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Individuals and businesses are distancing themselves from Saudi Arabia following the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

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richard branson

Several individuals and entities have begun distancing themselves from Saudi Arabia following the disappearance of journalist and prominent Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi was last seen on October 2, when he entered into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to secure official documents for his upcoming wedding to his Turkish fiance Hatice Cengiz.

The 59-year-old, who formerly served as an adviser to senior officials in the Saudi government and who had been living in self-imposed exile in the US, has not been seen since.

Some have speculated that he could have been kidnapped or killed inside the consulate, reportedly at the order of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman using a team of hit men flown in specially to undertake the task.

Official response to Khashoggi's disappearance have been mixed.

Saudi officials claim that The Washington Post contributor left the consulate, but haven't provided any definitive proof. Turkish officials previously alleged that Khashoggi was killed and claim there's no evidence he ever left the consulate, while Canada, the UN, and President Trump have expressed "concern" over the journalist's whereabouts.

In a story published Thursday, The Washington Post said the Turkish government told US officials it has audio and video showing that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate.

Global business leaders, policymakers, media moguls and tech executives have also taken notice and are beginning to move away from dealings with Saudi Arabia and its crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

SEE ALSO: A prominent Saudi critic's disappearance sends a stark reminder of the Kingdom’s brutal crackdown on dissent

Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Group

Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Group are severing ties with Saudi Arabia because of the Khashoggi case. 

In a blog post on Virgin Group’s website, Branson announced that Virgin Galatic and Virgin Orbit will suspend its discussions with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

“What has reportedly happened in Turkey around the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, if proved true, would clearly change the ability of any of us in the West to do business with the Saudi Government,” Branson wrote. “We have asked for more information from the authorities in Saudi and to clarify their position in relation to Mr. Khashoggi.”



US lawmakers

Nearly two dozen senators, led by the Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker of Tennessee and the Democratic ranking member Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, have sent a letter to US President Donald Trump, recommending an investigation and possible sanctions against those found to be involved in Khashoggi's disappearance.  

Republican and Democratic lawmakers are also pushing to block Saudi arms sales.



Former US secretary of energy Ernest Moniz

Former US energy secretary Ernest Moniz suspended his membership on an advisory board for a $500 billion Saudi megacity project called Neom.

"Given current events, I am suspending my participation on the Neom board. Going forward, my engagement with the advisory board will depend on learning all the facts about Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance over the coming days and weeks," Moniz said in a statement provided to Business Insider.



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Theresa May given until Monday to change her Brexit plan or suffer Cabinet walkouts

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angela leadsom

  • Theresa May given the weekend to change her Brexit plans or risk a Cabinet walkout.
  • A senior Cabinet source tells Business Insider that May faces a "killer moment" in Brexit talks.
  • Cabinet Brexiteers are angry with May's refusal to put a definite end-point on her plans for a so-called Brexit "backstop."
  • At least three ministers are poised to quit next week unless May changes course.
  • Under the planned backstop, the United Kingdom would effectively remain within the Customs Union indefinitely after Brexit, in order to prevent a hard-border with Northern Ireland.

LONDON — Theresa May has this coming weekend to change her Brexit plans or suffer a series of walkouts from her Cabinet, government sources have told Business Insider.

Leave-supporting ministers Andrea Leadsom, Penny Mordaunt, and Esther McVey are believed to be ready to quit the Cabinet if May agrees to a backstop which keeps the UK in the customs union indefinitely.

A senior Cabinet source told BI that the House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom will decide on Monday whether to resign once the prime minister has presented her final backstop proposal, with her Cabinet colleagues including Mordaunt and McVey also poised to quit.

McVey, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, refused to declare her support for May's Brexit plans on Thursday after International Development Secretary Mordaunt refused to do so earlier in the week.

"This isn't just one more little compromise from the prime minister to get a deal over the line... it is the litmus test for the taking back control... this is the killer moment," a Cabinet source told BI.

"There will be a flurry of calls over the weekend between ministers," they said. "These days ministers rarely say what they mean in Cabinet because everything gets leaked... The prime minister needs to hear the mood by Monday."

The prime minister needs to hear the mood by Monday.

They added that until now, pro-Brexit ministers have been reluctant to quit, despite reservations with recent developments in Brexit talks, because they feel it will be easier to alter May's plans from inside Cabinet.

"What good are Boris [Johnson] and [David] Davis doing shouting from the outside? We need Brexiteers in the Cabinet," they said.

However, with just days to go until May's crucial summit with EU leaders, ministers believe action must be taken now.

They added that for the prime minister to wait until Tuesday's Cabinet meeting and somehow "bounce" ministers into supporting her deal would be "the worst possible way of doing it."

The back-stops here

Penny Mordaunt

The latest Cabinet row is over the terms of the Irish backstop, which is the final issue to be resolved in Brexit negotiations between UK and EU negotiators for there to be a deal before the March deadline.

The backstop is the insurance policy for making sure the frictionless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic is maintained after Brexit. It will come into effect at the end of the proposed transition period, in January 2021, unless a new trading arrangement which protects the open Irish border is in place.

The current plan is for the UK to remain in the customs union during this period while Northern Ireland alone would also remain fully aligned to the single market. Cabinet Brexiteers are just about willing to accept this, as long as the backstop comes with a fixed endpoint — for example: it would cease on on January 29, 2023.

A spokesperson for the prime minister refused to commit to a time-limited backstop on Friday morning and instead said May would pursue a "temporary" arrangement. 

May is also facing a rebellion from DUP MPs who prop up her government over new checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK which come with the backstop plan currently being negotiated in Brussels.

