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Rosenstein is said to be pressuring Mueller to wrap up the Russia probe, but Mueller looks nowhere near finished

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Robert Mueller

  • The special counsel Robert Mueller is said to be facing intense pressure to wrap up the Russia investigation soon.
  • Two US officials told Bloomberg that Mueller is expected to deliver his key findings shortly after the November midterm elections.
  • Mueller is likely close to tying up the obstruction thread of the Russia investigation, but legal experts say he doesn't appear close to wrapping up the investigation as a whole.

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein is ramping up the pressure on the special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Mueller is expected to deliver key findings shortly after the November midterm elections, two US officials told Bloomberg.

He is also reportedly close to getting answers to the two core questions in the investigation: whether members of President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow to sway the 2016 race in his favor, and whether Trump sought to obstruct justice after the existence of the Russia investigation became public knowledge.

News out of Mueller's office has been relatively slow over the last few weeks, which legal experts say suggests the investigation is continuing to run smoothly.

But Rosenstein's reported demand of the special counsel raises new questions about whether the White House is pressuring the deputy attorney general to shut down the Russia investigation as Rosenstein's own future at the DOJ hangs in the balance.

Trump's legal team has for some time called for Mueller to issue his final report soon so that it is not released too close to the midterm elections.

Mueller has not given any public indication that he will do so. But his team is said to have told Trump's lawyers earlier this year that it expected to wrap up a report on the portion of the investigation involving whether Trump obstructed justice by the end of the summer.

Donald Trump

But that timeline grew longer as Trump's legal team and the special counsel's office repeatedly failed to agree to the terms of a presidential interview.

Trump's team is currently in the middle of providing written answers to the special counsel on questions focusing on potential collusion with Russia. Mueller has reportedly made clear that he wants to ask follow-ups as well, and prosecutors have not ruled out a one-on-one sit down with the president.

Jed Shugerman, a professor at Fordham Law School, said he believes it is significant that Mueller agreed to narrow the scope of his initial questions for Trump to focus on collusion rather than obstruction.

"It suggests Mueller thinks that's more significant and worthwhile at this stage," he said.

Shugerman added that Mueller's questions about collusion indicate that "he probably has sufficient evidence for obstruction. If forced to allocate his time to obstruction or Russia, he is choosing Russia. And probably [because] he has big leads."

Mueller seems nowhere near finished investigating collusion

paul manafort

The special counsel snagged his most significant victory in the Russia investigation in September, when he secured the cooperation of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

"Manafort's cooperation is the single most important advancement for the Mueller probe," said Patrick Cotter, a former federal prosecutor who was part of the team that convicted the Gambino crime boss John Gotti. "He is the single most important witness thus far, because his position was such that he can shed light on the most critical question of what the president knew, and when he knew it."

What Manafort knows is important for several threads of the Russia investigation, like the hack of the Democratic National Committee and any communication between Trump campaign members and Russian interests.

But the biggest value he brings to Mueller is the ability to shed light on the controversial June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between campaign officials and Russian lobbyists.

Manafort attended the meeting along with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and it eventually emerged that, contrary to Trump Jr.'s initial statements, the meeting was pitched as "part of Russia and its government's support" for Trump's candidacy.

It is a federal crime to accept something of value from a foreign government in connection to an American election, and experts have suggested that if Trump campaign officials took the meeting to get dirt on then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, it could place them in serious legal jeopardy.

The midterms are less than a month away, and it's highly unlikely that Mueller will release anything before November 6, out of concern that it could violate DOJ guidelines about taking any overt actions that can be seen as influencing the outcome of an election.

If Mueller is going by Rosenstein's timeline, it's possible he could release something big shortly after the midterms.

But so far, his office has given no indication that it is anywhere close to wrapping up the Russia probe, and experts say it's unlikely he will be done by November, though Manafort's cooperation likely moved up the timeline.

In addition to Manafort, Mueller's team also flipped his former deputy, Rick Gates, the former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and a former Trump campaign foreign policy aide, George Papadopoulos

The special counsel is also speaking to Michael Cohen, Trump's former longtime lawyer who pleaded guilty over the summer to separate charges related to tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations.

SEE ALSO: 'It's getting lonely on Trump Island': Mueller just snagged his biggest victory yet in the Russia probe

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Mitch McConnell's call to cut Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid also perfectly laid out why it won't happen anytime soon

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schumer mcconnell

  • Senate Majority Mitch McConnell said both parties should sign on to entitlement reforms to help get the deficit under control.
  • McConnell said any deal to reform entitlements like Social Security and Medicare would have to be bipartisan.
  • There's no way Democrats are getting on board with entitlement changes.

Senate Majority Mitch McConnell on Tuesday advanced a longtime Republican policy goal on how to tackle the debt during an interview Tuesday, but the idea probably won't gain a foothold anytime soon.

During an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, McConnell said that to get the federal budget deficit under control — the deficit grew to $779 billion in fiscal year 2018, the largest since 2012 — Congress needs to reform entitlements such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Despite an appetite for reforms and full control of the federal government, Republicans have made no headway on entitlement reform during Trump's presidency.

"I think it’s pretty safe to say that entitlement changes, which is the real driver of the debt by any objective standard, may well be difficult if not impossible to achieve when you have unified government," McConnell told Bloomberg.

But the GOP leader also laid out exactly why his solution to the deficit and debt would not happen anytime soon: There's no way Democrats are getting on board.

McConnell emphasized that any significant changes to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security would need to get sign off from both parties.

"It’s a bipartisan problem: unwillingness to address the real drivers of the debt by doing anything to adjust those programs to the demographics of America in the future," McConnell said.

But cooperation in Congress is at a historically low level. Bitter partisan battles like the recent confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh have seen the overall number of bills passed take a serious dive over the past few years.

Democrats have been reluctant to help advance any major goals of the GOP-led federal government, and Democratic leaders immediately blasted McConnell's idea.

"In budget after budget, Congressional Republicans have exposed their cynical agenda: give massive, unpaid-for handouts to further enrich big corporations shipping jobs overseas and the wealthiest 1 percent, and stick seniors, children and families with the bill," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said. "Under the GOP’s twisted agenda, we can afford tax cuts for billionaires, but not the benefits our seniors have earned."

Additionally, Democratic policies are also heading in the opposition direction of McConnell's goals.

Instead of pairing tax cuts with entitlements cuts, Democrats are suggesting these programs become even more generous and paired with tax increases. As McConnell mentioned in the Bloomberg interview, a growing number of Democrats are supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for All" plan, which would expand the government healthcare program to all Americans with funding from a tax bump.

Going it alone might be possible using budget reconciliation if Republicans maintain control of both chambers of Congress, which is unlikely based on recent forecasts. But even then, it could some at a political price, as it would give Democrats an easy way to hammer the GOP in 2020.

There is widespread opposition to spending reductions for entitlements according to polling:

  • A May 2017 poll from the Pew Research Center found just 15% of Republican and 5% of Democrats supported a reduction in Medicare spending, while just 10% of Republicans and 3% of Democrats want to see a reduction in Social Security funding. 
  • An April 2017 poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 40% of people want an increase in spending on Medicaid compared to just 12% who want a decrease. On the other hand, 57% of people wanted more Medicare spending while just 6% wanted a cut.

