• Have you bought a virtual reality or augmented reality headset?
• If so, you're part of a small group of consumers — despite repeated predictions that the market will boom.
• Meta alone has lost $60 billion on this tech over five years. It's going to keep spending, says Mark Zuckerberg.

Mark Zuckerberg has spent tens of billions of dollars chasing it. Some of the biggest names in tech, including Apple, Microsoft, Google and Sony, have poured in billions more. For years.

But so far, no one has nailed it.

Maybe one day wearing computers on our heads will be something many of us do all the time, instead of a novelty we try a few times and then forget. We're not there yet.

It doesn't matter whether you're talking about super high-end devices like the Apple Vision Pro or low-priced novelties, like early editions of Snap's Spectacles. Or whether you're discussing virtual reality devices that create an entirely new world around the user or augmented reality headsets that let you see the outside world as well as digital images. All of these devices have yet to take off. Consumer demand isn't budging.

That hasn't stopped the tech industry from trying. Or deterred people around the tech world from predicting that one day, this will be a huge market.

You can see this spelled out in a new chart from analyst and investor Matthew Ball, as part of a new report he's released on the problems in the video gaming business. This one tracks the gap between projected headset sales, as estimated by International Data Corp., and actual sales.

As you can see, while IDC has been continually bullish about VR and AR headsets, consumer interest has lagged far behind. No matter what's on offer, at whatever price, these devices seem mired in the 10 million units a year or less range.

That's not to suggest that Zuckerberg — who has racked up more than $60 billion in losses on this tech over the past five years, filings show — is chasing after the market because of an IDC estimate. It just shows you that for close to a decade, the industry has been excited about this stuff, while many consumers remain unimpressed.

I talked to Jitesh Ubrani, the IDC researcher who works on this stuff, about the gap between his company's projections — which, to be fair, are projections — and reality.

He said his shop has become less optimistic over time about the market, which you can see reflected on the right side of the chart.

"Everyone is a bit more realistic about these expectations," he said, noting that the market for the tech has been "notably volatile" over the past few years, as big players like Microsoft and Google temper their interest in headsets. Meta PR declined to comment.

In his public comments, Zuckerberg has been telling investors that he'll continue chasing virtual and augmented reality tech, and that they should expect to see more losses in the future.

For him, the stakes seem quite clear: He wants people to use a new computing platform instead of, or in addition to, phones. And he wants to be able to interact with them on that platform without Google or Apple getting involved, as they do with their mobile platforms. And if all of that happens — meaning that Zuckerberg essentially creates the next iPhone — then burning tens of billions on R&D will seem like a good bet.

Meanwhile, Meta does seem to be making progress. The Orion glasses Zuckerberg showed off last fall — but isn't selling yet — are super-impressive. I've tried them, and I could definitely imagine using some version of them if they were way cheaper, and worked as advertised.

But those are big ifs, and it's possible Meta never figures out how to make these things at scale, and in a way that will sell hundreds of millions of units per year — like Apple does with its phones. But someone, somewhere, will keep insisting that the headset of the future is just around the corner.

• Discovering 'The Third Door' led to career success at Google and Meta for Andrew Yeung.
• The concept involves finding unconventional paths to achieve goals and stand out.
• Yeung used four steps to find the "third door" and launch a successful tech and hospitality career.

Up until a few years ago, I thought I was going to have a mediocre career.

School was difficult for me. Math, English, and science were hard. I didn't think I was terribly smart, and I had below-average grades all the way from middle school up until the point I graduated from college.

It wasn't because I didn't try. In fact, I tried pretty hard. My brain just couldn't grasp basic STEM concepts. Beyond that, I lacked the typical traits associated with success, like charisma, confidence, and genius-level intelligence.

No matter how hard I pushed myself, my results were always below average. I'd spend hours studying in school, only to end up with bad grades. This pattern repeated itself throughout college, where I'd spend months applying to jobs without any kind of response.

I realized I needed to change things up, or I'd end up with below-average results for the rest of my life. I had to stop doing what everyone else was doing because it wasn't working for me.

Everything changed for me in 2019 when I came across Alex Banayan's book, "The Third Door." It completely transformed how I did everything and eventually helped me land lead roles at Google and Meta.

What is "the third door"?

Picture yourself trying to enter an exclusive nightclub. There are three doors: one general entrance that everyone goes through, a second door for the VIPs and celebrities, and a third door that nobody tries.

After learning about this idea, I made it a habit to solve every problem by finding the third door.

I became almost allergic to conformity, ignoring common wisdom. Whenever I saw someone do something a certain way, I would try to do it differently, and I was convinced that there was always an easier, unconventional, non-obvious way of getting things done.