SEE ALSO: Liam Fox under pressure to rule out adopting US food standards in Brexit trade deal with Trump

DON'T MISS: Theresa May's ministers threaten walkout as DUP pressure her to abandon her Brexit plans

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How much each of the recent British royal weddings is estimated to have cost, ranked

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royal wedding crowd

There are times when royals are relatably "just like us," but not when they say "I do."

Royal weddings are lavish affairs featuring priceless heirlooms, iconic dresses, television crews broadcasting the events around the world, and crowds so big that security costs alone add up to millions of dollars.

The British government pays for security, by far the most expensive element, and not all taxpayers are happy with this arrangement. YouGov survey found that 57% of British adults think that the royal family should pay for policing and security for the big day in addition to the wedding. Just 1% of respondents think the government should pay for the entire event.

The royal family pays for the wedding itself, and oftentimes the bride will cover the cost of her dress.

Here's an estimation of how much each of the more recent major royal weddings in the UK have cost.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding has an estimated cost of $2.5 million

princess eugenie engagement

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank married at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same place where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said "I do" earlier this year.

According to InStyle, most of the wedding's expected $2.5 million price tag will be security costs, though the party itself will likely cost more than $130,000.

Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding cost a reported $34 million

royal wedding horse carriage kate william

It was estimated that security alone cost the couple $33 million dollars, according to ABC News. Their two receptions cost about $800,000. They also splurged on a traditional white buttercream wedding cake and a chocolate cookie groom's cake which reportedly cost, in total, $80,000.

Luckily, they got to say "I do" in Westminster Abbey for free and their reception venue, Buckingham Palace, didn't cost them a dime. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials cost a total of $45.8 million

meghan harry wedding kiss

Of the reported $45 million dollar wedding, Bride Book estimated that security alone cost $43 million, including snipers, undercover police, military technology, and security drones. Their flowers added up to an estimated $157,600, and the food and drinks cost about $686,000.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding would have cost $110 million dollars today

princess diana wedding

Due to inflation, this "wedding of the century" would have cost about $110 million dollars today.

Like all royal weddings, they also spent a majority on security for the celebrations, but a good chunk of it also went to Diana's dress, which was fitted with a 25-foot train and covered in 10,000 pearls, as well as the 225-pound, 5-foot-tall cake.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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7 great movies you can watch on Netflix this weekend

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cruel intentions

Choosing a movie to watch on Netflix shouldn't be a struggle. 

Every week, we look through what's available on the streaming service and recommend seven movies you can watch over the weekend. Some of our selections recently came to Netflix, and others have been available for a while.

From Netflix's new original drama "The Kindergarten Teacher" to the 90s classic "Blade," these are some awesome movies on Netflix you can watch this weekend.

Here are seven movies on Netflix you should check out (along with their scores from Rotten Tomatoes).

Note: Not all of these films are available in countries outside the United States. Sorry!

SEE ALSO: Director Ryan Coogler is reportedly returning for the 'Black Panther' sequel

"The Kindergarten Teacher" (2018) — a Netflix Original

Netflix description: Convinced that one of her young students is a prodigy, teacher Lisa becomes obsessed with nurturing his talent -- despite his father's objections.

Critic score: 89%

Audience score: 80%

This movie is worth watching for Gyllenhaal's performance alone, as she beautifully captures a character that can be very hard to watch in a sympathetic way. 



"Blade" (1998)

Netflix description: Vampire Blade and his mentor battle a vampire rebel who plans to take over the outdated vampire council and resurrect voracious blood god La Magra. 

Critic score: 54%

Audience score: 78%

The plot is lame, but the action is quite thrilling, and Wesley Snipes is great. While "Blade" is a bit cheesy, it's still a classic 90s action movie that's perfect for your lazy weekend binge session. 



"Cruel Intentions" (1999)

Netflix description: Quenching a thirst for dangerous games, a promiscuous teen challenges her stepbrother to deflower their headmaster's daughter before summer ends.

Critic score: 48%

Audience score: 81%

Like "Blade,""Cruel Intentions" is, at its heart, a dumb movie — but it's a 90s classic nonetheless. If you didn't grow up with this movie, it's still exciting to see Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, and Ryan Phillippe very young and trying their hardest to sell their so-bad-it's-good dialogue.



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Chinese tech stocks are surging (BABA, NIO, JD, IQ, BILI, HUYA, PDD, BIDU)

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china stock market brokerage

  • Global markets are in rally mode after two days of aggressive selling. 
  • President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could meet in November at a multinational summit to discuss trade issues, The Wall Street Journal reported.
  • As a result, Chinese tech stocks are climbing across the board.
  • Watch Alibaba Baidu.com JD.com Nio iQiyi Bilibili Huya Pinduoduo trade in real time here.

Chinese tech stocks traded in the US are gaining Friday after an overnight global markets rally and on signals that President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet in November to discuss trade issues.

Overnight, Hong Kong's Hang Seng (+2.12%) paced the advance in Asia and Britain's FTSE (+0.69%) was out front in Europe, paving the way for a strong start to the US session.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House recently informed Beijing that it has decided to move ahead with plans for the two leaders to meet at the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Buenos Aires at the end of November. China has been hoping the encounter could provide an opportunity for both sides to ease the escalating trade tensions, the WSJ said citing officials from both nations.

Those developments have been a tailwind on Friday for Chinese tech names traded in the US. Here's the scoreboard:

Now read:

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10 things to know about Princess Eugenie's new husband Jack Brooksbank

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Jack Brooksbank at royal wedding to Princess EugenieRoyal fans everywhere have been graced twice over this year with not one, but two royal weddings. The first was that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle back in May, and the second is that of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.

