• According to a recent study, wearing a tie can reduce blood flow to the brain by 7.5%.
• Sporting a tie can also raise the intraocular eye pressure, increasing your risk of glaucoma and cataracts.
• Doctors' ties have also been shown to be breeding grounds for pathogens in hospitals, where infections can easily be spread.

Synonymous with professionalism, it's widely accepted that ties are a mandatory (if not slightly uncomfortable) component of workplace attire.

Many — like Richard Branson, who described the suit and tie as an "anachronism"— can attest to the fact that ties serve little functional purpose, but few would think a seemingly innocuous item of clothing could damage your health, until now.

Far from the smart image ties have had before, scientists at Kiel University Hospital have recently described the act of wearing a tie as "socially desirable strangulation" — as a study published in New Scientist investigated how ties affect blood flow to the brain, and the results weren't good.

Wearing a tie results in a significant dip in blood flow to the brain

In the study, 15 men wearing ties and 15 men without were scanned using MRI to measure the blood flow to the head. The researchers found that the brains of tie-wearers were, on average, receiving 7.5% less "cerebral blood flow" than the brains of those subjects within the control group.

The scientists attributed the lower blood flow to the narrowing of the carotid arteries, which carry blood away from the heart, under the pressure of the tie.

While a 7.5% reduction in blood flow may not appear substantial enough to cause noticeable health problems, people who already suffer with other health issues should be cautious: whether you have high blood pressure, are a pensioner or a smoker, you could end up suffering with headaches, dizziness, and nausea if you wear a tie for too long.

Ties may raise the risk of glaucoma, cataracts and other injuries

Kiel's study is far from the first to investigate the effects of ties on the head; according to research published in The British Journal of Ophthalmology, wearing a tie can restrict the blood flow through the jugular vein as well as through the carotid arteries.

This restriction can end up causing a backup of blood along the system to the eye, thus raising eye pressure. Raised intraocular eye pressure is considered a risk factor for glaucoma and cataracts, and could possibly increase the risk of worsening existing glaucoma, according to the study.

You can even increase your risk of musculoskeletal trauma just by wearing a tie, according to research by researchers at Yonsei University: those who wear ties often find their range of motion "significantly decreased when wearing a tight necktie compared to without it".

This leads to an increase in certain muscles, causing tension to accumulate in the upper trapezius and raising the risk of injuries.

Ties may even contribute to the spread of hospital-borne disease

Perhaps more worrying than spraining muscles in the office is the fact that wearing a tie in health-focused workplaces could be putting others at potentially lethal risk: a study carried out by Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine showed that among 42 male surgical clinicians at the New York Hospital, nearly half had managed to accrue infection-causing pathogens on their ties.

"Hospital-acquired infections account for a large proportion of high rates of morbidity, mortality, and costs," according to Eyal Zimlichman, Daniel Henderson, and Orly Tamir, who carried out the study. "We estimated there are approximately 440,000 of these infections annually among US adult inpatients and that their annual costs are $9.8 billion."

Considering hospital-borne infections are placing such a big strain on healthcare systems, ties harbouring pathogens could be making a serious contribution to an increasingly concerning healthcare problem.

It looks as if we may need to call time on the deceptively dangerous garment and do away with ties altogether.

This article was adapted from an original article on Business Insider Deutschland. Copyright 2018. Follow Business Insider Deutschland on Twitter.

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Join the conversation about this story »

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• UPDATE: Chance the Rapper has walked back a report that he was set to release an album this week.
• He previously told the Chicago Tribune in a profile published Monday that his new album would drop "just in time" for the Special Olympics on Saturday.
• "Sorry no album this week, def been in the stu tho," Chance tweeted on Tuesday.
• His last album, 2016's "Coloring Book," became the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy Award in 2017.

Chance the Rapper told The Chicago Tribune in a profile published on Monday that he's planning to release a new album by the end of this week. 

The 25-year-old rapper gave no further detail about the new album, his fourth solo release, other than saying, "It's going to come out just in time for the Special Olympics," which takes place on Saturday.

(Chance walked back the Tribune report on Tuesday, tweeting: "Sorry no album this week, def been in the stu tho.")

His last album, 2016's "Coloring Book," became the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy Award in 2017. It was his third streaming-only release. 

In the Tribune profile, Chance didn't address how exactly he plans to distribute his new album, but he did say: "I've never been against selling music."

"Music has value," he told the paper. "I put my music out there for free because I wanted people to see and notice it as a beacon for what I’m doing, in terms of how unorthodox I wanted my approach and my delivery of each piece of music to be.”

Chance went on to discuss the previously reported news that he's also working on a new album with Kanye West, a project that began when Chance visited the Wyoming studio where West produced a string of five albums that were all released in June.

"We're up in the mountains around these wild animals — it’s very different out there — and we got some music done, and then he asked me if he could do an album with me," Chance said. “I don't know of a timeline on it yet, the trajectory of it, but he’s coming here to work on it some more. We've just started making it, but I don’t want to manipulate the situation and impose any time frame, because that can hinder you."

Watch the video for his 2016 single "No Problems" below:

SEE ALSO: The 21 best songs of 2018 so far, ranked

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• Cerro Gordo, an abandoned mining town in Lone Pine, California, that looks straight out of Westworld just sold for more than $1 million to a group of Los Angeles investors.
• It boasts nearly 300 acres of land, historic buildings, many of which are being restored, and a history that's both violent and rich in economic growth.
• The ghost town perfectly captures the essence of the Wild Wild West, frozen in time.

In some wild news from the Wild Wild West, a historic ghost town in Lone Pine, California, sold for an undisclosed amount between $1 million to $1.5 million on Friday, July 13, according to the Real Deal.

A 19th-century mining town, Cerro Gordo originally went on the market for just under $1 million in June. After a bidding war that involved potential buyers looking to build a marijuana farm or pine nut farm, reports the Real Deal, a group of eight Los Angeles investors reportedly purchased the property. The purchase was headed by Brent Underwood, a marketing and real estate entrepreneur, and Jon Bier, who oversees his own public relations firm, and involved minority investors, including a Hulu executive.