Entitlement cuts can be politically potent for the opposition. For instance, Republicans attacked Democrats for years over supposed cuts to Medicare benefits as part of the Affordable Care Act. While the claim was misleading, it proved to be a popular and powerful attack.

On top of the opposition from Democrats, it's unclear if Republicans could get their entire party on board with the idea — especially their leader. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to not cut Social Security and Medicaid before, and reiterated a similar position during an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.

"I haven’t heard that," Trump said when asked about McConnell's interview. "I’m leaving Social Security. I’m not touching Social Security."

Last year, a Republican member of Congress told Business Insider's Joe Perticone that Trump told him he wouldn't consider changes to entitlement programs until a theoretical second term.

SEE ALSO: One of Republicans' biggest promises about their tax law is coming apart at the seams

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Trump talks tough about the military, but he hasn't visited a war zone where US troops are fighting — unlike his predecessors

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Trump US military

  • President Donald Trump repeatedly portrays himself as a gung-ho supporter of the US military, but a year and a half into his tenure the president has yet to visit American troops in a war-zone.
  • The vast majority of Trump's commander-in-chief predecessors dating all the way back to World War II visited troops in war zones, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
  • Both Bush and Obama met with US troops in combat zones soon into their first terms. 

President Donald Trump repeatedly portrays himself as a gung-ho supporter of the US military, but over a year and a half into his tenure the president has yet to visit American troops in a war zone.

Since Trump took office, American troops have been killed everywhere from Somalia and Niger to Yemen and Iraq. In 2018 alone, five US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.

But Trump has yet to visit Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria, among other places where US troops are putting their lives on the line to execute his orders. 

This is arguably out-of-step for a president who's filled his cabinet with generals, boasted about making the military stronger than ever, called for an expensive (and recently cancelled) military parade in the capital, and lambasted NFL players for allegedly disrespecting the troops by kneeling during the national anthem. 

In short, Trump has often talked the talk when it comes to the military – barring controversial comments about Sen. John McCain's time as a POW in Vietnam as well as widely criticized attacks against Gold Star families– but will he walk the walk? 

Trump's predecessors often visited US troops in war zones overseas

The vast majority of Trump's predecessors dating all the way back to World War II visited troops in war zones, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama. And both Bush and Obama met with US troops in combat zones soon into their first terms.

Bush, for example, met with ground troops in Baghdad within 10 months of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. By the end of his time in office, Bush made four trips to Iraq and two to Afghanistan. 

Comparatively, Obama visited troops in Iraq in 2008 while he was still a senator and made another visit within his first three months as president. Ultimately, Obama made four trips to Afghanistan as president. 

Obama Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan is over 17 years old and there's no end in sight

Trump promised to ramp down America's involvement in the war on terror as a presidential candidate. But the realities of the presidency have thus far made it difficult for him to do so and he's even increased US troop presence in some cases. Last year, Trump sent several thousand more troops to Afghanistan, for example. 

Presidential visits to troops stationed in harm's way boost morale. The war in Afghanistan just had its 17th anniversary, and the roughly 15,000 US troops stationed there could benefit from seeing the president at a time when many Americans have seemingly forgotten about the conflict. 

Moreover, as commander-in-chief some might say Trump has a duty to visit those he orders into harm's way. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, definitely seems to feel this way

Reed on Wednesday told reporters Trump should honor the sacrifices service members make by visiting troops stationed in combat zones. "I think it should be done," Reed said. "It's not just to get an idea what is going on, but to personally thank the men and women of the United States who are exposing themselves to great dangers for the country."

The White House did not immediately respond to a query from Business Insider as to whether the president had any plans to make such a trip sometime in the not-so-distant future. But Trump addressed the topic in a recent interview with the Associated Press, stating he didn't think a visit to US troops in a combat zone is "overly necessary."

"I will do that at some point, but I don’t think it's overly necessary," Trump said. “I've been very busy with everything that’s taking place here…I’m doing a lot of things. But it’s something I’d do. And do gladly."

"Nobody has been better at the military," Trump added. "I have done more for the military than any president in many, many years."

SEE ALSO: This graphic shows why the Afghanistan War is getting worse after 17 years

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How much the highest-paid stars on TV are making, including big raises for the stars of 'Westworld'

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Big Little Lies

How much are networks shelling out to bring Hollywood stars to TV?

In this age of proliferated programming, marquee names have become essential to bring sizable audiences to shows. And the competition among networks and producers has driven industry salaries to new heights.

On Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the stars of HBO's "Westworld" would be getting big raises ahead of the sci-fi drama's third season.

At its height, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman reportedly negotiated $1 million salaries for the upcoming second season of HBO's Emmy-winning drama, "Big Little Lies."

Jim Parsons of CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" made headlines in August for walking away from a reported two-year, $50 million paycheck for two more seasons of the sitcom, which CBS subsequently decided to end in 2019.

Here's how much the highest-paid stars on TV are earning per-episode:

Note: Some salaries may include producing fees.

Jethro Nededog contributed to a previous version of this story. 

SEE ALSO: Warner Bros. triumphed over Disney in public sentiment after hiring James Gunn for 'Suicide Squad 2'

$1,000,000 — Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

Source: The Hollywood Reporter



$1,000,000 — Reese Witherspoon, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

Source: The Hollywood Reporter



$1,000,000 — Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

Source: Variety



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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich owns the second-largest yacht in the world and a customized airplane with a 30-person banquet hall — see how else he spends his fortune of at least $11 billion

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roman abramovich

 

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the UK's Chelsea soccer team, is known for his mind-boggling collection of superyachts, luxury cars, private planes, and lavish homes around the world. 

The Wall Street Journal once nicknamed his global collection of extravagant possessions "The Roman Empire."

Once the richest man in Russia, Abramovich has amassed a vast personal fortune. The 51-year-old billionaire is the largest shareholder of Evraz, Russia's second-biggest steelmaker, and also owns stakes in the world's largest producer of refined nickel, according to Bloomberg.

In 2008, Abramovich's wealth peaked at $23.5 billion, Forbes reported. Today, estimates for his net worth vary greatly, from $11.6 billion to $14.1 billion.

Here's how Abramovich spends his billions.

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Roman Abramovich is a Russian billionaire with an estimated net worth between $11.6 billion and $14.1 billion.

Source: Forbes, Bloomberg



Once the richest man in Russia, Abramovich's net worth peaked in 2008 at $23.5 billion.

Source: Forbes



The 51-year-old billionaire became a high-profile figure in Britain after he acquired Chelsea Football Club in 2003.

Source: Bloomberg



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Here are 14 cool cars from the mind-boggling collection at 2018's The Bridge art and car show

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Air Cooled Porsches

  • The Bridge, an exclusive, annual car and art event in Bridgehampton, New York, features impressive displays of rare and expensive cars.
  • Author Steven John drove a loaned Ferrari GTC4Lusso T to the event and documented 14 of its stand-out vehicles.

 

I was recently fortunate enough to land an invitation to The Bridge, an exclusive annual automobile-centric event. Though only in its third year, The Bridge is already one of the world's most impressive displays of rare, expensive, immensely powerful, and simply beautiful motor vehicles.