Princess Eugenie of York is the first cousin of Princes Harry and William and the daughter of Andrew, Duke of York, which makes her one of Queen Elizabeth II's eight grandchildren. 

While you may be familiar with Princess Eugenie, here's what you need to know about her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

Brooksbank was dating Princess Eugenie for about seven years before he proposed.

The Guardian reports that the happy couple met "about seven years" ago in Switzerland while they were both staying at the Verbier, a popular ski resort in the Swiss Alps.

The royal family also gave the public a personal detail about the engagement in their official announcement, saying the proposal occurred in Nicaragua in early January.

Read More: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's relationship timeline



He doesn't have an official royal title, but he does come from nobility.

He may not boast an official royal title, but his roots are tied in with English nobility. Brooksbank’s lineage traces back to the Brooksbank baronets, according to the Telegraph.

Although their status wasn't that high in English society, it did still hold some weight per the established hierarchy.



He probably won't receive an official royal title.

Even though Eugenie is a royal and Brooksbank has married into the family, he will likely not receive a title from Queen Elizabeth II.

Unlike Prince Harry and Prince William, Princess Eugenie is not an "active" member of the royal family, which means she has a title without all of the formal responsibilities.

Read more: 10 things Princess Eugenie can do that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton can't

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I'm a dad and a business owner in my 30s with a 6-figure income — here's how I spend my money in a typical week

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Mike Monfredi Real Money

  • Mike Monfredi works as a forensic scientist and his wife Monica works as a dentist. They own and operate a dental practice and earn a combined six-figure income.
  • They're also paying off $140,000 in student debt and preparing to welcome their second child.
  • For Business Insider's "Real Money" series, Mike shares how they spent their money during a recent week, which ended with a much-anticipated vacation in Maui.
  • Want to share a week of your spending? Email yourmoney@businessinsider.com.

Spending money intentionally is something my wife and I aspire to regularly.

We're young business owners (30 and 32 years old) who own our home and have a 3-year-old daughter with another on the way. For years, we haven't had the luxury of spending frivolously. …But we're making progress.

Personally, my current job duties include running our family's dental practice, working a different full-time job as a forensic scientist, and running my blog, MikedUp Blog. Busy doesn't begin to describe my typical day.

And I know what you're probably thinking — his highest budgeted category must be for energy drinks, Starbucks runs, and anxiety-related therapy visits…

But since we purchased our business about 16 months ago, subsequently relocated the office about 8 months ago, and have had some time for daily tasks and habits to settle out, my stress is currently at a healthy level. I do have an obsession with coffee, though — more on how that affects the budget below.

Our main financial obstacles now consist of us finding balance between digging out from a mountain of debt (student loans, business, and mortgage), while saving and investing for the long-term, and still trying to live our best life in the present moment (where's that guidebook?).

The good news is that we're starting to gain some financial momentum, and as our business has grown in the last 18 months, we're breathing a little easier during our monthly budget talk.

Because of the progress, my wife and I decided to book an 8-night Maui vacation. Call it a combination of celebration for our hard work and one last getaway before our new baby arrives. We'd been to Maui before, but this would be the first trip with our daughter and we were thrilled to bring her along.

SEE ALSO: I'm a 27-year-old trying to launch a side hustle and pay back $25,000 in student loans — here's how I spend my money during a typical week

DON'T MISS: I'm a part-time doctor earning $250,000 a year and I plan to retire next year at age 43 — here's what a week of my spending looks like

But before I get to my spending week, here's a peek at what our "normal" monthly spending looks like.

Our income tends to range between $9,000 and $11,000, depending on the month, so we've budgeted to make sure that our total expenses (including savings) are below the $9,000 low-end for income. I should also note that any business-related expenses are not reported in these data.

Housing is our most expensive category with a total of $2,130, plus utilities, while student loans are not far behind at $1,966.

We bought our house 3.5 years ago and had the option to purchase either a smaller and less expensive home or we could've literally gone for broke as we "qualified" for a much more expensive mortgage. We chose to land in the middle and couldn't be happier with our decision. Our home is close to parks, pools, a downtown area, and hiking/biking trails that connect everything. In the summer, you can't keep our daughter inside — and we wouldn't change it.

The student loan payment is relatively high when compared with many of our peers, but honestly, we're happy to have it at that level. The loans currently represent what we have left to pay on Monica's 4-year dental school program. Three years ago we refinanced and consolidated the total (near $225,000 at the time) to a 10-year fixed loan at 5.2% interest, which was much better than the 6%-8% range we had been paying.

Up until two months ago we had been driving 11- and 10-year-old cars, but a recent incident sent us back to the car market for the first time in a while. We did something I vowed never to do again in buying a new car, but our plans to pay off this loan early and drive our new Outback for another decade made us comfortable with the choice.

Aside from food/toiletries and the money that currently heads to our savings account (emergency fund), we have only one other expense over $500 — our monthly payment for childcare. This category will more than double when the new baby is born, but with the way we align values in our family, we're happy to pay a premium here.

Some other categories like travel, medical, and miscellaneous, which includes gifts and my gym membership aren't necessarily paid each month, but the annual payments (or large sum payments) break down to about these monthly costs. We have an automatic transfer setup into a separate account for these planned expenses — pretty much like an escrow account would hold taxes and insurance for your home… we just manage this escrow account.



This week we spent $919.33 — roughly 10% of our monthly income.