In an email to Business Insider, Underwood said they plan to update some of the amenities to allow more people to experience the rich history.

"We think Cerro Gordo has the potential to be one of the premiere destinations for Los Angeles residents looking for a memorable weekend trip, Las Vegas tourists looking for a uniquely American experience, or anyone traveling to the surrounding national parks...as well as people coming from all over the world to visit this one of a kind property," he wrote. "We plan on introducing overnight accommodation, hosting writing retreats, mastermind groups, media production shoots, music events, and much more."

Cerro Gordo boasts more than 300 acres of land and 22 buildings, many of which are being restored — and maybe a ghost or two, considering the town's violent history dating back to the 19th century. 

Established in 1865, Cerro Gordo was once the largest producer of silver and lead in California and helped spur economic growth in Los Angeles. The abandoned settlement is basically a history lover's dream.

"For those looking to acquire a piece of American West, Cerro Gordo is for you," reads the real estate listing, held by Jake Rasmuson of Bishop Real Estate. 

The deserted land of Cerro Gordo looks like something straight out of Westworld. See for yourself in the photos below. 

SEE ALSO: 30 photos of abandoned amusement parks around the US that will give you the chills

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Cerro Gordo is a 19th-century mining town set in Lone Pine, California, in the Inyo Mountains on 300 acres of land. It's currently for sale for $925,000.

Source:Mental Floss

It has 22 structures on site, comprising 24,000 square feet of buildings including a historic hotel, bunkhouse, saloon, chapel, museum, and the Belshaw bunkhouse. Many of the buildings are being restored.

Source:Mental Floss, Ghost Town for Sale

Even artifacts are included.

• A successful relationship depends on both partners displaying some vulnerability.
• Miami-based matchmaker Claudia Duran says many of her clients make the mistake of playing games, instead of simply telling the other person how they feel.
• Research suggests that when someone knows you're generally selective but happen to like them, they like you more.

Once, on a fifth or sixth date, a guy asked me what I was looking for.

We were seated at a bar, and I nearly choked on my drink.

"Um. Looking for?" I knew what he meant, but it was easier to keep my guard up and pretend I didn't. That was true even though I liked this guy a lot, and suspected he liked me too.

Eventually, I gave some BS answer about wanting someone who made me more curious about the world. The truth was, I was looking for a boyfriend, and I was hoping it would be him.

This is the conversation I thought back to while on the phone with Claudia Duran. Duran is a Miami-based matchmaker with dating service Elite Connections, where she works with the city's more affluent singles. (A six-month membership with Elite Connections costs $15,000.)

Duran told me that, in her experience, there's one trait that makes people successful both in dating and in relationships: the willingness to go out of their comfort zone.

That doesn't mean bungee jumping with your partner — that means working up the nerve to say, "I like you" (or in my case, answering honestly when someone asks why you're hanging out with them).

"Even if you're smart and successful and beautiful, we all want to be liked," Duran told me. "It's just human nature."

Yet Duran said a common mistake she sees among her clients is that people complain, "He [or she] hasn't called" or, "Why hasn't he [or she] made a date?" instead of dispensing with the games and telling the person, "I like you. I really like you. I think you're super cool."

Duran added, "People like that, and they respond well to that."

I couldn't help but interject — if Duran's clients are anything like me and my friends, they hesitate to say these things because there's a chance they'll be majorly rejected. It's self-preservation.

Duran understood, but she suggested we have to get comfortable with the potential of getting burned, or else we risk never finding a fulfilling relationship at all. In fact, she pointed to dating apps as a "nice excuse to hide behind because it's safe and we don't have to feel rejected and we don't have to be accountable."

Research suggests that simply knowing someone likes you can increase their appeal

It's worth caveating that Duran's clients may be less likely to balk when they hear someone likes them, given that they're clearly invested in finding a relationship. But some research backs up her observation about the appeal of knowing you're wanted.

Psychologists have long known that, in platonic contexts, people are more inclined to like someone if they've been told that person will like them.

As for romantic contexts, Business Insider's Lindsay Dodgson reported on a 1973 paper from the University of Wisconsin that explores the nuances of "playing hard to get." As the authors write, "a woman can intensify her desirability if she acquires a reputation for being hard-to-get and then, by her behavior, makes it clear to a selected romantic partner that she is attracted to him."

Later research, highlighted on Refinery29, suggests this phenomenon applies to women and men. A 1979 paper published in the Journal of Research in Personality found that people who are discriminating but indicate that they like you are seen as more appealing.

Interestingly, Duran said stepping outside your comfort zone and displaying vulnerability is beneficial once you're in a relationship as well — a finding echoed by other relationship experts.

People in relationships "really just want to throw hints and say, 'Why are you going out again tonight?' Duran said. "It's very difficult. People are very prideful."

What to say instead? Duran had a suggestion: "I'd really love it if you'd stay with me. I just really want to be with you."

SEE ALSO: A matchmaker says one of the worst things you can do in a new relationship is text

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Prisons vary around the world.
• The wide range of conditions reflects how countries treat criminals.
• Below are examples of prison cells around the world, from comfortable single bedrooms in Norway to overcrowded and run-down facilities in Malawi.

Prison cells vary widely from country to country.

Prisoners in Norway, for example, don't have bars in their rooms and have access to musical instruments, DVDs, and video games. Meanwhile, in Malawi, a typical cell is squalid and packed with dozens of people.

The wide range of conditions reflects how countries treat criminals and raises the question of whether prison is meant to punish or rehabilitate them.

Read on to see what prison cells look like around the world.

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San Quentin State Prison is the oldest prison in California. It's a maximum-security facility that once housed Charles Manson.

Rikers Island in New York was named one of the US's 10 worst prisons by Mother Jones. The prison is known for inmate violence and abuse at the hands of staff members.

Source: Mother Jones

The Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Oklahoma, is a medium-security facility that houses about 1,000 male inmates.

Source: Federal Bureau of Prisons

Though MoviePass is losing millions every month and its parent company’s stock continues to plunge, it can’t be denied that the service is popular.

The 2018 box office is on an incredible run, as it’s up over 8% from this time last year, and it’s hard to ignore that MoviePass may have helped in that spike.