I spent the weekend with a lovely Ferrari GTC4Lusso T, borrowed from Ferrari. It's a grand tourer, twin-turbocharged V-8-that packs 680 horsepower into an elegant, curved body. It has an all-glass roof, seating for four adults, passes 60 miles per hour in less than 3.4 seconds, and tops out around 208 MPH, according to Ferrari. And it sells for a mere $298,000 MSRP.

On normal roads in normal neighborhoods, the car is an absolute head turner, something I experienced myself multiple times with a mix of awkwardness and glee. At The Bridge? My Ferrari blended right into the crowd and frankly took a back seat to most of the stunning cars on display.

But that's no knock on the Lusso. Rather, it clarifies the caliber of the 150 vehicles gathered together on a clear mid-September day with a cool offshore breeze that curled around tens of millions of dollars’ worth of automobiles.

The event also featured 12 world-class art galleries, erected in temporary buildings and displaying an eclectic mix of artwork both modern and generations old. The common theme there, too, was rarity and price.

From The Bridge’s car-studded fields, here are 14 of the most amazing, powerful, gorgeous, rare, and downright weird vehicles I saw:

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1. Ferrari 365 California

The Ferrari 365 California debuted in 1966, and the vehicle is as much of a stunner today as it was more than half a century ago. Getting a look at this 4.4-liter V12 convertible is a lot more likely than getting your hands on one, though even spotting one in person is rare: only 14 were built.



2. McLaren 600 LT

According to McLaren's website, "an LT is the most extreme expression of a McLaren you can get. Pushed to the edge, pushed as far as it will go in terms of performance and exhilaration." So yeah, this is a fast car. According to McLaren, goes from zero to 62 mph in about 2.9 seconds. That figure is conservative. It's almost certainly faster.



3. Alfa Romeo

An antique right-hand drive, the Alfa Romeo was perched prominently on a high point of The Bridge golf course and drew a constant stream of admirers. The 1930s-era convertible was in pristine condition, though I couldn't help thinking I'd hate to be in the car if it rolled over.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This $500 device wants to make it easy for you to ditch your Google or Yahoo email account and run your own, private email server

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Helm email server

  • Helm, a $500 device with a $99 yearly subscription plan, lets you operate an email server out of your own home. 
  • Your email and data is stored on the device in your home, and it's encrypted before traveling through Helm's servers. 
  • Helm claims to collect very little information from its users — just the necessary payment information and device diagnostics.
  • While no server is completely secure, this could provide peace of mind to people who don't trust large tech companies to protect their data. 

It's not hard to get the impression that big tech companies can't effectively keep our data safe. 

Just in the past few weeks, Google disclosed a security bug that exposed hundreds of thousands of private accounts on the Google+ social network. Facebook admitted that 29 million users had private information stolen. It's easy to decide to quit using social media sites, but nearly everyone needs or uses an email service. Email is the backbone of every internet account — you almost can't get by in life these days without an email address. 

One solution is to run your own in-house email server, as plenty of companies and tech-savvy individuals do. 

This means that a private entity is in control of the email server and all of the information stored there. There's no need to place your trust in a tech company that has proven itself to be vulnerable to security bugs or breaches. 

But if you're not an IT pro, the idea of setting  up an email server can be pretty intimidating. That's where Helm comes in.

Helm wants to make that a reality for the everyday email user — someone who probably wouldn't know how to set up an email server from scratch. Helm's $500 device is an in-home email server, meaning all of your data and emails are stored on the device right in your home. Helm doesn't collect much information about its users besides the necessary details like payment information and device diagnostics, and any communication or data are encrypted when they leave the Helm device. 

With traditional email services like Gmail or Yahoo, your data and emails are stored on a server controlled by the email provider. You don't have much control over what that company does with your data.

Helm stores your emails and data in your home, but that doesn't mean it's completely safe. Any server can be attacked, regardless of where it's located. However, you're paying for the control over your emails and the ability to be free from a tech company storing your data. Helm also says it hires hackers to try to locate vulnerabilities in the device or its software, and it plans to release improvements and boost security through future software updates. 

You can choose to store a backup of your emails on Helm's servers, but those backups are encrypted and require your security key in order to be decrypted. 

Helm features a standard 120GB of storage, but that can be increased to up to 5TB with additional hardware. The device also comes with physical encryption keys for encrypting data locally on the machine and offline for a secure backup. The device costs $500, and has a $99 subscription fee for every year after the included one-year subscription. 

For more information, or to purchase a device, visit Helm's website here

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Ukrainian man who authorities say forged his death certificate is found alive in France, living in a castle with a Rolls Royce Phantom

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chateau 1

  • A Ukrainian man who was reported dead in his home country was found alive and well, living a "lavish lifestyle" in France earlier this month.
  • Europol said Tuesday it had arrested an unnamed Ukrainian citizen after they discovered him living in a castle in Burgundy that dates back to the 12th century.
  • They said the man was living off laundered funds from a corruption scheme. During the October 5 raid they seized a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom and three works by Salvador Dalí.

dmytro malynovskyyA Ukranian man who had been declared dead in his home country was arrested earlier this month, after European Union law enforcement agents found him alive and well, living a "lavish lifestyle" in a French castle.

In an October 16 press release, Europol said the man, who they dubbed the "King of the Castle," was living off money laundered from a corruption scheme.

French law enforcement officials first started investigating the man in January, after growing suspicious of his purchase of the Chateau de la Rochepot, near the town of Dijon in the Burgundy region. The castle, which dates back to the 12th century, is a popular tourist attraction and was previously owned by the descendants of former French President Marie François Sadi Carnot, who was assassinated in 1894, according to The Telegraph.

When they reached out to Ukrainian officials for more information on the castle's new owners, they learned that he was wanted in his home country for large-scale corruption.

europol 2

Due to the international element of the case, French authorities requested the aid of Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, which discovered that the man had managed to evade capture by forging death certificates.

On October 5, French law enforcement and Europol agents arrested the man, seizing his castle, 4.6 million euros, a Rolls Royce Phantom, and three unnamed works by Salvador Dalí.

Europol officials did not release the identity of the man, but three sources who spoke with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty identified him as 36-year-old Dmytro Malynovskyy.

europol 1

A Ukranian government website says Malynovskyy has been missing since August 2014, just six months after the Ukranian Revolution resulted in then-President Viktor Yanukovych fleeing the country after revelations of widespread governmental corruption.

Electoral records RFE/RL viewed showed Malynovskyy had previously run for the Odesa city council, in 2006, representing the same party Yanukovych belonged to.

RFE/RL reports that the fraud and forgery Malynovskyy was allegedly involved in regarded Defense Ministry property in Odesa.

Ukranian prosecutors are reportedly in the process of securing the suspect's extradition. Three others associates were also arrested in the October 5 raid.

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Heather Nauert, the State Department's spokeswoman, slammed for posting touristy photo in Saudi Arabia

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Heather Nauert

  • State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert is under fire from reporters and other critics after posting a photo of herself smiling outside a Saudi government complex in Riyadh.
  • Nauert took the photo while visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss the disappearance of Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
  • Some interpreted Nauert's photo — along with President Donald Trump's defense of the Saudis — as evidence that the US is trivializing the Saudi government's disregard for human rights.

Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman who doubles as one of the US's highest-ranking diplomats, came under fire after posting a photo of herself on Wednesday smiling outside a Saudi Arabian government complex during a visit to Riyadh to discuss the alleged torture and killing of a US resident and Saudi dissident. 