Here are the four things I started doing to improve my likelihood of having a fulfilling, high-growth career.

1. I started creating magnets to attract the attention of decision-makers.

I always had trouble getting into the room, whether it was an interview room with the hiring manager, a private dinner with executives, or a boardroom with decision-makers. To get into the room, you often had to know the right people, have a top-tier résumé, or be exceptionally smart or charismatic. I was none of these, so I realized I needed to create the room myself.

Instead of trying to get into the private dinners with CEOs, I hosted my own.

Instead of trying to get on stage and grab the attention of business leaders, I created my own stage and invited leaders I wanted to speak alongside.

Instead of chasing people, I learned to create valuable things that would attract the attention of those I wanted to meet.

2. I started differentiating myself with my speed of execution.

Throughout my career, I've used my execution speed as a competitive advantage, and it's always paid off.

By replying to her email within 10 seconds, I landed an internship with the CEO of a company with over 20,000 employees.

At Facebook and Google, I had the opportunity to work on the highest visibility projects because I was the first person to raise my hand.

I've also made introductions within a minute of being asked. Being faster is the easiest way to differentiate yourself.

3. I started investing in decadelong relationships when everyone else focused on transactional relationships.

In the last few years, I've interacted with thousands of people, and I've observed that most people take a shortsighted approach to building relationships, especially in fast-paced, metropolitan cities like New York and San Francisco.

It makes sense — there's a high density of remarkable people, giving you what seems like infinite options for relationships, but in reality, this false sense of optionality can hurt you.

Early in my career, I was rejected by dozens of hiring managers. Each time, I accepted the rejection with grace, thanked them for their time, and offered to provide value by introducing them to other candidates. Eventually, it came back around.

I graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in finance and economics. My first job out of school came after I was rejected from a company's internship program. I took this opportunity to build a relationship with their hiring manager and nurtured that relationship for over a year.

My path into Facebook was from a cold outreach that turned into a mentorship relationship lasting over three years, and my entry point into Google came from building a long-term relationship with someone I met spontaneously.

The strongest professional relationships are built when you think in decades.

4. I started giving without the expectation of return.

My strategy for gaining access to job opportunities, CEOs, and influential people has always been volunteering my greatest asset: my time. It's been my trojan horse for opening doors, building relationships, and accessing larger opportunities.

In my early 20s, I knew nothing about startups and tech, so I pitched myself to the CEOs of early-stage companies, offering my help and suggestions. Eventually, a few people took me on, and it became my method of breaking into the tech world as a non-tech person. This approach helped build my personal brand as a young, helpful, and hungry operator.

The third door helped me succeed

These four habits eventually enabled me to get access to opportunities, build relationships with prominent tech leaders, and "break" into tech without good grades or a strong résumé.

In reality, I see myself as an average person who isn't particularly gifted or exceptionally smart in a specific area, but I've managed to find some success by discovering the unfair advantages that are uniquely suited to me.

Andrew Yeung is a former Meta and Google employee who now throws tech parties through Andrew's Mixers, runs a tech events company at Fibe, and invests at Next Wave NYC.

• My mom always wanted grandkids, but my siblings and I all had them later in our lives.
• Now that she's an older grandparent, she has less energy to play with her grandkids.
• I had my kids at the perfect time for me, and I have no regrets.

When my partner and I found out I was pregnant with our first child, I couldn't wait to tell my mom. After all, it was the news she had been wanting to hear for years.

My mom has always loved children, and as a mother of four herself, she had hoped that one of her kids would give her a grandchild to love sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, my siblings and I were all late to the parental party, and Mom had to wait a long time before it eventually happened.

My oldest sister was the first sibling to have a child at age 40. By then, Mom was 64 and still full of energy. She took on the role of 'Nana' with zest. However, my sister's family lives in South Africa, and I think Mom was dying for more grandchildren closer to home in Australia.

When I got pregnant, I knew life was about to change

Three years later, when I was 29, I unexpectedly got pregnant. I remember feeling overwhelmed at first and a little daunted about how much my life was about to change, but I also felt ready to settle down. I'd been with my partner for eight years at that point, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, so starting a family wasn't that much of a leap.

I was also happy about the fact that the baby was due just after my 30th birthday. I'd always wanted the focus of my 20s to be on my career and travel. I'd ticked both of those boxes — working as a news reporter at various points in my 20s and traveling the globe for three years satiating my travel bug. Looking back, I think I might have resented it later if I hadn't achieved those goals before having children.