This week started like a normal workweek for our family and then come Friday, we took off for our 8-night tropical celebration/getaway. And surprise-surprise, our biggest spending days were Friday and Saturday as we traveled and got into our routine in Maui.



On Monday, my daughter and I bought groceries for the short week at home and we started preparing for our upcoming trip.

We were amp'd up for this vacation coming up on Friday but my wife and I still had four work days left for the week and we had to act like responsible adults until that much-anticipated Thursday afternoon.

One of my mantras is to never miss a Monday workout, and because we had been away visiting family the weekend before we also needed to make a grocery store trip. So I took advantage of our location and ran the 1.3 miles to my daughter's school to pick her up and then we walked together back home.

After our walk, we drove to the nearby store to pick up a couple of rotisserie chickens, some salad, and frozen ravioli ($47.63) that would make up our dinner for the night and a few lunches for the week ahead.

We're big fans of batch meal prepping for both the cost and time savings, and with all the packing and organizing we had ahead of us, it was nice to only have to cook once rather than nightly.



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Here are IKEA's secrets to keeping its prices so low

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  • Shoppers love IKEA because of how affordable its furniture is. Many IKEA products cost about half the price of competitors.
  • Part of why IKEA's prices are so low is that it packs everything flat to save on storage and transportation costs.
  • See what else IKEA does to keep its prices so low.  

Shoppers love IKEA because of how affordable its furniture is. 

IKEA sells couches, armchairs, and tables for about half of what competitors do. At IKEA, you can buy a couch for under $500. But at other stores that specialize in home furnishings, like Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel, couches typically cost at least $900, if not more. 

But considering how low most of IKEA's prices are, the quality is surprisingly high. How is it able to keep prices so low?

A lot of it has to do with the way it designs each item. IKEA picks what they want to sell a product for before designing and manufacturing it, and the designers and suppliers work together to make sure the final product can be that price. 

IKEA is also able to cut costs and keep prices low because of the way that it sells its products.

In 1956, IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad introduced"flat packing," the method now synonymous with IKEA that cuts costs by letting consumers purchase their furniture in pieces and assemble it themselves. While it may be annoying to assemble furniture yourself, it allows IKEA to charge less for everything. 

Here are the other things IKEA does to keep its prices low:

SEE ALSO: IKEA has a new vegan hot dog that's taking off with customers — here's what it tastes like

IKEA designers work around the price of a product.

Source: IKEA



In other words, IKEA chooses what it wants to sell a product for, and then designers work with suppliers to make that possible.



IKEA explains on its website that it constructs its furniture by layering sheets of wood over a honeycomb core.



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The Dow jumps as many as 400 points

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Exuberant Traders

  • Stocks staged a recovery early on Friday following tame inflation data. 
  • The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than a thousand points between Tuesday and Thursday. 
  • Watch US indexes trade in real time here.

Following the worst couple of days on Wall Street since February, stocks staged a recovery on Friday amid signs inflationary pressures remain in check despite a humming economy and as earnings season kicked off with strong postings from major banks. 

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped as many as 400 points at the US open, clawing its way back up from a 1,200-point drop since Tuesday. After briefly dipping into correction territory on Thursday, the Nasdaq Composite jumped more than 2%. The S&P 500 rose 1.5% to slightly above its 200-day moving average. 

Earnings reports before the market open also gave Wall Street a boost, with JPMorgan Chase & Co rising more than 2% after posting a 24% jump in profits. Citigroup and Wells Fargo also topped analyst expectations. 

Treasury yields resumed a climb after dipping in the previous session. Investors sold off bonds earlier this week amid fears of rising interest rates, sending the 10- and 2-year yields to multiyear highs. 

"The key question is whether that is the end of the sell-off," Societe Generale analysts wrote in an email.

"We certainly see some scope for a consolidation in the near term, but because renewed pressure from issuance and the fact that some of the risk factors may be resolved in November, our medium-term bearish bond view remains intact."

All eyes have been on a string of government data releases this week, with investors paying particular attention to inflation gauges. The Federal Reserve is expected to continue tightening as the economy hums along, adding to three rate increases this year and eight since the financial crisis. 

Early Friday, the Labor Department said import prices had climbed faster than expected in September. But that was largely due to a booming energy market — prices excluding oil were mostly unchanged. Data out a day earlier showed consumer prices rose 0.1% during that same time period, also falling short of economist expectations.

A measure of expected volatility on the S&P 500, the Cboe Volatility Index, backed off from its highest level since February. Also known as Wall Street's "fear index," the VIX tends to rise when stocks are down.

SEE ALSO: Market meltdown relents as US futures point to major rebound

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Precious metals could take semiconductor innovation to the next level — here's how

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TKK_#2_shutterstock

Advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) have brought about a new era where a whole range of things are connected to the cloud, as well as to smartphones, PCs, and other devices. This was made possible by the advances in semiconductor chips achieved nearly every two years over a period that stretches back into the 20th century. However, the pace of semiconductor chip innovation is beginning to reach its limit. As the chips become smaller, it's increasingly difficult to manufacture them using existing methods.

Precious metals are in the spotlight as the basis for technologies that can break through those limitations. We spoke to two executives from TANAKA Precious Metals (TANAKA) to get a better idea of how these materials might rescue the semiconductor industry.

Next-generation chips made using ruthenium

tkk_#2_01

One precious metal that is being looked to as a breakthrough material is ruthenium. Ruthenium is already being used to increase the capacity of hard disk storage.

Semiconductor chips are fabricated by connecting transistors and other components with interconnected wiring. One obstacle to innovation is that, as semiconductor chips get smaller, there is increasing contact resistance between transistors and wiring. Electromigration can also lead to deterioration and disconnection.