Nauert, also the acting under-secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, accompanied Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a trip to Turkey and Saudi Arabia this week to meet with the country's leaders to discuss journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance. The Saudis have denied involvement in his disappearance, while President Donald Trump has defended the country as an "important ally."

Some journalists and former government officials pointed to the photo Nauert posted of herself on her personal, public Instagram account as yet more evidence of the Trump administration's callous response to the Saudi government's human rights violations.

"If I were the State Department's spokesperson, on an official trip to learn more about the dark, dubious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a U.S. resident, I probably would have skipped the tourist-in-Riyadh photos. But that's just me," tweeted David Gura, an MSNBC and NBC correspondent. 

#SaudiArabia at The Royal Court

A post shared by Heather Nauert (@heathernauert) on Oct 16, 2018 at 8:04pm PDT on

"This is not a good look," tweeted BuzzFeed national security correspondent Vera Bergengruen of the photo. 

Nauert, a former Fox News host who did not have foreign policy experience when she joined the State Department last year, is reportedly on the president's lists to replace outgoing US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders

It comes amid growing evidence — including audio recordings released by the Turkish media— that a delegation of Saudi officials tortured, killed, and dismembered Khashoggi with a bone saw. Trump has resisted intensifying calls to condemn the regime and instead defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from the charges and emphasized that Khashoggi — a Virginia resident — isn't a US citizen. 

"Here we go again with you're guilty until proven innocent," Trump told The Associates Press on Tuesday

Pompeo was also photographed smiling and shaking hands with Prince Salman and told reporters that the Saudis had repeated their denials of any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance, issuing a statement saying the regime had promised to conduct a "thorough, transparent, and timely investigation" into the matter. 

Trump has stressed the importance of the US's financial ties with Saudi Arabia, calling the Middle Eastern nation an "important ally," while citing tens of billions of dollars in US-Saudi arms deals. (Other US presidents, including Barack Obama, have also continued arms sales to governments with poor records on human rights). 

Walter Shaub, the former head of the US Office of Government Ethics, said Nauert's photo is part of a broader set of problematic optics the administration is employing to send a message to Saudi leaders.

On Tuesday, in a move seen by experts as an attempt to placate Trump, the Saudi government followed through on its promise to contribute $100 million to US relief efforts in Syria, The New York Times reported. 

Some Republican members of Congress have spoken out on the issue, putting pressure on Trump to punish Saudi leaders for their alleged crime. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, said this week that the president should consider canceling some arms deals, while Sen. Lindsey Graham, said Tuesday that the crown prince "has got to go" and called on Trump to "sanction the hell out of" the Saudi government. 

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10 fake holidays that were actually invented by brands

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coffee

  • Many of our favorite holidays were invented by brands to pad sales.
  • There is no official body that approves holidays in the United States (Congress can only set federal holidays), which is why there are so many of them.
  • “Fake” holidays succeed when they offer either fun or strengthen an emotional connection to food or a cause.

 

It seems like every day is a holiday now, an ode to some food, cause, or even a facetious accent. Thanks to social media, brands and consumers alike can think up new holidays wholesale and promote them to a wide audience.

For example, while Halloween wasn’t created by a company, the candy industry at the start of the 20th century tried to turn the second Saturday in October into Candy Day, The Atlantic reported. That is until Halloween proved a more suitable candy-centered holiday. Call it a half-win.

In that spirit, let’s take a look at some other popular holidays invented by brands.

SEE ALSO: 9 items you should always buy from Costco's Kirkland Signature brand

1. National Pancake Day

Outside of the US — especially in the U.K. and Ireland — there’s an official Pancake Day, which takes place every year on Shrove (or “Fat”) Tuesday, the day before the start of the Lenten season. It’s a day people in the United States may know better by its other name: Mardi Gras.

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) seized the branding opportunity and brought IHOP National Pancake Day to the United States in 2006, giving away free short stacks of pancakes and raising money for charity in the process.

IHOP usually aligns National Pancake Day with Fat Tuesday, but they’ve been known to move it around by a week or so. It’s their holiday, after all.



2. National Rotisserie Chicken Day

For lovers of chicken-on-a-spit, June 2 – National Rotisserie Chicken Day – is the time to shine. It will also probably come as no surprise that the king of rotisserie chicken sales, Boston Market, is the company behind it, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The chicken chain submitted their proposal in April 2015 to National Day Calendar, one of the main unofficial bodies that reviews new “holiday” requests from brands and companies, and received approval in May of the same year.



3. National/International Coffee Day

Lots of countries have had National Coffee days, but one of the first documented “International Coffee” holidays was developed by the All Japan Coffee Association back in 1983 and set for October 1st, according to the company.

It wasn’t until 2015, however, that International Coffee Day went truly international, with 35 countries in the International Coffee Association signing on.

Much of the U.S., however, celebrates National Coffee Day on September 29, according to the National Day Calendar.



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4 lottery winners who lost it all

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  • Lottery winners' lives aren't always better with millions — 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt in just a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education.
  • For some, the moment they receive their prize money can come with grim after-effects like divorce, theft, lawsuits, drug addiction, overspending, and even death threats.
  • Watch the video above to learn about four people whose lives took a turn for the worse the moment they won the lottery. 

The Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots have reached over $1 billion combined, as of this writingThere's a lot you can do with that kind of money, like try the most expensive tasting menu in the world or buy a private jet

But winning two lotteries is even less likely than winning one — math suggests you shouldn't even play

Winning millions in cash can be more of a target than a blessing, earning you more attention than you expected. Some family members, exes, and spouses have plotted their own claim to the money by any means necessary, including lawsuits, divorces, and even attempts to kill the winner. For that reason, there are a couple things people can do if they win.  

It's important to remember that money doesn't solve all of life's problems. In fact, many lottery winners' lives took a turn for the worse, and they also managed to lose all the money.

Watch the video above to learn about four people whose lives took a turn for the worse the moment they won the lottery. 

This article has been updated from its original version.

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JetBlue is giving away free flights in November, but there is a big caveat (JBLU)

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JetBlue Airbus A320

  • JetBlue is offering free flights for select passengers this November, but it comes with the slight catch that those selected must be service-oriented and interested in volunteering while on the trip. 
  • Titled "JetBlue for Good Month" on the airline's webpage, JetBlue is promoting a travel initiative centered around volunteer work.
  • The trip will take place from November 27 to November 30 of this year. 
  • JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider, "We chose a destination that we feel we can have a really big impact on, and a place where our volunteers could see a visible difference at the conclusion of the trip."
  • Those interested can register on a JetBlue website that asks them to answer questions in a short quiz and provide a 150-word statement about why volunteering is important in their lives. 

JetBlue is offering free flights to select passengers for a trip this November, but it comes with the slight catch that those selected must be service-oriented and interested in volunteering while on the vacation. 

Titled "JetBlue for Good Month" on the airline's webpage, JetBlue is promoting a travel initiative centered around volunteer work.

According to Thrillist, the airline's promotion will take 100 people—50 passengers and a guest of their choice—on an all-expense paid volunteer trip to a still-undetermined location. 

While the destination is still under-wraps, JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider, "We chose a destination that we feel we can have a really big impact on, and a place where our volunteers could see a visible difference at the conclusion of the trip."