My parents were so excited, and my mom flew down to help after I gave birth

Around the 12-week mark of my pregnancy, my parents flew down from the Gold Coast in Queensland to Melbourne, where my partner and I lived. I'd printed off a photo of myself as a toddler and written a note saying, "Version two: coming soon." Naturally, Mom was over the moon. "I can't believe my baby is having a baby," she said, hugging me tight.

When our son was born six months later, she was incredible. She flew down and stayed with my husband and me for seven weeks while we adjusted to parenthood. It was a special time and I'm so grateful for her support.

My parents are older grandparents, but I had kids at the right time for me

After the birth of our son, my other siblings ended up giving Mom more grandchildren — she now has seven in total. While she loves them all dearly, she struggles to keep up with them physically, especially the younger ones. She's now 76 and often says she wishes we hadn't waited to have kids so late because now she's an older grandparent.

Being an older grandparent means Mom doesn't have the energy she once had. She loves spending time with our kids and will happily read a book to our toddler or play chess with our nine-year-old son. But she can no longer leap around in the pool with them or hike up mountains with us, and at times, that does make me sad.

Everyone has a different idea of how they want their life to look, and for me, 30 was the right time to become a mother. Instead of focusing on the fact that my parents are getting older and the limitations their age places on them as grandparents, I'm trying to enjoy the time we do have together. The most important thing to me is to make memories that will sustain us for the long haul. We will cherish those forever.

• Gale Sinatra, a USC professor, lost her home in the Eaton fire in Altadena, California.
• She and her husband evacuated before the evacuation order after a neighbor warned them they should.
• In the days afterward, she struggled to acquire medications and direct mail from loved ones.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gale Sinatra, Ph.D., a professor at USC Rossier School of Education, based in Altadena, California. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My husband and I lost our home, neighborhood, and community in Altadena to the Eaton Fire.

I've been asked, "How are you doing?" and that question is hard to answer. It's been a very heart-wrenching week.

I didn't just lose my home, but my neighborhood is gone. It's such a massive loss that it's difficult to wrap your head around.

We had no idea it was coming

The Eaton Fire was completely unexpected. In 2020, a wildfire threatened our neighborhood, and I packed suitcases with clothes, documents, and family and wedding photos. I felt fully prepared. I know how to react to the threat of Southern California wildfires.

The Eaton Fire started at about 6:15 p.m. on January 7, when a resident saw an electrical tower on fire. There was a strong wind advisory, and we lost power.

At 7:30 p.m., my husband and I were playing cribbage at the kitchen table, lit by a camp light. I looked up and saw my neighbor running across the street with a flashlight and thought, "That can't be good." When he reached our home, he asked if I had looked up at the mountain near us. I hadn't. He said, "It doesn't look good. We're leaving, and I think you should, too."

Being 40 miles across Los Angeles, the Palisades fire was not a threat to us, and there were no evacuation orders near our neighborhood at that time.

I grabbed as much as I could but forgot a few important things

We walked through our house using the flashlight feature on our phones to see what was in front of us. It's easy to look back and think, "Why didn't I pack my house title?" but when you're panicking and trying to get out as fast as you can, it's a feat to have packed anything.

I grabbed clothes, our passports, my makeup bag, and other necessities for an overnight trip. I thought the fire would stay in the mountains, which wildfires have always done.

What began as a structure fire spread to over 200 acres in 75 minutes. About 30 minutes after we left, our neighborhood was under an evacuation order. By midnight, the fire had reached 1,000 acres.

I forgot to grab my medications and could not contact our local independent pharmacy. I heard rumors that it burned down, which seemed probable, considering nobody was manning the phones.

I had to call my doctors to re-send the scripts to an open pharmacy, but I had just refilled my medications the week before, so there was pushback from my insurance. Once the prescriptions were finally approved, the CVS Pharmacy my doctor sent them to didn't have electricity and could not fill them. I found another CVS Pharmacy with power, and they told me it had been refilled at the CVS without power.

When we finally could refill our prescriptions, we found out our local pharmacy had not burned but was out of power and inaccessible by staff.

The insurance process that comes next is daunting

On the morning of January 9, I watched in horror as CNN broadcast live from my street. It looked like a bomb had hit it. My home was completely gone, along with so many others.

When you lose your home, there are a thousand things to do to start the process with your insurance company, obtain lost documents and paperwork, find new housing, tend to your physiological needs, and get back to your life. Refilling our medications was just one thing on our towering to-do list, and that single task took days to complete.

To submit claims to my insurance, I need to provide documents such as my home title, which I didn't collect while running out of my house. Where will documents and paperwork be sent since my home and our local post office have burned down?

I don't know where to direct my loved ones who want to help

I have very caring friends who would like to send me essentials, such as clothes, but I have no address to provide them. I have applied to reroute our mail to a post office in Pasadena, but I don't know how long it will take.