Solving those problems requires the use of a metal with different properties from conventional copper. According to Takao Enomoto, head of the Chemical Materials Development Department of TANAKA Precious Metals’ R&D Division, one such metal is ruthenium, which minimizes the possibility of electromigration.

When fabricating semiconductor chips, wiring is produced by vaporizing metal wire materials and allowing them to be deposited on the chip’s surface as a thin metal film that serves as wiring. This process is called chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Tanaka_CVD process_Image 3

TANAKA is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of precious metal components for industrial use. The company has been developing its original ruthenium compound for use as the metal precursor vaporized in the CVD process. 

Generally, there is almost no limit to the possible combinations of organic compounds and metals. Starting around two years ago, TANAKA began to use computational chemistry to seek out innovative materials. This dramatically reduces the time needed to search for compounds, which has great significance for semiconductor chip scaling. TANAKA also conducts technical research with other firms. For example, Tanaka worked with other firms to pioneer technology to recover ruthenium, remove impurities, and reuse it as a precursor in the CVD process. 

Precious metals open up a new future for semiconductor chips

The use of ruthenium for semiconductor chip fabrication is just one example of the potential of precious metals. There are many other ways in which the properties of precious metals could significantly alter the future of semiconductor chips. One possibility Mr. Saito mentions is the use of precious metals to create the next-generation memory for semiconductor chips known as “spin transfer torque RAM,” or STT-RAM. Manufacturing of STT-RAM has already begun, with the ultimate goal of seeing it replace the DRAM memory that is currently in wide use.

Enomoto notes that, using three-dimensional integration technology to vertically stack several completed chips to enhance performance, precious metals can also be used for “self-assembly” so that semiconductor chips automatically line up in the correct position. In these and other ways, TANAKA has its sights set on the world of next-generation semiconductor chips that will be made possible by precious metals.

Find out more about how TANAKA is changing the precious metals industry.

This post is sponsored by TANAKA Precious Metals.

SEE ALSO: This is how a 100-year-old precious metals company is changing recycling

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A school bus carrying 9 children in Orlando crashed into someone's yard and nose-dived into a swimming pool

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school bus orlando

  • A school bus carrying nine children collided with an SUV, crashed through an Orlando resident's yard, and nose-dived into a swimming pool on Friday.
  • None of the children aboard the bus, nor the driver, was injured, the Orange County Fire Rescue said.

A school bus carrying nine children in Orlando, Florida collided with an SUV, crashed through a resident's yard, and nose-dived into a swimming pool on Friday, leaving only the SUV's driver with non-serious injuries, authorities said.

None of the children, nor the driver of the bus, was hurt, according to the Orange County Fire Rescue. A hazardous materials team was en route to the scene, after fuel from the bus leaked into the pool, fire department officials said.

Florida Highway Patrol officials told local Fox affiliate WOFL that the SUV may have swerved to avoid a dead cat in the road, colliding with the bus, and prompting it to veer into the yard.

But a spokeswoman also told reporters that officers received conflicting statements from both the bus driver and the SUV's driver, and were working to obtain video footage from the bus to determine which vehicle had the right of way.

One witness told WOFL that the children looked shaken when they emerged from the bus, but weren't crying. He said another bus arrived later to pick them up.

Photos from the scene show the cab of the bus partially submerged in the pool, with broken pieces of the wooden fence strewn behind it.

 

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What you need to know in advertising today

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satya nadella microsoft ceo

Turns out, artificial intelligence isn't just helpful for powering chatbots and voice assistants.

It may also be able to help brands create emotionally intelligent ads.

A suite of big name marketers like Microsoft and Gap have started relying on AI to optimize the content of their ads, tapping into ad tech startups like Persado to generate personalized ads based on the language a user is most likely to respond to.

To read more about how brands are using AI to to create personalized ads for people, click here.

In other news:

One of the world's most powerful TV executives savaged Netflix and Amazon's 'insatiable greed for data-gathering.' Charlotte Moore, the BBC's director of content said the streaming giant is motivated by profit, rather than what's good for audiences.

A Facebook engineer who quit after attacking its 'intolerant' culture wrote a 1,000-word memo revealing some of the biggest challenges facing the business. Business Insider obtained a lengthy memo Brian Amerige wrote saying goodbye to his colleagues.

Speaking of Facebook, Americans are now copying Russia and making hundreds of fake Facebook accounts to influence politics. The tech platform has taken down 559 pages and 251 accounts that were part of coordinated campaigns to influence US politics.

Walmart has cut online video deals with MGM and Eko in a bid to become an entertainment hub, the Wall Street Journal reports. First up is a remake of 'Mr. Mom.'

Vodafone is having second thoughts about taking programmatic ad-buying in-house, Digiday reports. The shift comes three months after the advertiser said it would buy most of its online ads itself. 

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Online dating could be worth $12 billion — and it's all thanks to Tinder, analyst says (MTCH)

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bumble dating app

  • Match Group is rallying Friday after a Wall Street analyst launched coverage with a bullish price target of $66 — 28% above where shares settled Thursday.
  • Nomura Instinet says the online-dating sector could be worth $12 billion by 2020. 
  • Nomura says it's worried about Facebook's foray into dating either, and says Match keeps competition at bay by buying out competitors, like its Hinge acquisition this summer. 
  • Follow Match Group's stock price in real-time here

Wall Street thinks online dating could be the next hot sector, and the latest estimate sees the market growing to $12 billion by 2020.