The trip will take place from November 27 to November 30. 

While the trip is all-expenses paid, it will only be leaving from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, and guests will need to find their way to and from New York on their own dime in order to take part in the promotion, according to Thrillist. 

Those interested can register for a chance to be selected on this website, where they will be asked to answer a series of philanthropic-related questions as well as write a 150-word statement outlining why volunteering is important to them. 

Screen Shot of JetBlue

JetBlue spokesperson Amy Wang told Business Insider the promotion will focus mainly on three pillars of service: youth and education, community, and environment; with crew members and those selected rotating to projects that focus on those specific areas. The airline will be working with existing charities and non-profits that they are already partnered with for the promotion, and the airline is seeking people who are passionate about wanting "to do good."  

On Wednesday afternoon, JetBlue posted a short video about the promotion on social media. 

 

SEE ALSO: JetBlue will sell you $31 one-way tickets on select routes for one day only

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All the TV shows that have been canceled in 2018

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As the year flies by, the list of canceled TV shows piles up.

While there's been somewhat of a quiet period since May, some networks have cut shows throughout the summer and fall.

The most recent cancelations come from Comedy Central and Netflix. Comedy Central announced that "Nathan for You" is ending after four seasons. And Netflix recently canceled "Iron Fist" after two seasons, and announced that "Orange is the New Black" will end with its upcoming seventh season. 

ABC canceled the previously renewed "Roseanne" revival in late May, after Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. However, ABC debuted a spin-off called "The Conners" without Barr.

In other notable cancellations, USA's critically acclaimed "Mr. Robot" will end with its upcoming fourth season, and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" is ending after 12 seasons. 

We'll update this list as more are announced.

Here are all the shows that have been canceled this year, including those from networks and Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The worst TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

Amazon



"Jean-Claude Van Johnson" — Amazon, one season



"I Love Dick" — Amazon, one season



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Rod Rosenstein says the Russia probe has uncovered a widespread Russian effort to meddle in the 2016 race

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  • Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein told The Wall Street Journal the Russia investigation has already revealed a multi-faceted Russian effort to meddle in the 2016 US election.
  • Rosenstein added that he has a "solemn" responsibility to oversee and prosecute such cases, and that he is "pleased the president has been supportive of that."
  • President Donald Trump has repeatedly derided the ongoing Russia probe, calling it a politically motivated "witch hunt" and a "hoax."
  • "I believe that our department and our office have been appropriately managing that investigation," Rosenstein told The Journal, referring to the Russia probe.
  • Rosenstein's comments came after it was reported that he has been pressuring the special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said on Wednesday that the special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation has already revealed an elaborate and widespread effort by the Russians to meddle in the 2016 US election.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Rosenstein said, “I have a solemn responsibility to make sure that cases like that are pursued and prosecuted, and I’m pleased the president has been supportive of that.”

President Donald Trump, whose campaign is at the center of the Russia probe, frequently derides the investigation as a politically motivated "hoax" and a "witch hunt." To date, he and his Republican allies in Congress have spearheaded several efforts — many of which have been successful — to force the Justice Department to disclose sensitive information about the investigation and who it's targeting.

In addition to investigating whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the race in his favor, Mueller is also examining whether Trump sought to obstruct justice at various points throughout the inquiry.

Trump has made numerous public and private attempts to exert more influence over the investigation, at one point reportedly wondering why "my guys" at the "Trump Justice Department" weren't protecting him from scrutiny.

Trump also often gripes about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation last year, after it emerged that he had not been forthcoming during his confirmation hearing about his contacts with Russians during the campaign.

Sessions is widely rumored to be leaving after the November midterm elections, and Trump is expected to clean house at the DOJ then as well.

Meanwhile, Rosenstein's own job hangs in the balance following a New York Times report that said the deputy attorney general suggested secretly recording Trump and invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office shortly after Trump fired then FBI director James Comey last year.

Rosenstein vehemently denied the claim, and subsequent media reports also cast some doubt on the veracity of The Times' reporting. Still, Rosenstein reportedly offered to resign multiple times after the report came out because he wanted to avoid being fired and wanted to leave on amicable terms.

Things between Trump and Rosenstein seemed to simmer down a bit after they met aboard Air Force One last week.

Though Rosenstein declined to discuss the allegations or his conversations with Trump, he told The Journal, “The president knows that I am prepared to do this job as long as he wants me to do this job. You serve at the pleasure of the president, and there’s never been any ambiguity about that in my mind.”

Rosenstein has long been a key target of Trump's ire as the president complains that he is not doing enough to rein in Mueller. Trump was also infuriated when it emerged in April that Rosenstein greenlit an FBI raid of his former longtime lawyer Michael Cohen's property.

“I believe that our department and our office have been appropriately managing that investigation,” Rosenstein told The Journal, referring to the Russia probe.

His interview with the outlet came after Bloomberg reported earlier Wednesday that Rosenstein has been pressuring Mueller to wrap up the Russia investigation.

Two US officials told Bloomberg that Mueller is expected to deliver his key findings shortly after the midterms. But legal experts say that while Mueller appears close to tying up the obstruction thread, he likely won't be finished with the collusion thread by November.

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Singapore is ranked the best place in the world for expats, and after visiting I can understand why

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  • HSBC Expat released its annual expat survey to find the best countries for expats to live based on economics, quality of life, and a slew of other factors.
  • Though it is known worldwide for its extravagance and wealth, Singapore was named the top country for expats due to its strong economic situation and high quality-of-life.
  •  When I visited Singapore in May, I expected it to be wildly expensive. I found that, while renting an apartment is costly, the city is full of cheap, delicious food, efficient public transportation, top-notch museums, a budding nightlife scene, and beautiful parks.

If you had told me six months ago that Singapore was ranked the number one place in the world for expats to move, as HSBC Expat did in its annual report released last week, I would have laughed in your face.

Prior to visiting the island city-state, my notion of Singapore was similar to the one portrayed in summer blockbuster “Crazy Rich Asians.” That is to say I thought of it as a breathtakingly wealthy place where rich people cavort about in exotic supercars and dress themselves in mansion-size closets stuffed with Balenciaga, Chanel, and Gucci.

That image is not conducive to expat living. As someone who has frequently toyed with the idea of living abroad for years at a time, I've done a fair amount of thinking about what makes a city or country a good place to expat. Ideally, you want a place with a strong economy with lots of opportunity, a low-priced but high quality cost of living, a friendly populace open to outsiders, minimal language barrier, vibrant culture and nightlife, and a safe, healthy environment.

Over the past six months, I've visited 13 countries in my current role as Business Insider's international correspondent. In each place I visited, I tried to imagine myself living there day in and day out: what it would be like to commute, where I would eat, and how I would make friends.

Most places had some, but not all of the factors that make a place great to expat. Shanghai, China has tons of opportunity and one of the most exciting nightlife cultures I've ever stepped into, but the smog can be unbearable. Bali, Indonesia is gorgeous and cheap, but, to make a living, you are most likely going to be trying to work for an American or European company remotely, which limits your options. Seoul, South Korea is safe and has great nightlife, but business opportunities and friendships are limited if you can't speak Korean.

singapore skyline sunset

But Singapore is different, sometimes surprisingly so.