Yes, the movies this year, especially the summer releases, are performing beyond expectation. But could the bump in box office numbers also be due to the over 3 million MoviePass subscribers hitting the multiplexes on a daily basis?

MoviePass’ CEO Mitch Lowe thinks so.

“We bought over 5% of all tickets in the first half of the year, and 70% of the time our subscribers were bringing people who don’t have MoviePass,” Lowe told Business Insider, citing company data. “We think we’ve played at least some role in energizing moviegoing.”

And it looks like over the summer MoviePass is dishing out some major coin for all the movies its subscribers are going to see.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 12 titles MoviePass has bought the most tickets for this summer:

(Note: Data below provided by MoviePass, the range is from April 27 - July 13.)

SEE ALSO: The director of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" says the shocking end-credit scene was influenced by secret details about the "Infinity War" sequel

12. "Sicario: Day Of The Soldado" - Over 300,000 tickets

11. "Book Club" - Over 300,000 tickets

10. "Life of the Party" - Over 300,000 tickets

• Divorce can be a difficult process, no matter how amicable your separation may be.
• According to the US Census Bureau, divorce rates are on the rise among adults 50 and older, roughly doubling since the 1990s.
• Here are eight of the worst divorce horror stories from both clients and lawyers.

Divorce is never easy, and among certain age groups, divorce rates are increasing. For instance, since the 1990s,the divorce rate has doubled among adults 50 years old and up, according to 2015 statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics and US Census Bureau, the Pew Research Center reported.

Of course, some divorces go better than others — while some are amicable, others are the opposite.

Toni Coleman, a psychotherapist and relationship coach, said that divorce may not always go as well as planned. "People often underestimate the potential stress and fallout that they will facewhen they decide to divorce," she told Business Insider.

"Too often, they assume their partner will be reasonable and will want to work together in order to minimize the emotional and financial toll on themselves and any children they may share."

But that isn't always the case.Here, eight people share their divorce horror stories.

SEE ALSO: How to know when it's time to break up with your partner, according to dating experts

He scammed me.

"In our less than seven-month marriage, my then-husband schemed and scammed between $60,000-100,000 from me. In the almost year-long courtship, he groomed me.

"I'm about the fifth or sixth person he's scammed, and I got out pretty quickly — but I'm in so much debt because of him. I'm trying to save my credit and make payments while hoping I'll recoup some or any of mymoney through the legal system."

— Anonymous, 39, submitted with permission by Joseph A. Davis of Fit Divorce Planning

He committed fraud.

"In this case, the parties' divorce was ongoing for several years. Lawyers working for both parties were engaged in valuing the marital estate, which included substantial debt. At primary issue, the valuation of the husband's business, a printing and advertising company. The company was (allegedly) in the cellar, barely scraping by, and under significant debt. The warehouse had, literally, been flooded by recent rainstorms.  

"As a result of all of these events, the wife's attorneys (not us!) and the wife, upon the recommendation of the forensic accountant that had been appointed by the court to perform valuation issues and forensic work, agreed that the value of the business was minimal, at best. A settlement agreement was signed with wife waiving her rights to the business for just a minimal payout (which was to be paid out to her over five years).

"Fast forward 363 days after the divorce: Wife learns that not only had husband sold his business shortly after the parties' divorce, but that he was even hired by the company to run their new division! She came and hired us, with two days to go to reopen the divorce case (which has a one-year look back) on the basis of the husband's fraud.

"After working around the clock, we filed an application with the court, which was granted, compelling the husband to provide the details about the sale. What was found was unbelievable: the husband had sold the business literally the same day that he had signed the settlement agreement and the parties' were divorced!

"He had lied to his lawyer, lied to the forensic accountant, and lied to the court. Suffice it to say, months and months of litigation ensued, ultimately culminating in the wife's receipt of a substantial additional settlement. Lesson to be learned: Investigation is key."

— Karolina Dehnhard, divorce attorney

I took on excessive legal costs.

"In 2009, I remarried. There had been years when my wife's ex-husband legally and financially bullied her as a single mother.

"However, I never imagined that nine years later, my total legal costs would exceed $60,000 because of her ex-husband's harassing lawsuits and non-compliance with court orders. I ended up writing an eBook about it, 'Dispute It – A Layman's Guide on How to Get an Attorney Refund & File a Bar Grievance.'"

—Kenneth R. Gilley, 53

• The US is home to virtually every type of cuisine, but there are still many international foods most Americans aren't familiar with.
• They include poutine from Canada, goulash from Hungary, and mango sticky rice from Thailand.
• We selected 16 foods from around the world Americans are missing out on.

The United States is home to every type of cuisine under the sun, from Mexican to Mongolian.

But there are still plenty of international foods most Americans haven't heard of, let alone tried. They include hearty dishes like South African bunny chow and sweet treats like stroopwafels from the Netherlands. 

I've been to 25 countries, and I drew on my own travel experiences and recommendations from local experts in compiling a list of the best foods that Americans are missing out on. Take it from me — you'll want to try these delicious dishes when you travel abroad.

Here are 16 foods from around the world we wish they served in America.

SEE ALSO: 11 things you'll hardly ever see in the United States

Poutine is Canada's way of making French fries even better.

America's neighbor to the north has made an immeasurable contribution to the world of French fries. For the uninitiated, poutine is a dish consisting of French fries covered with cheese curds and topped with brown gravy.

You may be able to find poutine in the northeastern US, but it's most common in Quebec, where it's become a local symbol of cultural pride.

Tostones are smashed and double-fried plantains eaten throughout the Caribbean.

Tostones are a popular snack throughout the Caribbean and Central America. They're made from unripe plantains that are fried, smashed, fried again, and salted to savory perfection.

In Argentina, the alfajor is three desserts in one — cookies, caramel, and chocolate.

Sweet teeth around the world will appreciate the alfajor, a dessert that's popular in Argentina and other South American countries. The delicious confection is made with caramel-like dulce de leche sandwiched between two (or three) soft cookies, all of which is then coated with chocolate.

Some varieties of alfajor come with coconut, honey, or jam inside, and a popular modern twist is the three-layered Oreo alfajor.

