recruited actresses and two billionaire heiresses.

• Warren Buffett may have inadvertently helped fund the lavish lifestyle of a couple as part of what the FBI calls an $800 million "Ponzi-type" scheme, according to Bloomberg.
• Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate invested $340 million in DC Solar.
• DC Solar 's owners Jeff and Paulette Carpoff allegedly splurged millions on luxury cars, private jets, diamond jewelry, a stadium box, and a pro baseball team.
• "Any allegation that there was a Ponzi scheme or anything illegal about the operation of the business is without merit," the couple's lawyer said.
• Watch Berkshire Hathaway trade live.

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Warren Buffett may have inadvertently funded the lavish lifestyle of a couple as part of what the FBI is calling an $800 million "Ponzi-type" scheme, according to Bloomberg.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate invested $340 million into Jeff and Paulette Carpoff's company, DC Solar, according to a company filing.

The scheme allegedly involved the sale of mobile solar generators to at least a dozen investors including insurance giant Progressive, paintmaker Sherwin-Williams, and several regional banks, according to Bloomberg.

The investors typically paid $45,000 of the $150,000 price tag for each of the units up front, then claimed a $45,000 tax credit on their investment as well as tax deductions for the devices' depreciation, according to court filings.

After the FBI accused DC Solar of defrauding investors, Buffett and his team determined it was "more likely than not" that the deal's tax benefits were invalid, so Berkshire Hathaway took a $377 million charge in the first quarter of this year.

"While we completely disagree with the FBI agent's claim that DC Solar was a Ponzi scheme and with any assertion that Jeff Carpoff acted improperly, we have been working closely with the government attorneys to provide resources to reimburse investor companies and banks to try to see that they do not suffer a loss," said Malcolm Segal, the Carpoffs' attorney, in an email to Business Insider.

"These companies spent a lot of time, research and due diligence before investing their funds," he added. "We remain hopeful that they will receive the tax credits and all the other benefits their investment committees sought for their shareholders."

He told Bloomberg: "DC Solar Solutions was an innovative, substantial and credible solar-energy business. It manufactured thousands of mobile solar generators, which were examined and physically delivered. Any allegation that there was a Ponzi scheme or anything illegal about the operation of the business is without merit."

Business Insider has contacted Berkshire Hathaway for comment.

Lavish spending and piles of cash

Court filings revealed the Carpoffs' lavish spending during the time they ran DC Solar. A list of big-ticket purchases included:

• 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon — $105,682
• 1967 Ford Mustang GT 500 Super Snake — $192,550
• 2017 Cadillac CTS-V — $95,105
• The Martinez Clippers, a professional baseball team — price unknown
• NetJets, which sells shares in private airplanes — $19 million
• Box in the Las Vegas Raiders' new stadium in Paradise, Nevada — $783,000
• Diamond jewelry and Cartier watches — $500,000

The Carpoffs also kept plenty of cash on hand, court filings showed.

When federal investigators raided their home in December, they seized almost $19,000 found in a purse, about $9,200 in a work bag, around $8,650 in one of the vehicles, and more than $40,000 in the master bedroom — including around $19,000 not in the safe — according to a court filing. At DC Solar's headquarters, they found almost $1.7 million in the office safe, nearly $151,000 in another safe, and more than $17,000 in cash hidden under desks and other locations, the court filing showed.

Jeff Carpoff often pulled out up to $2,000 in cash at staff meetings, challenged employees to guess how much he was holding, and handed the wad to whoever made the best guess within about $50, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.

As well as the tax benefits touted by DC Solar, the firm would also lease the solar generators to end-users such as telecom companies and pay back investors with the proceeds, allowing them to cover the rest of their investment and turn a profit, according to court filings. However, investigators found that other investors' money made up more than 90% of the funds claimed as lease revenue, court filings show.

The arrangement made DC Solar "appear successful, and the leases appear legitimate, when, in reality, leasing the equipment generated little income and early investors were paid from funds contributed by later investors," the federal complaint reads.