Singapore is incredibly livable

SingaporeSS 4

Singapore is a melting pot of Chinese, Tamil Indian, Malay, and British people. While almost all native Singaporeans can speak multiple languages — in a market, I listened to my Indian tour guide speak to a Chinese shopkeeper in a mix of Tamil, Malay, and Mandarin Chinese — English is the lingua franca of the island.

If that's all you can speak, you can still make friends with locals and participate in many aspects of Singaporean culture. If you want to be seen as a true Singaporean, however, you should do your best to pick up as much "Singlish" slang as possible

As I walked through the city in May, the word that kept coming to me to describe Singapore was: livable. It feels like a place you can live and make a home.

The streets are exceptionally clean without feeling sterile. Many of the buildings are covered in walls of plants and the streets and highways are shaded with umbrella-like rain trees, dense evergreen tembusu trees, and colorful bougainvillea.

The city has been known as the "garden city" since Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister, introduced the concept in 1967. His vision was to envelop it in lush foliage to make it cleaner and more pleasant. His initiative worked. About 1.4 million trees have been planted in the past 40 years, and new buildings are routinely covered in greenery.

The food culture is unparalleled

Singapore Billionaires CrazyRichAsians (7 of 13)

From a cultural perspective, there is a thriving cocktail scene that includes some of the best bars I've been to in my travels (The Spiffy Dapper comes to mind) and the food scene is positively bonkers good.

It's not an exaggeration to say that Singaporeans live through their food. The city's Chinese, Indian, and Malay populations bring their unique culinary cultures to the food scene, both at hawker centers, which offer tasty specialties at bargain prices, and high-end white-tablecloth restaurants.

When I asked a Grab driver where to eat dinner, he spent the entire 15-minute drive giving me detailed instructions for no fewer than a dozen restaurants — what to order, the best time to go, how to find the inevitably hidden restaurant or stall.

SingaporeFood

To put it simply: Singapore is an easy place to live. The tropical weather is wonderful, so long as you can handle the heat. The public transportation is cheap, easy-to-use, and convenient. The city is considered the 8th safest place in the world, according to the 2018 Global Peace Index. And there is a large community of foreigners — 1.3 million out of a population of 5.6 million — that makes it feel like a true international destination.

Singapore Billionaires CrazyRichAsians (6 of 13)

The city isn't perfect

There are, of course, downsides. The Economist's 2018 "Worldwide Cost of Living" report found that Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. The study bases its rankings on the cost for 160 products and services including food, drink, clothing, rent, transportation, and utilities.

The high cost of living can make certain things out of reach. Imported cars are prohibitively expensive thanks to high prices, taxes, gas, and parking fees. A Certificate of Entitlement, which allows a person to purchase a car, can go up to $43,000 for 10 years, according to BBC. Fifty percent of expats told HSBC Expat that they can't afford a home in Singapore.

MarinaBaySands Singapore (32 of 40)

Expats do experience a 29% increase in salary and the average salary is $160,833, according to HSBC Expat's annual survey. Two-thirds say they have more disposable income than they did at home. That's likely due to the high-quality of jobs available to expats.  Many multinational corporations like Microsoft, American Express, Edelman, and a ton of media organizations have offices in the city. And the city is seen as a hub for the finance and oil industries in Asia.

The country has a burgeoning tech scene focused on Southeast Asia, a market of half a billion people that many experts say is an opportunity akin to China 10 or 20 years ago. So far, the scene has produced at least three unicorns: Grab, a super-app that began with ride-hailing and now offers a ton of services; Lazada, an e-commerce platform; and Sea, a digital entertainment company.

Needless to say, Singapore has a lot more going for it than “Crazy Rich Asians.” By the time, I was in the airport on my way out, I knew I would come back to Singapore soon enough.

SEE ALSO: The 20 best countries around the world to live as an expat, ranked

DON'T MISS: I visited Singapore, the outlandishly wealthy setting of 'Crazy Rich Asians,' and was surprised by how much fun you can have even without billions

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These 28-year-old Londoners are taking on George Clooney's Casamigos tequila with Enemigo, a $5 million luxury brand that means 'enemy' in Spanish

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  • Robin Clough and Max Davies-Gilbert are the 28-year-old British founders of luxury tequila brand Enemigo.
  • The brand is taking on George Clooney's Casamigos, which was bought by Diageo for $1 billion in 2017.
  • Enemigo was valued at $5 million after just 5 months of trading in January.
  • It's already in 80 locations in London and is served every 90 seconds during drinking hours.
  • It's slightly more expensive than Casamigos, but the pair believes they have the better product.
  • Enemigo will launch in New York in November.

With 206 million bottles of tequila sold in the US last year (and tequila cocktails even being served at royal weddings), tequila is quickly becoming the spirit of the moment — and there's a new brand coming to town.

Robin Clough and Max Davies-Gilbert are the 28-year-old British founders of Enemigo, the award-winning luxury tequila taking on George Clooney's success story Casamigos which was bought by Diageo for $1 billion in 2017.

Enemigo has made quite the mark on the drinks scene since its launch in August last year.

In just over a year, it has won five awards across three continents — including Double Gold and Gold at the Global Spirits Comp in Las Vegas, The Master's Medal in the 2017 Luxury Masters in London, and two Double Golds in the China Wine and Spirits Awards in Hong Kong.

According to the brand, an Enemigo tequila is served every 90 seconds between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m. in London, where the brand is stocked in 80 venues including The Ritz, The Connaught, and Annabel's.

And it's now heading to New York, where it says it plans to take on the likes of "Clooney's Casamigos, Patron and Don Julio on their home turf of the US."

Clough and Davies-Gilbert may be the youngest heads of an international luxury spirits brand, but they seem to be onto something.

Tequila is currently the fastest growing spirit in the US, according to the brand.

A $20 million brand in less than 2 years

Enemigo itself was valued at $5 million following a Series A investment round in January 2018 — and the pair told Business Insider they expect its value to hit $20 million at the close of a Series B funding round in December this year.

Speaking at Annabel's members' club in London, Clough said that he and Max have been friends since they were days old — and added that they've both "always been entrepreneurial."

While studying for his MBA in California, Clough met their third cofounder Sebastian Gonzalez, who took him on a trip to his home of Mexico to visit his friends and family.

"I was exposed to this liquid they called tequila, which was unlike anything we'd ever drunk, or even seen before in the UK," he said. "It was a whirlwind story after that."

He approached Davies-Gilbert — who had studied law before going to work in motor racing — about getting involved.

"I worked for a family office looking after the guys going out to the GP2 Series," Davies-Glibert told Business Insider. "I was working there when Robin sent a message saying, 'We need to get involved in this.' About six months later I went down to Mexico. I said, 'I've got to try this and make sure it's as good as they say.' It was, and I quit."

Clough admitted that they "didn't know much about the process" in the beginning, but the samples they brought back to London "went down incredibly well."

In order to produce the liquid, they teamed up with Maestro Tequilero Enrique Legorreta, a close friend of Gonzalez'.

"Each recipe takes a significant amount of time to do," Davies-Gilbert said. "It's not just sitting there and doing one recipe every hour, [it] took us two and a bit years."

The brand's Enemigo 89 Añejo Cristalino was named because 89 different recipes were tried before they got the right one.

Davies-Gilbert added that the brand uses water that filters down from the Mexican volcano Tequila to produce the liquid.