It all comes down to peoples' increasing willingness to try out online dating, Mark Kelley, an analyst with Nomura Instinet, said in an note to clients Friday. It’s his first research published on Match Group— the company behind Tinder, OKCupid, Hinge, Match.com, and a slew of other singles sites — where he's easily the most bullish analyst, with a $66 price target for the stock — 28% above where shares settled on Thursday.

"Roughly half of internet users are single, and we estimate 20% of them will be willing to use online dating products by 2020 (up from 15% in 2015), which equates to ~310 million people globally (excluding China)," Kelly said.

"We believe that Match will remain the clear leader in dating for the foreseeable future, as Tinder growth continues, other brands continue to evolve, and as Hinge reaches scale."

Hinge is Match Group's most recent portfolio addition after buying a 51% stake in the app in June, with the option to buy the company outright over the next year. That acquisition is reflective of Match's overall strategy, Kelley says, of buying out competitors before they reach meaningful scale that could potentially eat into Match's user base.

"As far as other competition is concerned, we expect Match to continue acquiring assets it views as either a threat or additive to its already well-run brands," Kelley wrote. "This is evidenced by its majority ownership of Hinge, which is a property we believe is a natural next step for Tinder members seeking longer-term relationships."

Even Facebook, which recently announced a foray into dating, shouldn't be a concern. After all, it's not a winner-take-all market in Kelley's view. This is especially true as Match's international subscribers become closer to a majority. By 2020, Nomura estimates just under half of the user base will be outside the US.

Here's how the firm sees subscribers and revenue growing over the next two years:

Match GRoup revenue and user growth tinder hinge

Tinder continues to drive Match Group’s revenue growth, which we estimate will reach $815 million in 2018 (up 104% YoY), as the positive impact from Gold (launched last summer) has persisted longer than anticipated, and as newer monetization features add incremental opportunities to capture wallet share," Kelley said. 

Match gained more than 5% early Friday following Nomura's coverage launch and Kelley's bullish price target. Shares are up 66% this year.

match stock price tinder hinge dating apps

SEE ALSO: Facebook is taking on Tinder with the official launch of its dating service — but it's only in Colombia for now

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These 10 cars have the best resale value after 5 years

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2019 gmc sierra

  • The automotive data and research site iSeeCars.com has compiled a list of the 10 cars that experience the lowest amount of depreciation over a five-year period.
  • Six of the 10 spots on the list are occupied by pickup trucks, which depreciate less than any other segment, according to iSeeCars.
  • Fiat Chrysler and Toyota each have three vehicles on the list, more than any other automakers.

 

When deciding to buy a car, one important factor to consider is how much that car will be worth if you decide to sell it. If you know that you sell your car every five years and buy a new one, for example, buying a car that will retain its value over those five years will help defray the cost of your new vehicle.

The automotive data and research site iSeeCars.com has compiled a list of the 10 cars that experience the lowest amount of depreciation over a five-year period. To create the list, the site examined over 4.3 million sales of vehicles from model year 2013 to determine which models lost the least amount of value five years after they were first sold.

"For consumers who buy new vehicles and sell them around the five-year mark, choosing a model that retains the most value is a smart economic decision," iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly said in a release accompanying the study.

Six of the 10 spots on the list are occupied by pickup trucks, which depreciate less than any other segment, according to iSeeCars. On average, the pickup trucks included in the study depreciated by 41.3%, compared to 51.9% for SUVs and 54.1% for passenger cars.

"The lower depreciation for pickup trucks is likely because it is a growing vehicle segment and their popularity is keeping values high," Ly said.

Fiat Chrysler and Toyota each have three vehicles on the list, more than any other automakers. Combined, they accounted for four of the top five spots.

These are the ten cars that experience the smallest amount of depreciation over five years.

SEE ALSO: The 11 new cars people most regularly ditch after just one year of ownership

SEE ALSO: 10 cars that are most likely to last 200,000 miles

10. Ram 1500 — 42.7%

Ram 1500s experienced a 42.7% depreciation, on average.



9. Subaru Impreza — 42.3%

Subaru Imprezas experienced a 42.3% depreciation, on average.



8. GMC Sierra 1500 — 39.9%

GMC Sierra 1500s experienced a 39.9% depreciation, on average.



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We tried chili from Potbelly and Wendy's — and the winner was surprising

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chili taste test

  • I tried chili from two fast food places: Wendy's and Potbelly.
  • Potbelly's chili was a little thicker, and had more meat. It also came with oyster crackers. That said, it was a little pricier ($3.50.) than Wendy's ($2.09), and smaller in size.
  • Wendy's chili has a cult following. It was a little more soupy, and came with saltines. It was bigger and more than a dollar cheaper.
  • I preferred the thicker chili from Potbelly.

Chili is an iconic comfort food— especially as it gets colder outside.

If you want a cup and you want it quick, two of your best fast food options include Potbelly and Wendy's.

While Potbelly always delivers quality food, the chili at Wendy's has garnered a lot of hype, so we had to see for ourselves which is best as part of an ongoing taste test series. In the past, we've tried anything from mac and cheese and mashed potatoes to chocolate chip cookies and frozen dinners.

To keep things consistent, we ordered the smallest portion available at each restaurant (called a "cup" or a "small").

The first stop we made was Potbelly. The restaurant is known for its sandwiches, but offers other tasty options like mac and cheese and soup.

potbelly chili

Potbelly has reasonable prices for the quality: a cup of their chili cost $3.50.