DC Solar didn't have as many generators as it claimed, according to court filings. The company and its contractors had built between 3,000 and 5,000 of the generators a year ago, according to a former employee interviewed by federal investigators — well below the 12,000 supposedly in use, the filings show. The former employee also said the company inflated the number of generators deployed by having employees bury GPS devices in various locations, which could be passed off as generators in its tracking software, according to the filings.

SEE ALSO: Warren Buffett made 12 predictions about bitcoin, table tennis, and his death — here's how they turned out

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NOW WATCH: The US has 1,200 tornadoes each year. That's 4 times as many as the rest of the world combined.

• Walmart is debuting new employee uniform vests made out of recycled water bottles. 
• The vests are designed with larger pockets for more storage.
• Later this year, associates will be able to customize the vests in other ways for $11. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Walmart's employee uniform just got an upgrade — but if you want to customize it, it'll come at a cost. 

The updated vests are made with a steel gray fabric made from recycled water bottles, and later this year associates can choose to customize the vests in other ways. 

The retailer announced Wednesday that sales associates will soon be able to pay a "reasonable" price of $11 to customize the new and improved vest. The new look comes on the heels of Walmart's revised dress code policy from 2018, which now allows employees to wear jeans and sneakers on the job. 

Read more: Walmart is making a massive change that employees have been demanding for years

"Our new vests have a modernized style that takes advantage of trim detail and screen printing to introduce color in an eye-catching way,"Walmart wrote in a blog post on its company website. 

The pockets are also bigger, to allow employees to carry more items while out on the floor. 

Supercenter and Neighborhood Market vests will feature blue and green trim, respectively.

Self-checkout employees will be given a new yellow vest with gray trim.

"Uniforms are important, but looking exactly like everyone else isn't," Walmart said in its blog post. "We all want to be able to express who we are, and the new Walmart vest will allow associates to do just that."

Are you a Walmart employee with a story to share? Contact us at at retail@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders handed over his Twitter to Walmart workers, and they sounded off on declining store hours, the Walton fortune, and the retail giant's time-off policy

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• In 2015, 21 young people sued the federal government, claiming the US government was violating their constitutional rights by contributing to climate change despite knowledge of its dangerous consequences.
• The Obama and Trump administrations have both attempted to get the case thrown out numerous times.
• Yesterday, three federal judges in Portland, Oregon heard arguments about case. They will decide whether or not it can go to trial.
• Public-health experts supported the plaintiffs claims' that climate change contributes to significant negative health impacts.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Four years ago, 21 young people sued the US government, alleging that its role in contributing to climate change violates their constitutional rights.

In the landmark lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that their generation has already suffered and will continue to suffer the consequences of a climate breakdown — including health problems like allergies, heat stroke, and insect-borne disease. The young plaintiffs, represented by the non-profit law organization Our Children's Trust, are asking the government to adopt policies that will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

"Our elected leaders have really dropped the ball on this one," plaintiff Alex Loznak previously told Business Insider. "The leadership really has to come from those who are going to be impacted, and that's us, that's young people, that's me and my fellow plaintiffs."

Both the Obama and Trump administrations tried multiple times to get the lawsuit dismissed. The government's latest legal maneuver came in the fall of last year, when the Trump administration requested a pre-trial appeal from the Supreme Court. The lawsuit was temporarily put on hold, and the Supreme Court eventually punted the decision about the appeal back to the Ninth Circuit.

Now, more than six months after the original trial date, the plaintiffs' lawyers and US government attorneys presented arguments about whether the case should be allowed to proceed in front of a panel of judges in Portland, Oregon. The judges' decision will ultimately determine whether or not the case will go to trial.

A landmark climate change lawsuit, led by kids 

Loznak and his fellow plaintiffs' case rests on a simple though unprecedented argument: They allege that the US government has violated their rights to life, liberty, and property by engaging in actions that contribute to climate change despite long-held knowledge of its harmful consequences. 

The young people — ranging in age from 11 to 23, and hailing from 10 states — aren't asking for compensation. Instead, they want the court to compel federal agencies to end policies that directly hurt the environment (like subsidizing fossil-fuel extraction) and mandate government action that will phase out excess greenhouse-gas emissions.

At yesterday's hearing, Julia Olson, chief legal counsel for Our Children's Trust, asked the court to "apply bedrock constitutional law and principles to a wholly new set of facts," since this is the first time anyone has made the legal argument that a stable, safe climate is a constitutional right.