"What that does, you have 200 million years of volcanic rock that diffuses the water, that minerality and slight taste on the mouth gives it that whole flavour," he said. "It's the entire process that creates this incredibly smooth, easy to drink, but also delicate and complex liquid."

He also claims that the brand's process is "one of the most environmentally friendly in the world."

"We use 50% less water, 60% less power, and no fossil fuels in our production process compared to industry standards," he said. "We burn the agave residue to heat the oven, we don't use gas or oil, anything."

He added that the brand has also put in fair pricing for agave farmers amid an agave crisis "perpetuated by agave prices going up because no one's farming it, then everyone starts farming it and prices go down."

'The enemy of everything that serves marketing over product'

enemigo

The duo claims it cost a total of $35,000 — raised from the "life savings" of the three founders and "a couple of other friends" — to bring the product to market.

From the beginning, Clough said the trio wanted to be "completely different," and put product quality over marketing.

"Enemigo means enemy in Spanish," he explained. "We want to be the enemy of everything that serves marketing first rather than product."

He added that all of the awards Enemigo has won have been based on blind taste tests — "nothing about branding or anything else."

While they started out with a PR company, the pair are now doing most of the communication with the press themselves — and they're staying away from any work with social media influencers.

"People are getting wise to PR companies going out there and pushing social," Davies-Gilbert said. "It kind of takes away from your message. It's not about the 'Hey, so and so is drinking it, so should you.' If you like it, you should drink it, and you will."

He added: "If you don't come from the industry you're looking at, you have no preconceived ideas of how to act in that industry, so you can just do things differently, which sometimes works out to be possibly better."

'Ours is the real one you can sit there and sip all day'

The tequila is slightly more expensive than Casamigos — it retails at £60 for the Añejo Cristalino (liquid which is aged in American oak then filtered to take away the colour) or £150 for the Extra Añejo (which is rich and deep in colour).

enemigo

While the pair says Casamigos "has done amazing things for the industry and is a seriously impressive brand," they believe that consumers can taste the difference between the two brands.

"Ours is the real one you can sit there and sip all day," Davies-Gilbert said. "If you then sat there and sipped another brand, you would notice the difference."

He added that the idea that you can drink something all day and not get hungover — which was what Clooney and Rande Gerber set out to create when they founded Casamigos — is "bold and definitely not true."

Clough added: "Before Casamigos launched, there was still this growing trend of tequila. Tequila has been growing year-on-year for 13, 14 years at an incredible pace.

"I think the market was looking for someone like Casamigos to come in and refresh the way that a product is marketed, and I think they did a wonderful job. Where we position ourselves against that is they've done incredible jobs with making tequila mainstream, now it's our job to go and really instil, 'this is what a tequila really is.'"

Raising the reputation of tequila

According to Clough, Enemigo is about "raising the reputation of what tequila is and where it should be."

"Tequila has this reputation," he said. "We love breaking that stereotype every time [people] try our tequila. For us, it's about raising it to that next level, being something you do want to give as a Christmas present or serve at your dinner party, even neat, which, especially in the UK is nearly unheard of."

"We'll have people who say, 'Oh no, I don't drink tequila, I don't like tequila,' because their memory is this fire water from university or college years that just kills you," Davies-Gilbert added. "[With Enemigo] they take one tentative sip, and say, 'Oh, no, that is really good.' That moment, I've seen it so many times, it's such a gratifying feeling."

Ultimately, they believe Enemigo is "so simple and versatile it works in every environment."

"Like a cognac or whiskey it's still incredibly complex and smooth," Clough said. "[It's about] finding those moments that just fit into peoples' daily repertoire, that not only takes on the other players in tequila but also take on the big players in whiskey, cognac and everything else. That's how we see ourselves growing at the rate that we need to."

In an increasingly health-conscious world, it also doesn't hurt that a tequila with lime juice has "a quarter of the calories of a gin an tonic," according to Davies-Gilbert.

Drinking it the Mexican way

enemigo champagne flutes

Davies-Gilbert suggests drinking Enemigo on the rocks or with some fresh lime juice on the side.

If it's being used in a cocktail, he added that the brand tries to "emphasise the liquid" instead of cover it up with sugary mixers, like you'll often find in an American-style margarita.

"All of our cocktails are literally just soda water with a bit of lime or a little bit of lime juice," he said. "The best thing about it is neat."

Clough added: "Go back to how they drink it in Mexico... One of the things that took my breath away when we first looked into it [is that] the traditional way to drink it is to have it in a shot glass, and slowly sip it over your meal."

Ultimately, the brand hopes to motivate people to sip tequila or enjoy it with food instead of having it as a shot.

"I'd love to get to the point in the UK where it's in a shot glass but you're sipping it," Davies-Gilbert said — and the brand sometimes even serves Enemigo in long stem Champagne flutes to get the message across.

Taking on New York

enemigo founders

Working with New York-based importer MHW, the brand plans to launch into the US in November — and it has appointed Clough as CEO and Max Davies-Gilbert as Managing Director for EMEA. 

While Gonzalez is still based in Mexico where he also works part-time in banking for a family fund, Clough said the three are now "very good friends." Gonzalez was just about to land in London to help the duo talk to accounts when we met.

"We already have about 15 bars or so who have been asking for us, and we've got five to 10 retailers who said they're interested," Clough said of the US expansion.

"We have some exciting announcements coming out once we launch around new product development, and that sort of thing," he said, adding that because of the success in the UK, the brand is also "looking pretty good to be seeding investment towards the end of the year" from the same investors.

"It's a big confidence boost," he said. "We only launched a year ago. It's going to be a fun couple of months coming up."

SEE ALSO: The $1 billion sale of George Clooney's tequila company just made him 2018's highest-paid actor — here's the story of how the brand was set up by accident

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Americans' support for Obamacare is at an all-time high, and it could be a huge boost for Democrats

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  • Support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement — the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare — is at record highs less than three weeks before the midterm elections. 
  • A majority of Americans (53%) and of likely voters (54%) approve of the healthcare law.
  • That is also significantly more than the 45% who approve of the Republican tax cuts passed last year.
  • The results could provide a boost to Democrats in November's elections as voters list healthcare as their top issue. 

Support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement — the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare — is at record highs less than three weeks before the midterm elections, according to a new Fox News poll

A majority of Americans (53%) and of likely voters (54%) approve of the healthcare law, significantly more than the 45% who approve of the Republican tax cuts passed last year.

The polling represents a huge shift from just after the 2016 election, when approval for Obamacare hovered in the low 40s. It marks the culmination of two years of increasing approval of the law and the highest approval rating among registered voters polled by Fox since March 2015. 

And last year's Republican effort to repeal the healthcare law was deeply unpopular. The American Health Care Act, which Republicans failed to pass the Senate. One poll found approval for the repeal law at 17%, while others found that as little as 8% of Americans supported the passage of the new law. A study found that the Republican effort — the attempted fulfillment of a key campaign promise — was the most unpopular bill in three decades

Former President Barack Obama joked at a gathering last year that his signature domestic achievement was more popular than his successor, who had the lowest approval ratings of any president in modern history during hist first 100 days in office. 

But on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted that Republican lawmakers would resume their efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare following November's midterm elections, calling the party's failure to do so last year "the one disappointment of this Congress from a Republican point of view."