You might imagine the people who have the most success with dating in a big city like London to be super-glamorous, wealthy, and in favour of the finer things.

However, that may not be the case.

Dating app Hinge has released its list of London's 10 Most Eligible of 2018, based on the 10 people between the ages of 25 and 30 who receive the most "likes" on the app, and it turns out their interests range from memes to McDonald's.

Scroll down to see the 10 most eligible singles in London, ranked in ascending order.

SEE ALSO: The 100 most eligible singles of 2018 across America, according to the dating app Hinge

10. Sean Goodman, 27.

Work: Petroleum Exploration Consultant at ABI

Education: University of Birmingham

City: London

Interested in: Women

See his Hinge profile here.

9. Monica Wadwa, 25.

Work: Actress, Model, & Blogger

Education: University of Bristol

City: London

Interested in: Men

See her Hinge profile here.

8. Daniel Harvey, 30.

Work: Project Manager

Education: Edinburgh University

City: London

Interested in: Women

See his Hinge profile here.

• Universal basic income, a scheme which offers money to citizens with no strings attached, gaining traction in small pockets of the US and other countries.
• Chicago City Council is being presented with a plan to trial giving 1,000 families $500 per month as a pilot scheme.
• It would need to pass a committee phase and a vote before being put into practice.
• 36 of Chicago City Council's 50 lawmakers have co-sponsored a bill, which could be a good omen.
• If implemented, the scheme would make Chicago the largest US city to trial a universal basic income among its citizens.

Chicago could become the largest city in US to test a universal basic income programme, if its local government takes up a new proposal to start handing out $500 a month to some households for free.

City lawmakers have voiced support for legislation that would trial a basic income scheme for 1,000 families in Chicago.

A bill, proposed by Chicago lawmaker Ameya Pawar, has started the legislative process by gaining support from 36 of the city's 50 alderman, who vote on local laws.

Pawar spoke about his plan with news website The Intercept, where he said that he was proposing the scheme in light of the threat of automation to the workforce, and to provide a lifeline to the majority of US families he said have very little money in the bank for emergencies.

The legislation will now be debated by aldermen on the city's Committee on Workforce Development and Audit.

If enough members are in favour of the plan, it will then be put before the City Council for a vote.

Chicago law means the mayor could then veto the proposal if he doesn't approve, but that in turn can be over-ruled by a two-thirds majority in the council.

Pawar told the Intercept he is hopeful that the council and mayor will support it, but it's not yet clear what the level of support will be.

A universal basic income scheme is already in place in Alaska, where up to $2,000 is given to a citizen a year from a state fund. Other parts of the US are also looking to trial a universal basic income, with an 18-month trial to begin for 100 families in Stockton, California in 2019.

Finland began a universal basic income trial at the beginning of 2017 that gave 2,000 unemployed Finns €560 a month, tax free. There was a plan to expand it to cover working people as well, but the scheme was pulled in favour of other social welfare projects.

SEE ALSO: Google futurist and director of engineering: Basic income will spread worldwide by the 2030s

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Former South African President Nelson Mandela would have turned 100 today, July 18.
• He passed away in December 2013 at 95 years of age.
• Mandela was well-known for his pithy quotes and inspirational speeches.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela would have turned 100 today, July 18. After a remarkable life on the global stage, Madiba (a title of respect from his Xhosa clan name) passed away in December 2013 at 95 years of age.

Born a Xhosa in the Thembu royal family, he studied as a lawyer before joining the political fight against the government's nationalist as a member of the African National Congress (ANC). He co-founded its Youth League in 1944. After apartheid was introduced four years later, Mandela led peaceful protests in opposition to the policy before shifting his focus to militancy and bombings in the early 1960s, which led to his arrest and life imprisonment in 1962.

Eighteen of the 27 years he spent behind bars were served on Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. His continued detention became the focus of a global campaign for his release until, eventually, he walked free on February 2, 1990.

Elected president of South Africa in May 1994, he spent more than five years in office before stepping down in 1999, not before being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

His battle against his country's apartheid regime was testament to his courage, resilience, humility, and forgiveness, and it earned him a place in history as one of the 20th century's greatest and most inspiring people.

Here are 24 things Madiba said that offer a guide to ensuring a life well lived.

This article was adapted from an original article on Business Insider Australia. Copyright 2018. Follow Business Insider Australia on Twitter.

SEE ALSO: Obama speech in South Africa: Rips Trump's worldview without saying name

"Where you stand depends on where you sit."

Speaking about AIDS at the 46664 concert in Norway, 2005, Mandela said: "When the history of our times is written, will we be remembered as the generation that turned our backs in a moment of global crisis or will it be recorded that we did the right thing?"

"There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

• President Donald Trump's supporters in the media faced a test Monday when they were forced to respond to the president's press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
• While some of Trump's staunchest promoters defended Trump's performance at the press conference, others broke from him.
• Some hosts acknowledged being confused by Trump's refusal to condemn Russian election interference, while others attempted to explain the president's thinking.

President Donald Trump's supporters in the media faced a test Monday when they were forced to respond to the president's press conference in Helsinki, during which Trump, standing beside the Russian president, challenged the US intelligence community's findings that the Russian government meddled in the 2016 US election.

Trump's defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin's hostility toward democracies around the world and his refusal to hold the Russian leader accountable provoked bipartisan outrage and confusion. Both Democratic and Republican leadership — and a wide range of media personalities — condemned the president's comments, calling them everything from "an absolute disgrace" to a "missed opportunity."

Fox News hosts who rarely criticize the president spent much of Monday and Tuesday expressing confusion and wondering about his motivations for doing what so many have described as indefensible.

John Roberts, Fox News' chief White House correspondent, conceded that there was a "growing consensus" that Trump "threw the United States under the bus," and on Monday night he told the Fox News host Tucker Carlson that Trump refused to publicly condemn Putin's election meddling because he didn't want to get "bogged down in the details."

"He thought it was important to have a dialogue with Vladimir Putin — almost a parallel with Kim Jung Un — where he was willing to rise above everything else that was going on out there, not get bogged down in the details of it, even though it would appear like he was sort of throwing the intelligence community and other US institutions under the bus," Roberts said.