She added that current federal energy policy "puts children in harm's way."

"You present compelling evidence that we have a real problem," one of the judges, Andrew Hurwitz, said yesterday in response to Olson's arguments. "You present compelling evidence that we have inaction by the other two branches of government. It may even rise to the level of criminal neglect. The tough question for me — and I suspect for my colleagues — is, do we get to act because of that?" Hurwitz said. 

Jeffrey Bossert Clark, an assistant attorney general, argued on behalf of the administration that this case "is a dagger at the separation of powers," since plaintiffs want the judiciary branch to play a role in directing policy, rather than leaving that to elected officials.

In an earlier legal filing, the Trump administration attorneys said "there is no fundamental constitutional right to a 'stable climate system.'"

If the judges decide not to allow the case to proceed, it could be dismissed (though there would be opportunities for subsequent appeals). There's no deadline for the panel's decision, though. 

Climate change contributes to negative health impacts

One of the linchpins in the plaintiffs' argument is that climate change has negatively impacted their mental and physical well-being, and will continue to do so in the future.

In a May 30 letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, multiple public health officials stated that "developing fetuses, infants, and children are more biologically and psychologically vulnerable than adults to the effects of climate change."

More frequent and longer heat waves, increasingly intense weather events like droughts and wildfires, greater exposure to infectious disease, food and water insecurity, and air pollution from fossil-fuel burning are all threats, the authors added.

The letter echoed an amicus brief that some 80 researchers and 15 health organizations filed in favor of the plaintiffs. The brief documented how people born in the US since 1995 — the plaintiffs' generation — have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.

The brief's authors added that the plaintiffs' generation is "suffering — and will continue to suffer as they age — harms different from those of prior generations." As examples, they cited the negative effects of heat, drought, severe storms, and air pollution on the group's mental and physical health.

These young plaintiffs aren't alone 

In the four years since the plaintiffs filed their suit, youth around the world have started mobilizing in other ways to address the threat of climate change. 

Read More:Millennials and Gen Z are finally gaining ground in the climate battle — here are the signs they're winning

Protesters from the Sunrise Movement, a group of young people who advocate for climate-change policy, demonstrated outside Rep. Nancy Pelosi's office to call for a Green New Deal in 2018. Since then, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts introduced a Green New Deal resolution in the US House and Senate.

Greta Thunberg, a young Swedish climate activist who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, has emerged as the primary voice and face of the growing School Strike for Climate movement. On March 15, 2019, young people in more than 123 countries joined Thunberg to skip school and voice their demands for more robust climate policies and the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions.

"We're in a climate moment right now," environmental activist and author Bill McKibben previously told Business Insider. He added, "all these things started to combine to produce this new moment where people are open to change."

But if the plaintiffs fail to sway this panel of judges, that could set a devastating precedent for other climate suits, according to Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"That would leave the government essentially immune from being sued for policies involving climate change," Carlson told the LA Times.

The plaintiffs also see themselves as part of a larger movement.

"It's not just these 21 young people across the United States," Vic Barrett, one of the plaintiffs, told the New York Times. "It's about highlighting young people all over the United States, and the work we're doing and the work we're continuing to do to hold the government accountable for putting our future in jeopardy."

SEE ALSO: Air pollution kills more people each year than smoking — but it's not the only dangerous pollutant you encounter on a daily basis

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Miley Cyrus was in Barcelona, Spain, over the weekend to perform at the Primavera Sound Festival.
• While leaving their hotel, Cyrus and husband Liam Hemsworth were surrounded by a crowd of fans.
• A video appears to show an unidentified fan in the crowd grabbing Cyrus and trying to kiss her, although they were rebuffed by Cyrus and her bodyguard.
• Editor's note: The video of the incident may be upsetting to some. It is embedded below.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

While in Barcelona, Spain, to perform new songs from her EP, "She Is Coming," at the Primavera Sound Festival this weekend, Miley Cyrus seemed to have a scary encounter with a fan.

As captured in a video on Twitter, Cyrus appeared to be attacked by an unknown person who grabbed her from behind and attempted to kiss her.