Thankfully, a colleague of mine has an ADU unit we could stay in for a few days. We're looking for permanent housing in the area, and while there are many helpful resources to help those impacted find temporary housing, it feels like we are on our own for long-term leases. It will be a long road ahead.

For those looking to help, donating to the community is very appreciated. I've been impressed with World Central Kitchen, which also needs donations. There are many local resources for our community, and donations, especially monetary, go a long way.

• Companies are offering support to their employees and others affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.
• The deadly flames have burned thousands of acres and sent hundreds of thousands fleeing.
• From planning a benefit concert to serving free Happy Meals, here's what companies are doing.

The wildfires in Los Angeles have claimed 24 lives as of Thursday, burned thousands of acres and homes, and sent hundreds of thousands of people looking for shelter.

The disaster has prompted many major companies to adjust their operations — and donate to relief efforts.

Here is a roundup of the actions that major businesses are taking in the wake of the fires.

Amazon

Amazon is donating $10 million in fire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area, the company said on Monday. The funding will come from Amazon's entertainment division, which includes Amazon MGM Studios, as well as Ring and Whole Foods Market.

Among Amazon's donations so far are respirators and gloves for clean-up efforts to the American Red Cross, as well as food donations from Amazon Fresh to local groups feeding fire victims.

Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday that the company would "be donating to support the victims and recovery efforts on the ground" in a post on X.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the size or other details of the donation.

Comcast NBCUniversal

Comcast NBCUniversal donated $10 million to relief efforts, the company announced Monday. Benefiting organizations included the American Red Cross, the Entertainment Industry Foundation SoCal Fire Fund, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles.

"We stand ready to support our employees and the broader Los Angeles community as we recover and rebuild from these tragic events," Comcast chair Brian Roberts said in a statement.

Disney

Hundreds of Disney employees, including CEO Robert Iger, had been evacuated from their homes as of Monday, while 64 had lost their houses, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Disney has approved $15 million for "community services and rebuilding efforts," the Times reported.

Disney's movie production, however, hasn't slowed down, the Times reported. The company's movie operations in Burbank are far enough from the fires. Lots for Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Netflix, and other entertainment providers are also not currently threatened by the fires.

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Google

Google and its philanthropic division "are supporting relief and recovery efforts with grant funding and an internal giving campaign for employee donations and company gift match," the company said in a post on Thursday.

The tech company also said it was providing details about the fires, such as the boundaries of affected areas, on Google Maps. It was also working with the Hotel Association of Los Angeles so that search engine users affected by the fires could find free or discounted places to stay.

Live Nation

Entertainment company Live Nation is planning a benefit concert called "FireAid" for January 30 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, Variety reported on Friday.

While the performer lineup is not public yet, proceeds from the concert will go to rebuilding and supporting victims as well as preparing for future fires, according to Variety.

Live Nation didn't respond to a request for comment from BI.

Mattel

El Segundo, California-based Mattel said in an Instagram post on Sunday that it would support nonprofits doing relief work for the fires through the Mattel Children's Foundation.

"Our thoughts are with all who are suffering during this unprecedented crisis in our headquarter city," the post reads.

McDonald's

McDonald's restaurants in Southern California are giving out free Happy Meals to first responders and people who have had to leave their homes, according to a website that the chain set up for the offer. The deal is good through Thursday, and patrons have to use the McDonald's app to order.

Paramount

Paramount is donating $1 million to organizations that support firefighting and relief efforts, per an internal memo sent out by its co-CEOs on Friday and obtained by Business Insider.

The company is providing support for impacted employees in the form of cash grants via its Employee Assistance Fund (EAF), as well as offering lodging and temporary housing.

Paramount will also match all employee donations to charities, including the EAF, wrote co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins.

Netflix

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos announced that the disaster had impacted "many" of its employees and creative partners.

As a result, Netflix is donating $10 million to five organizations: the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Community Fund Wildfire Recovery Fund, World Central Kitchen, Motion Picture and Television Fund, and Entertainment Community Fund.

It's also assisting impacted employees with temporary housing and double-matching all employee charity contributions, Sarandos said.

Snap

Snap founder Evan Siegel — who grew up in the now-fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades — posted a love letter to Los Angeles Monday, sharing that his father's house had "burned to the ground on live TV."

He also said more than 150 Snap employees had been displaced by the fires.

"Snap, Bobby, and I have already disbursed $5 million in immediate aid," Spiegel wrote, referring to cofounder and CTO Bobby Murphy, "and we will do more." He added that the company was helping to feed evacuees and first responders and offering free space.