Puzzled supporters criticized Trump's performance

Trump's most loyal backers — some of whom act as his informal advisers — including the Fox News hosts Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro, and Carlson, stayed the course, dismissing the concerns of lawmakers, policy experts, and former intelligence community leaders.

But many staunch supporters of the president abandoned any attempt to justify his behavior, instead acknowledging confusion and, in some cases, urging the president to issue a correction.

"I don't get it — I just don't get it," the Fox Business host Trish Regan said, arguing that Trump either should have defended the intelligence community and condemned Putin to his face or not taken the meeting in Helsinki. She called the episode "horrible."

Maria Bartiromo — one of Trump's most vocal cheerleaders at Fox Business — called the summit "probably the low point of the presidency so far."

"There's no question about that," said Bartiromo, who recently came under fire for a friendly interview with Trump in which she lobbed softball questions and repeatedly agreed with the president's controversial or misleading statements. "But the president didn't want to address it in front of Vladimir Putin, which is a head-scratcher."

The "Fox & Friends" cohost Steve Doocy called Trump's behavior "puzzling" and insisted that the president had previously had no problem acknowledging that Russia meddled in the election.

The Fox Business host Neil Cavuto called the press conference "disgusting," and the Fox News host Bret Baier called it "almost surreal at points." The conservative website Drudge Report declared, "Putin Dominates in Hel," referring to Helsinki. Newsmax's Joe Walsh called Trump a "traitor."

'This is about the Russians undermining the US'

Several hosts, directly addressing the president, argued that Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election didn't delegitimize Trump's victory.

"The president's under the impression — and I don't know why, still — that if he says the Russians hacked, it makes his election look illegitimate," said Brian Kilmeade, another cohost of Trump's favorite cable-news show, "Fox & Friends." Kilmeade added that Trump's victory over 16 Republican primary opponents and Hillary Clinton couldn't be credited to Russian interference, but he conceded that "Russia's goal was to upend the electoral process."

Doocy doubled down on the difference between Russian interference and collusion between Trump's campaign and the Russian government.

"A lot of people get confused — I'm not saying the president is confused," Doocy went on. "There is a big difference between collusion and the meddling ... pretty much everyone and their brother — except for Vladimir Putin — knows that there was meddling."

Bartiromo repeated the point that any collusion — the subject of the special counsel's ongoing investigation — was separate from the allegations that Moscow interfered in the election. She tried to make it clear, for viewers and, perhaps, the president that Trump shouldn't feel personally undermined by the intelligence community's findings.

"This has nothing to do with collusion — this is not about Donald Trump," Bartiromo said. "This is about the Russians undermining the US, not about Donald Trump."

SEE ALSO: The hosts of 'Fox & Friends,' Trump's favorite morning show, delivered perhaps their most stinging rebuke yet of the president

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: North Korean defector: Kim Jong Un 'is a terrorist'

• A gun-rights activist who Sacha Baron Cohen duped in the pilot episode of his new Showtime series "Who Is America?" wrote a 1,400-word Facebook post about his experience of filming his segment in April, as a "warning" to fellow conservatives.
• Philip Van Cleave, the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, wrote that he suspected he'd been the "victim" of  "someone like Michael Moore, or, even worse, a Sacha Baron Cohen-esq 'Borat'-type of shock comedy meant to be devastatingly embarrassing and humiliating to the victim in the crosshairs."

In the strongest segment of the pilot for Sacha Baron Cohen's new Showtime satirical series, "Who Is America?," Cohen, disguised as an Israel "anti-terror expert," convinces conservative politicians and gun-rights advocates to endorse a program that would arm American toddlers with guns.

One of Cohen's unsuspecting guests, Philip Van Cleave, the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, who recognized that he was being duped after filming his part for the show, wrote a 1,400-word Facebook post recapping his experience on the project as a "warning" to fellow gun advocates and conservatives way back in April, The Daily Beast reported.

In the pilot, Van Cleave appears alongside Cohen's character Col. Erran Morad in a segment promoting various stuffed-animal hybrid guns for young children, with names like “Puppy Pistol,” “Gunny Rabbit,” and “Uzicorn.”

Van Cleave wrote on the Virginia Citizens Defense League's Facebook page in April that he suspected he'd been duped by "someone like Michael Moore, or, even worse, a Sacha Baron Cohen-esq 'Borat'-type of shock comedy meant to be devastatingly embarrassing and humiliating to the victim in the crosshairs."

Van Cleave claimed that he realized he was being tricked during the filming of the segment, but went along with it, "so I could find out who was behind this and where this was going."

"I figured if I was right about this being a set up, I could blow the whistle and get a warning out to the gun-rights community across the country to protect as many people as possible and maybe derail this attack. If it turned out to be nothing, then no harm, no foul," he wrote. "Sadly for me, I’m sure I’m going to be in whatever crazy film finally comes out, looking really stupid and, just as sadly, I’ll probably be in good company. A few of us will no doubt get hammered, but if we can get the word out IMMEDIATELY, we might be able to save the reputations of many other good people."

Read his whole, ineffective "warning" post here, and watch his segment on the show below.

SEE ALSO: All the notable people and politicians Sacha Baron Cohen has 'duped' for his new TV series, 'Who Is America?'

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NOW WATCH: Why the World Cup soccer ball looks so different

Although Popes may come and go, the place they call home remains the same. 

Vatican City, the seat of the worldwide Catholic administration, the Holy See, is nestled on the west bank of the Tiber River in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the leader of its 1.29 billion adherents, has lived within the walls of the city since he was appointed in 2013.

A place that evokes reverence and spiritual power, the Vatican has a history that spans thousands of years.

Here's a look inside the walls of the beautiful microstate that the world's most powerful religious leader calls home:

SEE ALSO: Here are the hilariously awkward photos from Trump's visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican

DON'T MISS: 12 photos of Pope Francis that prove that he's just a regular guy

Surrounded entirely by the city of Rome, Vatican City is the smallest state in the world, comprising only about 100 acres.

Sources: CNN

But within its walls sit some of the most famous religious and cultural sites in the world.

Sources: CNN

Encircling the tiny enclave almost entirely are the imposing Vatican Walls, which were completed in 852 AD.