Potbelly's service was efficient and friendly, and the chili came out piping hot. It was relatively thick, with black beans, peppers, and tomatoes mixed into it. It had more meat than add-ins, which I thought was the ideal ratio.

potbelly chili taste test

The mixture of peppers, meat, and tomatoes gave it a dynamic flavor that was delicious. It was a tiny bit spicy, which gave it just enough zing for anyone to enjoy. It tasted fresh and wasn't too heavy. The portion size was perfect.

Potbelly's chili comes with oyster crackers.

potbelly chili taste test

The oyster crackers were really good with the chili, and added the perfect crunch.

Next up: Wendy's. The chain may be known for its burgers, but Wendy's chili has become widely popular. 

Wendy's chili taste test

Wendy's is always very affordable: a small chili cost $2.09.

Its chili is so beloved that the internet is full of copycat recipes.

The service was a little rushed, but efficient, and the chili came out steaming hot. However, it was a little more watery, and more like soup in my opinion — it wasn't as thick as other chilis I've had. It also had more beans, peppers, and tomatoes than meat.

wendy's chili taste test

Wendy's chili was a bit spicy, but not overwhelming for those who aren't a fan of spicy food.

However, to me it tasted a little processed. Plus, the beans didn't taste fully cooked through, and you couldn't really taste any add-ins. It tasted mostly of tomato, probably because there wasn't much meat. However, for those who prefer their chili a little less on the beefy side, or more soupy, it's a great option.

Overall it was still pretty good, not too heavy, and the portion size was great for the cost.

At Wendy's, chili comes with saltine crackers and hot chili seasoning on the side.wendys chili taste test

As someone who doesn't love spicy food, I avoided the seasoning, but it's nice to have options. And you can't go wrong with a side of saltine crackers.

Overall, both chilis were solid choices and an excellent bang for your buck. But in the end, Potbelly was the winner in my book.

chili taste test

My preference surprised me given the hype surrounding Wendy's chili. But the thickness of Potbelly's chili, in addition to the dynamic mix of flavors, made it worth the fact that it was a little more expensive in my view. Plus, their service was just as quick as Wendy's.

chili taste test

That being said, Wendy's chili was cheaper, had a larger portion size, and still had a great taste. If you're not near a Potbelly and want to get a little more bang for your buck, Wendy's is a great alternative.

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40 beloved snacks you'll never be able to eat again

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carnation breakfast bar

  • Many snacks, sodas, and candies that were once hugely popular have been discontinued.
  • Many of the products, like Altoids Sours, were discontinued because sales were poor or the product was unpopular.
  • Some products, like Lemon Ice Gatorade and Keebler Magic Middles, have fan-made Facebook pages or petitions demanding they be brought back.
  • Some of these petitions and Facebook pages actually work. Planters Cheez Balls were discontinued in 2006, but after hearing fans' pleas for over a decade, Planters announced that the beloved snack would be making a return on July 1.

These food and drink items used to grace the pantry shelves of many American households. But their glory days have passed, and now they have been discontinued.

An old Reddit thread explored the items that people are most nostalgic for, so we decided to do our own research on some of Americans' most beloved lost brands. 

Some soda varieties just didn't click with consumers. There are also many lost fast-food and snack items. Sometimes, fans of these discontinued snacks and sodas, like Lemon Ice Gatorade or Keebler Magic Middles, take action, starting online petitions or Facebook pages demanding their favorite snacks be brought back. 

While it may seem silly, sometimes the Facebook pages and pleas for '90s junk food actually work. Earlier this year, Planters announced that its beloved Cheez Balls would be making a return on July 1, 12 years after they were discontinued. They will be available at select stores and online.

Here are some other snacks fans are hoping will make a comeback:

Ashley Lutz contributed reporting to an earlier version of this story.

SEE ALSO: These photos reveal what it's like to shop at Walmart in Japan

Altoids' Tangerine Sours were discontinued in 2010 because demand was low and sales were falling.

Source: Bustle



Butterfinger BB's were mini peanut butter and chocolate candy balls. They were discontinued in 2006.

Source: The Daily Meal



Black Pepper Jack Doritos were released about a decade ago and discontinued around 2008.

Source: MSN



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Alex Rodriguez was 'cleaning out storage' and found a signed Jennifer Lopez photo from almost 20 years ago

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Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez

 

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After millions of Facebook accounts were hacked, here's how to secure your social media accounts and operating systems (FB)

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YubiKey Neo

  • Although two-factor authentication likely wouldn't have stopped your data from being stolen in the Facebook hack, the event is a reminder that your passwords can be easily accessible. 
  • Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a more secure method of logging in to accounts, email, and operating systems. It often comes in the form of a text message with a code, but it's even safer to use a physical security key that you plug into your computer. 
  • Companies like Yubico make relatively inexpensive security keys that can prevent your accounts from being accessed by bad actors. 

The recent Facebook hack in which the private information of millions of users was stolen is an unfortunate reminder that our passwords aren't always as safe as we think they are.

This is where two-factor authentication (2FA) comes in. While 2FA likely wouldn't have stopped your data from being stolen from Facebook, it can prevent unwanted people from logging into your accounts, even if they have your password. 

You're probably familiar with 2FA in the form of a text message – like when you log in to an account from a new browser or computer, and you're prompted to enter a code that's sent to you via text message. While this method is definitely more secure than simply using a password, it's not the most secure method of 2FA — especially if someone has access to your phone. 

If you really want to protect yourself, you need to do what's called "physical" two-factor authentication.

Using a physical security key is one of the safest ways to protect your accounts — and it's not that expensive or complicated. Instead of typing in a passcode from a text message for 2FA, a physical security key needs to be plugged into your device when prompted, which allows you to log in. One of the more well-known security key companies, Yubico, sells security keys for as cheap as $20. You can purchase security keys for both computers and mobile phones, meaning your accounts are safe no matter where you generally access them. 