While leaving their hotel, Cyrus and husband Liam Hemsworth were mobbed by fans. The singer was behind Hemsworth wading through the crowd, greeting fans who were taking photos of her. Then, someone can be seen in the video reaching out and grabbing Cyrus by her hair and pulling her towards them by her neck. A man following Cyrus, likely security detail, pushed the fan away, and as Cyrus hurried to escape, Hemsworth put his arm around her.

Editor's note: The video of the incident may be upsetting to some. It is embedded below after the photo from Twitter and Instagram user David Pascual, who the user who appeared to first post the video, Twitter user Alvaro, confirmed was the one who originally took it. 

INSIDER reached out to Cyrus' representative about the situation but did not immediately hear back.

Cyrus responded to a news report about the video with a tweet about consent. 

"She can be wearing what she wants. She can be a virgin. She can be sleeping with 5 different people. She can be with her husband. She can be with her girlfriend. She can be naked. She CAN'T be grabbed without her consent," she tweeted along with a hashtag, referencing her recent song 

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• The sock brand Bombas has launched a line of rainbow socks in both ankle and calf length ($12 each) to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month.
• Since its founding in 2013, Bombas has donated a pair of socks to a homeless shelter for every pair sold.
• For the month of June, Bombas is sending 40% of all the socks it donates to LGBTQ youth homeless shelters to raise awareness that 40% of homeless youth identify as a member of the queer community.

This June, more brands than ever are launching rainbow lines in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month. While it's a reassuring sign of mainstream acceptance of the queer community, it's made it difficult to discern which companies are truly invested in giving back to the community and which are just looking to make a quick buck and raise their image at the expense of the cause. As a bona fide Queer Person™, I have a vested interest in ensuring that any Pride products I purchase are benefiting the most vulnerable members of my community, not just padding the pockets of corporate CEOs.

Bombas has launched a line of rainbow socks, available in both ankle height ($12) and calf height ($12) that directly benefit the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ community — homeless youth — making them a stand-out in an overwhelming sea of rainbow options. The space-dyeing process ensures that each pair is unique, celebrating the individuality and diversity of the LGBTQ community. 

Each pair of Pride socks features all the markers of great Bombas quality: its signature honeycomb technology, enhancing arch support where you need it most; a Y-stitched heel that prevents it from bunching at the back of your shoe; and a hand-linked toe seam that completely eliminates that annoying rubbing across your toes as you walk. They are far and away the most comfortable and substantial pair of socks I own, and consistently the first ones I reach for after doing a load of laundry. 

Since its launch in 2013, Bombas has donated a pair of socks to a homeless shelter for every pair it's sold. Unused clothing is the most requested donation item at shelters, and to date Bombas has donated over 21 million new articles of clothing, including socks and T-shirts to shelters. Bombas has engineered the apparel with antimicrobial finishes and reinforced seams specifically to benefit those who are unable to put on clean clothes each day. This month, they are extending their charitable mission to the LGBTQ community in honor of Pride Month.

The Human Rights Campaign reports that LGBTQ teens are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their straight or cisgender peers. Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, even though LGBTQ people comprise 10% of the general population.

To raise awareness of this statistic as well as to directly improve the lives of queer homeless youth in a small way, Bombas is giving 40% of the socks they donate to shelters that directly serve LGBTQ homeless youth in the United States. And that's not just donations as a results of their Pride line, that's 40% of all donations Bombas makes this month up to one million pairs of socks. So even if the rainbow socks aren't to your taste, you can be sure that any purchase you make from Bombas through June 30 is directly benefiting queer youth.

This Pride Month, I invite you to take a deeper look into the rainbow-painted products and offerings to see what contributions (if any) the companies behind them are making to LGBTQ causes. If they're anything like Bombas, you can feel confident in your purchase. 

Find the Bombas Calf Socks for $12 here

Find the Bombas Ankle Socks for $12 here

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• Miley Cyrus responded after a video went viral that showed her being grabbed by an unknown person while in Barcelona, Spain.
• She took a video of a report from "Inside Edition" and "The Talk" and included a tweet about consent. 
• "She can be naked. She CAN'T be grabbed without her consent," her tweet read in part. 
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Miley Cyrus responded Tuesday to a video of her being grabbed by an unknown person while she and her husband actor Liam Hemsworth were mobbed by fans in Barcelona, Spain. 