Source: History Channel

• Figuring out how to budget for clothes spending can be tricky.
• Personal finance experts told Business Insider that your overall clothing budget should be no more than 5% of your take-home income, for both work and casual clothes.
• The most important thing for those who are creating a work wardrobe from scratch: Don't go into debt for it. 

As the rules around office attire evolve, it's important to ensure that your work apparel matches those around you.

But keeping up with trends can get pricey. And considering work clothes tend to be pricier than what you might wear on the weekends, figuring out your clothing budget is crucial.

The general rule of thumb: Your monthly clothing budget should comprise no more than 5% of your after-tax income, financial planner Pete Dunn told Who What Wear.

So if your take-home paycheck comes in at around $1,200 every two weeks ($2,400 per month), keep your monthly shopping visits to about $120. Those who are earning $3,000 every two weeks can bump it up to $300 a month.

If you're building your work wardrobe entirely from scratch, personal finance author Lauren Bowling told Business Insider that it's okay to allot about 7% of your income.

If you need to get the total basics, like sensible black pants or a versatile cardigan, put aside $300 for a one-time trip, image curator Scarlett De Bease told Business Insider. "Then add on when possible," De Bease said.

And if you need a suit for work, high-quality options can cost up to $1,000. If your budget is tight, you can probably get a decent option for about $250 to $300. Once you have one, you can match those basic pieces with things you already have in your closet.

Whether you're creating a new work wardrobe or just adding on a few new pieces, Kat Griffin, founder of Corporette, a blog about women's work clothes, emphasized that you should never spend more than what's already in your bank account.

"I would argue that you should never go into debt to buy a bunch of new clothes," Griffin told Business Insider. "Don't put it on a credit card and figure you'll pay it off later."

SEE ALSO: How to dress for your first job without blowing your paycheck

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NOW WATCH: How often you should really wash your clothes

• The Thai soccer team that was trapped inside an underground cave for 17 days have explained why they entered the cave and how they managed to survive for so long.
• The team did not prepare supplies in advance for their cave exploration, and were soon trapped inside the cave's winding chambers due to rising flood waters.
• While waiting to be freed, the boys survived on just cave water and tried not to think about their favorite food in order to survive.

The Thai soccer team that was trapped inside a flooded cave complex for 17 days have explained why they entered the cave and how they managed to survive for so long.

The team decided to enter the cave after their soccer practice on June 23, 25-year-old coach Ekapol Chanthawong told reporters on Wednesday.

Ekapol added that many of the boys had been inside the cave before, and that they had discussed going into the cave prior to their practice.

Water levels inside the cave appeared to be normal when they first went in, and they had only planned to remain inside for one hour anyway, Ekapol said.

Because the team had only planned to remain inside for one hour, they did not prepare supplies in advance for their cave exploration, and were soon trapped inside the cave's winding chambers due to rising flood waters. They had no food because they had eaten before practice.

Drinking from stalactites

As rain caused waters inside the cave to swell, the boys sought higher ground and went deeper into the cave, Ekapol said on Wednesday.

The boys initially thought they could exit from another part of the cave. But after unsuccessfully attempting to find another way out, they decided to stay overnight and wait until water levels inside the cave receded.

They later settled on an area which featured dripping stalactites which they used as a source of drinking water.

But water levels did not recede and they decided to try and dig their way out while waiting for rescue teams to come and find them, Ekapol said.

Without food, and surviving on just cave water, the boys took turns eventually digging a 16-foot hole into the cave wall.

"We tried not to think of food, like fried rice"

The boys were taught how to meditate to conserve energy, and many avoided thinking about food in order to stave off hunger.

11-year-old Chanin Vibulrungruang, the youngest team member, told reporters: "We felt dizzy and hungry while we were trapped in the cave complex.

"We tried not to think of food, like fried rice, because it would make us hungrier."

Coach Ekapol added that he felt confident that they would be discovered by authorities, and they remained in place. He encouraged the boys not to be worried or scared.

Boys who lived furthest away left first so they could 'ride their bikes' home

British divers eventually found the boys after a nine-day search effort. The boys, their coach, international rescue divers, and Thai Navy SEALs collectively decided who should be rescued from the caves first.

Eventually, it was the boys that lived the furthest away that were chosen to leave the cave first so they could "ride their bikes" and tell concerned families and authorities that they were okay and to prepare food.

The boys were rescued over a three-day mission, with a team of divers taking the boys out through the treacherous hours-long journey in groups of four or five. The last batch were extracted last Monday.

Boys wore full-face masks and were attached to divers on either end, who guided them through the cave's winding chambers.

"Ready to go home, both mentally and physically"

After being extracted from the cave, the boys were taken to the hospital, where they recovered in quarantine for a week eating soft, bland foods.

Doctors on Wednesday said the boys were "emotionally and physically" strong and are ready to return to "normal life."

"We had experts look at them and checked their blood for diseases," doctors told reporters. "I can confirm they are ready to go home, both mentally and physically.

"They've been ready to go home since they were in the cave," the doctors said.

Psychiatrists said they want the boys to "lead a normal life as soon as possible," and not be given special treatment as they continue to recover.

"We ask everyone to give them personal space and time to be with their families and go to school," they said.

SEE ALSO: The Thai soccer team have been given the all-clear to go home after their traumatic cave rescue

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NOW WATCH: London's riverside pods have been revamped for summer — and they received 9,000 bookings in a single day

• Croc's high-heeled shoes are sparking debate online as people trash the shoes as ugly.
• Ugly fashion is going mainstream as high-top sock sneakers, thigh-high Uggs, and denim thongs hit the runways. 
• However, high-heeled Crocs aren't another accessory to be mocked — they're the best the ugly fashion movement has to offer. 

High-heeled Crocs have set the internet aflame. 

"Who in the world would want to wear Crocs with heels? How are they selling out? Why is such ugliness allowed to exist?" the anti-Croc mobtweeted, gnashing their teeth. 

Now I'm here to tell you: Croc haters are wrong, and Crocs with heels are actually good. 

Let's situate ourselves at this point in fashion history. Ugly fashion is, inexplicably, in. 