Here's how a 2FA security key works, and which services support them: 

Setting up a security key is pretty simple, and only takes a few minutes. For the purposes of this article, a Yubico Yubikey will be the point of reference. 

You don't have to do anything to the actual key to set it up — just take it out of the packaging and it's ready to go. Next, you'll need to choose a service to secure with your key. Social media and email services tend to support physical two-factor authentication, and so do operating systems like Mac OS and Windows. You can also use a security key with password managers that keep track of and fill out your passwords for you. 

Here's a list of some services that support physical two-factor authentication, from Yubico:

The above links provide instructions detailing how to set up a security key with each service. For Yubico's full list of websites and services that support physical 2FA, click here.

Once your key is set up, using it is pretty simple. It's important to keep your key with you, such as on a keychain, so you're always able to log in (although if you don't have your key handy, you can also enable additional log-in methods). 

When you attempt to log in to your account, the website or service will prompt ask for your security key. All you need to do is plug it in to the device, usually via USB port. On a Yubikey, you'll need to press a small button on the key once it's plugged in.

If you're using a smartphone, you tap the key on the device instead of plugging it in, and the phone authenticates you through a wireless NFC signal. 

After that, you're logged in and good to go. The process hardly takes longer than typing your password — but it's much more secure. 

SEE ALSO: Hackers stole millions of Facebook users' highly sensitive data — and the FBI has asked it not to say who might be behind it

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A biotech that's developing a drug for a rare metabolic disorder is exploring going public in 2019

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Pills

  • New York-based biotech Applied Therapeutics is exploring an initial public offering in the first half of 2019, according to people familiar with the matter.
  • The company's developing a drug for a rare metabolic disorder, as well as treatments for diabetes complications. 

The red hot market for biotech IPOs may have another entrant. 

New York-based Applied Therapeutics, which is developing treatments for cardio-metabolic conditions, is exploring an IPO that could land in first half of next year, according to people familiar with the matter.

The people cautioned that timing could change depending on market conditions. 

Applied Therapeutics in 2017 raised a series A round led by Alexandria Venture Investments along with E Squared Capital Management, Franklin Berger, ETP Global Fund, and Syno Capital. In September, the company hired former Sanofi executive Dr. Riccardo Perfetti as chief medical officer. 

Its lead drug, AT-007, is being developed to treat  galactosemia, a rare condition diagnosed at birth that affects how the body breaks down galactose, a sugar produced in the body and found in lactose, the sugar present in milk. It's estimated to impact one of every 30,000 to 60,000 newborns. 

Beyond galactosemia, Applied is also working on two other compounds, including one for diabetic cardiomyopathy, a complication from diabetes that results in a thickening of the heart muscle, and diabetic retinopathy, another diabetes complication that affects the eye.

The hope is to use the drugs to inhibit an enzyme called aldose reductase, responsible for breaking down sugars into chemicals that aren't good for our bodies — in the case of galactosemia, that's a sugar alcohol known as galactitol and in diabetic patients breaking down glucose incorrectly, that ends up being a sugar alcohol known as sorbitol. 

Pharmaceutical companies developed a number of these aldose reductase inhibitors in the 1990s, but the drugs didn't pan out, often because of side effects. But now, using technology licensed in from Columbia University, the hope is to circumvent those side effects. 

2018 has been a big year for biotech IPOs. In the first nine months of 2018 alone, there have been 47 biotech initial public offerings, raising $4.6 billion in capital. That's already more than in all of both 2016 and 2015. Even amid the market slump, biotech had its biggest IPO of the year, the cancer drugmaker Allogene this week brought in $324 million in a public offering that valued the company at $2.2 billion.

See also: 

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These are 2 of the world's most powerful aircraft carrier classes — this is how they stack up

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USS Eisenhower Charles de Gaulle carrier

Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are more effective than conventionally-powered carriers for two basic reasons.

One, nuclear power provides more energy for catapults and sensors than fossil fuel; and two, the lack of fossil fuels onboard also frees up a lot of space for more missiles and bombs. 

But there are only two countries in the world with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers: the United States and France. 

France has one nuclear-powered carrier, the Charles de Gaulle. The US has a fleet of 11 nuclear-powered carriers, including two different classes, the Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford classes. 

But the Ford-class only has one commissioned carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and it has yet to see combat, while the USS Nimitz was commissioned in 1975, and has seen plenty. 

The Charles de Gaulle, which was commissioned in 2001, has also seen combat for over a decade. 

So we've compared the tried-and-trusted Nimitz and Charles de Gaulle classes to see how they stack up.

And there's a clear winner — take a look. 

SEE ALSO: We toured the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, which can house 75 aircraft

The first big difference between the CDG and Nimitz-class carriers are the nuclear reactors.

Nimitz-class carriers have two A4W nuclear reactors, each of which provide 550 Megawatts of energy, whereas the CDG has two K15 reactors, each providing only 150 Megawatts. 

Not only are Nimitz-class carriers faster than the CDG (about 34-plus mph versus about 31 mph), but they also need to be refueled about once every 50 years, whereas the CDG needs to be refueled every seven years. 

 



Another big difference is size.

Nimitz-class carriers are about 1,092 feet long, while the CDG is about 858 feet long, which gives the Nimitz more room to stage and load airplanes for missions. Nimitz-class carriers also have about a 97,000 ton displacement, while the CDG has a 42,000 ton displacement.



This is why Nimitz-class carriers can carry more than 75 aircraft, such as F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, and more.



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