Cyrus and Hemsworth were in Barcelona for the Primavera Sound Festival this weekend and were met with a crowd of fans when they left their hotel. As Cyrus greeted fans and signed autographs, an unknown person was caught on film grabbing her and seemingly trying to kiss the musician and actress while touching her hair and putting an arm around her neck.

The video made the rounds on Monday after it was posted by Twitter user Alvaro, who later said it was taken by user David Pascual, who has since posted the video on his own account. 

Cyrus responded to the incident with a snippet from a news report from "Inside Edition" about the incident in which hosts from "Inside Edition" and "The Talk" discuss the video. She also included a tweet about consent. 

"She can be wearing what she wants. She can be a virgin. She can be sleeping with 5 different people. She can be with her husband. She can be with her girlfriend. She can be naked. She CAN'T be grabbed without her consent,"she tweeted, along with the hashtag "Don'tF---WithMyFreedom," a reference to her new song "Mother's Daughter." 

Cyrus also included the clip on her Instagram story.

INSIDER reached out to a listed representative for Cyrus but did not immediately hear back. 

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• Chris Evans tweeted a response to a Washington Post piece on three men who wanted to form a "straight pride parade" in his hometown of Boston.
• Evans denounced the idea as homophobic — but also inferred that the founders must be "secretly gay" and self-hating.
• According to some, this is a harmful trope that essentially blames closeted queer people for acts against the LGBTQ community.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Chris Evans responded to reports Wednesday that there would be a "straight pride parade" in his hometown of Boston this summer by mocking the founders, but not everyone agreed with his approach.

The Washington Post reported on an initiative by three men to start a "straight pride parade" in response to LGBTQ pride parades. Evans responded with his own tweet, taking down the men. 

"Wow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of 'Straight Pride' parade, how about this: The 'desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children' parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose??" the star best known for playing Captain America tweeted.

A lot of fans were delighted by his jabs, praising him for his takedown

But other people weren't happy about Evans' take

Although many acknowledged that Evans may have been attempting to be an ally to the LGBTQ community, some took issue with the way he did it, specifically calling out his use of the trope that all people who are homophobic are actually secretly gay. 

The trope that all homophobic people are secretly closeted — or that closeted people are inherently homophobic — is a common one that many in the LGBTQ community believe to be harmful because it can imply there is something toxic about those who are still "in the closet" and suggests that all homophobia is the result of closeted queer people's self-hatred.

"When we call homophobic politicians closet cases, we shift the blame for the marginalization LGBTQ people still face onto ourselves. The claim that self-hating gay people are keeping the community down is on a level with the idea that if women were just more confident at work, the wage gap would disappear overnight. Internalized homophobia is a symptom of an oppressive culture, not the cause of oppression,' Lindsay King-Miller wrote in Role Reboot of the trope being used to describe Vice President Mike Pence for his anti-LGBT policies.

"If every closeted LGBTQ person in the world came out tomorrow, guess what? Homophobia would still exist. The 'closet case' rhetoric turns any discussion of LGBTQ rights into a game of 'why are you hitting yourself?'"

Evans did not address these specific criticisms if he saw them (INSIDER reached out to Evans' listed representative but did not immediately receive a response) but instead tweeted about those who support the aforementioned straight pride parade, and the difference between the need for LGBTQ pride parades and so-called "straight pride."

"Wow, the number gay/straight pride parade false equivalencies are disappointing. For those who don't understand the difference, see below. Instead of going immediately to anger (which is actually just fear of what you don't understand) take a moment to search for empathy and growth," he said, quote-tweeting author James Fell. 

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NOW WATCH: Nxivm founder Keith Raniere began his trial. Here's what happened inside the alleged sex-slave ring that recruited actresses and two billionaire heiresses.

• Rainbow hair has been a huge trend for years.
• Hair colorist Caitlin Ford dyes her own bangs rainbow.
• They have become a part of her personal brand.

Check out Caitlin here: https://www.instagram.com/caitlinfordhair/

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