Vetements is selling high-top sock sneakers and boots that hit your hip for hundreds of dollars. Y/Projects crafted a thigh-high Ugg. Ugly, unflattering denim has achieved such dominance that many people — at least in New York City — have accepted bizarre lengths and cuts as the new normal. 

"Ugly products have become so ironic that they're now trendy, thanks to designer brands launching their own ugly clothing items," reports Business Insider's Mary Hanbury. "It's an excellent marketing ploy — these unappealing products with large price tags create a backlash and subsequent buzz on social media." 

I'm not necessarily on the pro-ugly clothing train. At the end of the day, I dress primarily for utility: Is this comfortable and do I look presentable enough to do my job and/or potentially find a date?

Ugly clothing does not necessarily meet these needs. 

While some ugly clothing trends are at least comfortable, others offer neither comfort nor presentability. Who is buying denim bustiers and upside-down jean shorts? And, I get that $850 Balenciaga Crocs aren't meant to be worn to the office, but I still find it shocking that these demented clogs — which are both extremely expensive and look impossible to walk in — immediately sold out. 

If Balanciaga is able to charge $850 for purposefully garish Crocs, then $44 high-heeled Crocs deserve a round of applause. Strike that — a standing ovation. 

The Cyprus Crocs, which are now sold out on the retailer's website, represent the best of the ugly fashion trend. They're single-mindedly practical and synthetic, with a clunky normcore style. According to reviews, they're extremely comfortable. Most importantly, they're designed with actual people in mind. 

Crocs has actually sold high-heeled shoes for years, with a wide selection of sandals and wedges on its website. Most people who purchase the shoes aren't making a fashion statement, a la Balenciaga Crocs, but instead just want to feel comfortable when going about their daily life. 

"This is one of the first shoes that fit my feet perfectly," reads one review of the much-maligned Cyprus Croc. "I am almost flat footed so most shoes flop around on my feet but these are perfect for me. I also have Planter Faciaitis [sic] and I can wear these shoes all day with no pain at all."

"I haven't worn heels in a long time. They are too painful," reads another. "I could literally run in these!"

There's something to be said for designers that push the limit of what people think of as aesthetically pleasing. But, as ironic ugly fashion goes mainstream, it's time to give credit where credit is due — to the practical, affordable, and maybe a little ugly brands that served as muses for these designers.

Whether you're flaunting the shoes as a fashion statement or simply a teacher who has to be on her feet all day, high-heeled Crocs aren't another accessory to be mocked. They're the best the ugly fashion movement has to offer. 

SEE ALSO: Shoppers are dropping hundreds of dollars on 'ugly' clothes — here are some of the worst examples

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• A new Cochrane review has found omega-3 supplement pills probably don't do that much for our health.
• Out of over 112,000 people, 8.8% died while taking fish oil pills, compared to 9% of those who didn't take any.
• This is not a significant difference.
• For some reason, we have been looking at omega-3 as a magical pill for health and intelligence for a long time.
• But it's becoming increasingly clear this is not the case.

There's a growing body of evidence to suggest most vitamin supplements don't do all that much. In fact, a study earlier this year found how some of the most popular vitamin supplements, including vitamin C and calcium, don't really have major health benefits.

The next pill in the firing line is fish oil. Also known as omega-3, fish oil has been widely publicised as being protective against heart disease, but according to a new Cochrane review, led by the University of East Anglia, the supplements offer little benefit to those taking them.

Omega-3 fats like alpha­linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid, are certainly good for you, because they are essential for our health.

But the review, which combined the results from 79 different trials, involving over 112,000 people, found that omega-3 supplements like fish oils didn't seem to protect the heart.

Participants were randomly assigned to either increase their omega-3 fat intake, or maintain their usual amount of fat in their diet for a year, then they were assessed for diseases of the heart and circulation.

Results showed no significant difference in death rates, with 8.8% of people taking omega-3 dying compared to 9% of those in control groups. There was also no significant difference in the rates of heart attacks or strokes.

Lee Hooper, a researcher at UEA's Norwich Medical School, who led the study, said the results show there is little evidence that omega-3 pills benefit the heart, or reduce the risk of death from any cause.

She told The Times it's much better to include oily fish in your diet rather than take supplements, because it's not just the omega-3 you're ingesting.

"You're also getting a protein source that replaces something else in your diet like saturated fat, and seafood has selenium, iron and vitamin D. All of these are useful nutrients," she said.

She added that the review did find some evidence that one omega-3 fat alpha­linolenic acid (ALA), found in rapeseed or canola oil and walnuts, may be slightly protective against heart and circulation diseases.

"However, the effect is very small," she said. "143 people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person developing arrhythmia. One thousand people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person dying of coronary heart disease or experiencing a cardiovascular event."

Fish oil seems to have been blown up in our health estimations for a long time. Over a decade ago, 3,000 children in Durham were given fish oil to see if it improved GCSE performance. Academics, including journalist and doctor Ben Goldacre, pointed out this wasn't how a scientific study should be conducted — there was no control group, and it would likely produce false positive results.

The results were further skewed by the fact over 2,000 children dropped out of the trial. But this didn't stop journalists picking up on the line that "832 pupils had 80% or greater compliance."

Journalists also jumped on a story that suggested omega-3 improved school performance and behaviour in children, despite no paper saying anything of the sort.

This isn't to say omega-3 is useless for everything. It's a staple of our diet, just as many vitamins and minerals are. But what's becoming increasingly clear is that if you're looking for a magical supplement pill to work wonders on your health or mental agility, you probably won't find one.

SEE ALSO: There's even more evidence to suggest popular vitamin supplements are essentially useless

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• Turo is changing the economics of owning a car in cities like San Francisco.
• Car owners list their vehicles on the platform and lease them by the day.
• The average host in San Francisco makes $672 a month on Turo, more than enough to cover the national average monthly car payment on a new vehicle.
• One "power host" says her new Tesla Model 3 costs her practically nothing, because she recovers the cost by renting it to strangers via the Turo app.

Veronica Tran and her boyfriend were on the fence about buying the Tesla Model 3.

At a base price of $35,000, the electric car is the most affordable on the Tesla dealership lot, but it's not cheap.