This year, voters have consistently listed healthcare among their top concerns. And Democrats are leveraging their upper hand on the issue to rally around a more radical shift in policy, namely single-payer healthcare, or "Medicare for All." 

SEE ALSO: Democrats are embracing a radical change to US healthcare, and it could be the defining political fight for years to come

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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pulls out of investor conference in Saudi Arabia amid outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance

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  • US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will not attend a major investment conference in Saudi Arabia following the disappearance and apparent killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
  • Mnuchin originally said last week that he would still attend despite the outcry over Khashoggi's disappearance.
  • A number of high-profile executives, including JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, had already announced their decision to ditch the event.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday said he would not attend an investment conference in Saudi Arabia following the disappearance and apparent killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"Just met with @realDonaldTrump and @SecPompeo and we have decided, I will not be participating in the Future Investment Initiative summit in Saudi Arabia," Mnuchin tweeted.

The Treasury Secretary initially maintained his intention to attend the Future investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, despite the outcry over Khashoggi's disappearance.

Finance ministers from France and the Netherlands had already announced their decision to not attend the conference and International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is also delaying her trip to the Middle East as a result of the fallout.

A number of high-profile executives including JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and HuffPo founder Arianna Huffington, all dropped out of the conference amid the outrage over Khashoggi's fate. Media partners for the event, including The New York Times, CNN, and Bloomberg, also pulled out.

Khashoggi went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. According to reports, while in the consulate Khashoggi was interrogated and killed by Saudi officials. The Saudi royal family has denied involvement, but more reporting has emerged suggesting the highest levels of its government, including Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, orchestrated the interrogation plot.

Khashoggi was an outspoken critic of the Saudi regime.

The crown prince was also at the forefront of the FII, a conference designed to drum up international support for the country's Vision 2030 project. The project is designed to further the economic goals of Saudi Arabia and help ease dependency on oil.

He has courted business executives and celebrities in an attempt to win over international support for the project.

Following the news of Khashoggi's disappearance and alleged killing, Wall Street executives including Dimon, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman urged the Saudis to delay the conference. Additionally they urged Mnuchin to make his attendance contingent on more information coming to light. When neither request got through, the trio pulled out.

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These amazing pumpkin carvings are the best you'll see this Halloween

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  • Nonprofit worker Noel Dickover is a master pumpkin carver that has been featured by numerous media organizations.
  • He began carving in 1997 and since has learned how to make increasingly elaborate carvings of everything from a Death Star to scenes from Game of Thrones.
  • His pumpkins are likely the most intricate jack-o'-lanterns you will see this Halloween season.

When Counterpart International project director Noel Dickover isn’t working on initiatives to get people more involved in social change, he carves pumpkins.

He’s become well known as a master pumpkin carver and has been featured on NPR, Wired, and a number of local news organizations. 

In years past, he's created a to-scale replica of R2-D2 and the Death Star, which was named Wired's Geekiest Pumpkin in 2007. 

It all began when his brother found a pumpkin carving guide in 1997. Intrigued, Dickover decided to make his own patterns and begin carving. His kids went crazy for it, especially when he carved a pumpkin with Star Wars' Darth Maul on it. Since then, it's become a family tradition and, over time, his carvings have become more elaborate. 

On his website Fantasy Pumpkins, Dickover and his entire family post incredible and detailed carvings of everything from superheroes to horror monsters. Dickover may be the ringleader of Fantasy Pumpkins (and the only one doing pumpkins weighing more than 150 lbs), but his family members sure can hold their own when it comes to carving. 

SEE ALSO: I visited the Portuguese castle called 'Disneyland for adults,' and it's a magical, real-life fairy-tale setting you can't miss

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Every year, a few thousand people come to see the pumpkin carvings in front of Dickover's house. He does a Death Star pumpkin every year.



Dickover and his family often like to do current pop culture carvings like this one of Daenerys Targaryen from "Game of Thrones."



To make a carving, Dickover usually starts by making a pattern on Photoshop. To do that, he takes an image and converts it to three colors.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Jonah Hill says he showed only one movie to his cast to prepare them for 'Mid90s,' his directorial debut

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  • Jonah Hill had his "Mid90s" cast of kid actors and non-professionals watch the 2006 indie movie, "This Is England," before they started production.
  • Hill wanted to show them that even kids can give gripping performances.
  • "This Is England" looks at a teen finding acceptance from a group of skinheads.
  • Hill was also inspired by another English movie, "Fish Tank."

 

One of the main highlights from Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, “Mid90s” (in select theaters Friday), is the authentic performances he gets out of his cast. Hill uses a mix of kid actors and non-professionals to depict a group of teen skateboarders who befriend a 13-year-old and introduce him into their world of sick skate moves and even sicker jokes they throw at one another.

And though Hill will admit the cast watched mostly skate videos to get in tune with the decade the story is set in, there was one movie he required all of them to watch.

No, it wasn’t Larry Clark’s gritty X-rated classic, “Kids,” which many have compared “Mid90s” to. It’s a movie you probably have never seen, but should seek out: “This Is England.”

Released in 2006 (and not finding much attention outside of the UK), director Shane Meadows’ look at a young boy who becomes friends with a group of skinheads is highlighted by the incredible performance by its lead, Thomas Turgoose.

Turgoose plays Shaun, a 12-year-old outcast who finds acceptance from the group who noticed that he gets constantly picked on at school (but throws a pretty mean punch). We then follow Shaun as he falls deeper in the group, including shaving his head and gaining a close connection with an older skinhead who has just got out of prison, Combo (Stephen Graham).

Though “Mid90s” is a very different story than “This Is England,” Hill was taken by how real all the characters felt.

“Shane Meadows made such a beautiful film and also showing how young kids can give such raw performances,” Hill told Business Insider. “I wanted the kids to see that acting can be like this. That's the acting I like. That's the naturalism that I like. So I didn't show them a lot of movies. The whole thing was to make a reverse skate video. In skate videos growing up it would be all skateboarding and three seconds of these kids causing chaos and really connecting and just hanging out. When I was a kid that's what I wanted. So this is the reverse. Kids connecting and three seconds of skateboarding. To invert that was really my goal.”

Hill said he was also personally inspired by the 2009 movie, "Fish Tank."

But the process for Hill to get the performances he wanted didn’t end with them watching ‘This Is England.” Hill said he helped the kids get in their characters through hours of talks with them.

“You have to develop a true trust and connection with kids if you are going to work with them,” Hill said. “Because you're asking them to be vulnerable and you're asking them to do things that people don't want to do, let alone someone who is going through an awkward time in their life. So for me, I was like, ‘I will not let you down.’ I would just have long conversations with each kid about what's happening underneath and what they're carrying with them no matter what they are saying. That's hours and hours and hours of conversations about feelings, about life experiences, about goals. Just talking about who these people are eventually absorbs into you. That's how I act. That is just hours and hours and hours of thinking and talking.”

The result has led to “Mid90s” finding high acclaim from critics, as the movie is sporting an 88% rating currently on Rotten Tomatoes. And Hill's cast now has a new life ambition.

"Now they are obsessed with film," he said. "They want to act."

SEE ALSO: "Am I mature enough to lead a group of people?": Jonah Hill opens up about the anxieties and triumphs in his 4-year journey to make his acclaimed directorial debut, "Mid90s"

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