The couple lives in San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in America, where they mostly zip around in Ubers and on trains.

"We wouldn't be driving it all the time, but we could put it on Turo while it's not being driven," Tran said. "That's what helped us pull the trigger on the Tesla."

She rents the car to strangers through the Turo app — a person-to-person car-sharing service that's mostly easily described as "Airbnb for cars" — six days out of the week.

"It's like being able to rent the Tesla on Turo pays for the garage, pays for the loan we took out to purchase the car, and insurance," Tran said. "It covers all the cost."

Turo is changing the economics of owning a car in cities like San Francisco. Car owners list their vehicles on the platform and lease them by the day. They can charge $29 to $200 per day, depending on how high-end the make and model of their ride.

The average host in San Francisco makes $672 a month on Turo, more than enough to cover the national average monthly car payment on a new vehicle. One local "power host" earned $40,000 last year by leasing his 2016 Tesla Model X to strangers.

The San Francisco Bay Area is one the largest markets for Turo, which has vehicles in more than 56 countries and 5,500 cities. Given the high cost of living, it's unsurprising that San Francisco renters would go to such lengths to offset the cost of car ownership.

In a survey of Turo users, the company asked hosts what they do with the money they earn by renting their cars on Turo. More than half of survey respondents said they pay down their car loan or lease, while about a third of people added to their savings.

Michael Quinn, lead content strategist for hospitality startup Lyric, leased a 2017 Subaru Forester for commuting to Palo Alto but found he was using it much less than he expected. Instead of letting it idle, he decided to start renting it out on Turo.

He averages one to two bookings a week, and it covers all the costs of the SUV.

"It's like having a free car in the city," Quinn said.

Tran belongs to the group of Turo users — 23% of survey respondents — who said they use their Turo earnings to buy an additional car to list on the service.

The Tesla Model S is the most popular car make and model in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to Turo, followed by the Tesla Model X and the BMW 3 Series.

Since its limited-production launch in 2017, the Tesla Model 3 has also become a local favorite.

"I literally have renters who will take it out for an hour, because they want to test-drive it," Tran said, adding that those are her favorite renters because they spend so little time in her car. The chance of a having an accident is that much smaller.

Tran, like many power hosts, gives renters the option of paying extra for door-to-door delivery. (She charges $100.) Tran works as a freelancer, so her schedule allows her to leave in the middle of the day to drop off or pick up the Tesla. Turo doesn't require hosts to offer delivery, though it does improve their chance of booking a reservation.

She doesn't offer delivery for her first car, a Toyota Corolla, which she also lists on Turo, because she said the make and model doesn't justify a big delivery fee.

The biggest inconvenience of using Turo, according to Tran, is drop-off. Sometimes a person books one of her cars within just a few hours of the reservation, and she has to stop what she's doing to meet them. She's excited that Turo just announced a feature that will let hosts remotely unlock their vehicles instantly through the Turo app.

If a renter makes a mess of her car — like during one ski trip to Tahoe in her Corolla — Tran has the option of charging the renter for cleaning. She has to provide Turo with before and after photos of the vehicle's interior in order to make the transaction.

Quinn, who owns the Subaru Forester, said he couldn't think of a bad experience on Turo.

"They have really all been positive experiences. I think my favorite was renting my car to a family who needed a bigger SUV to visit their extended family in Tahoe," Quinn said.

He added, "They were so thankful and took such great care of the car. And it was touching to help them make that trip happen."

SEE ALSO: We tried the 'Airbnb for cars,' and it could upend the car-rental industry

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NOW WATCH: An electric car from a startup company could outperform the Tesla Roadster

• Vitamins and supplements are a roughly $37 billion industry, but new research suggests they're mostly useless.
• A crop of fresh studies looking at multivitamins and vitamins B, C, and D have concluded that for most people, they do little to no good.
• Still, some specific vitamins can be helpful for people with specific health conditions.

It seems like simple, obvious advice: Eat your vegetables, get some exercise, and — of course — take your vitamins.

Or not.

Decades of research has failed to find substantial evidence that vitamins and supplements do any significant good. In fact, the results of recent studies lean in the opposite direction, finding that certain vitamins may be bad for you.

Several supplements have been linked with an increase in certain cancers, for example, while others have been associated with a higher risk of kidney stones. Still others have been linked with an overall higher risk of death from any cause.

So here are the vitamins and supplements you should take — and the ones you should avoid.

SEE ALSO: The $37 billion vitamin industry is barely regulated, and dangerous products are slipping through the cracks

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Multivitamins: Skip them — you can get everything you need with a balanced diet.

It's long been thought that adding a multivitamin to your diet was a good step towards better overall health, but recent research suggests this is false.

Based on a review of studies published this month in the journal Circulation, scientists concluded that taking multivitamins does not improve heart health in the general population. That study comes on the heels of an even larger review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in June, which found no evidence that multivitamins are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, or death from any cause.

Some studies even suggest that consuming vitamins in excess can cause harm. A large, longterm 2011 study of close to 39,000 older women found that women who took vitamins over the course of more than 20 years actually had a higher overall risk of death than those who didn't take any supplements.

Vitamin D: Take it for bone health because it's hard to get from food.

Vitamin D is a critical ingredient that keeps our bones strong by helping us absorb calcium. It is missing from many of the foods we eat, so taking a vitamin D supplement may be a good idea for some people. Getting sunlight is another way to help your body make enough vitamin D, but that can be tough in the winter.

Some researchers hoped that vitamin D could also help protect people from brain-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease, but a review of 73 studies published this month in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience suggests that is not the case. The researchers found no evidence linking vitamin D supplementation with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, or other forms of dementia.

Antioxidants: Skip them — an excess of these has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, and you can eat berries instead.

Touted for their potential to protect against cancer, vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants found in many fruits and veggies — especially berries.

But studies suggest that antioxidants can actually be harmful, at least when taken in the mega doses offered by some supplements.

A 2007 review of trials of several different types of antioxidant supplements found that people who took the pills were more likely to die of any cause than people who didn't. Plus, a large long-term study of male smokers found that those who regularly took vitamin A were more likely to get lung cancer than those who didn't.