Starbucks

Starbucks is "temporarily offering catastrophe pay for any missed shifts" to employees whose stores are open but have been displaced due to the fire, the coffee chain told Bloomberg on Tuesday.

Starbucks didn't respond to a request for comment from BI.

• A United Airlines plane hit a coyote during departure, the FAA and the airline confirmed.
• The Boeing 737 Max turned back to Chicago and landed 40 minutes after departing.
• The probability of wildlife strikes has risen "dramatically" in recent years due to quieter planes.

A United Airlines plane embarked on a 40-minute flight to nowhere after hitting a coyote on the runway.

On Monday, the Boeing 737 Max was taking off from Chicago O'Hare Airport, bound for Phoenix, when the incident occurred.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the aircraft "struck a coyote on departure." It added that the plane's right nose gear was damaged.

It was classified as minor damage, per the FAA's notice.

United confirmed the incident to Business Insider, saying the plane, operating as Flight 1727, "safely returned to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to examine the aircraft after its landing gear struck a coyote during takeoff."

The plane had 167 passengers and six crew on board, United said. There were no injuries reported.

Data from Flightradar24 shows that the plane took off normally, climbing to around 6,000 feet before U-turning.

It looped around twice before landing back in Chicago about 40 minutes after taking off.

Audio recordings archived by LiveATC.net show air traffic control confirming to the pilots that equipment was standing by to inspect the aircraft upon landing.

The incident wasn't too disruptive for the airline as the same 737 Max took off again four hours later, per Flightradar24.

The Chicago Department of Aviation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Airports have wildlife management plans because animals can pose risks to aircraft — although birds are usually the main concern.

The FAA says the probability of wildlife strikes has "increased dramatically" in recent years, not only due to increased animal populations but also because newer planes have much quieter engines.

• Americans face potential tax bill changes as Trump's 2017 tax package is set to expire this year.
• The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered rates and shifted brackets for filers.
• Republicans plan to prioritize tax policy, aiming to extend cuts and reduce other taxes.

Americans could see their tax bill change next year as a legislative battle looms.

Many provisions from President-elect Donald Trump's major tax package from his first term, 2017's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, are set to expire this year. The legislation lowered tax rates for many Americans and shifted tax brackets. For many everyday Americans, TCJA's expiration would mean the possibility of a larger tax bill — the Tax Foundation estimates that 62% of filers would see a tax increase should TCJA expire.

With the GOP controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, however, it's likely that the bulk of the law will be extended.

"President Trump is committed to lowering the tax burden on the American people who elected him in November with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Wealthy Again," Karoline Leavitt, a Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, said in a statement to Business Insider. "The Trump Administration will be dedicated to ensuring that American workers keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets while growing the strongest and most resilient economy the world has ever seen."

To determine the potential tax impacts for Americans, we used the Tax Foundation's projections of what tax rates and brackets would be for single filers in 2026 under a TCJA extension and under a TCJA expiration scenario.

TCJA also impacts the deductions that filers can claim on their taxes, but, since those are often determined on an individual basis based on varying circumstances — such as having a child or business — they are not included in these calculations, which cover taxable income after any such deductions and adjustments.

Higher earners would end up with the biggest tax increases if TCJA expires. For instance, an American with $1 million of taxable income would see their tax burden grow by over $12,000 should TCJA provisions expire.

But the tax bills of Americans in the middle income band would see the highest percent increase should TCJA expire. For instance, a filer with $50,000 of taxable income would see their tax burden increase by nearly 20%; comparatively, a filer making $700,000 would see their tax burden grow by just around 2%.

Of course, this doesn't tell the whole tax story. Measures like the Child Tax Credit were expanded under TCJA, meaning that, should the bill expire, parents would owe more or get a smaller refund.

The TCJA also capped how much filers could deduct for paying hefty local taxes. For Americans in high-tax areas, which includes states like New York and New Jersey, the State and Local Tax deduction cap expiring could mean a bigger break on their taxes.

"The change in the tax brackets is only a small part of the story of the TCJA," Ernie Tedeschi, Yale Budget Lab's director of economics, told BI. "Most of the story is actually in the law's changes to deductions, exemptions, and credits."

Republicans are already lining up to tackle tax policy as one of their major priorities once they hold their House, Senate, and White House trifecta. The GOP may go even further than merely extending the TCJA's cuts through proposals from Trump to nix taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security.

But slim Republican congressional majorities will likely mean that any tax changes could be contentious, although Republicans are gearing up for the fight. Rep. Jason Smith, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in his weekly report that he's been working closely with Trump on a bill.

"Passing one big, beautiful bill is the best way to ensure as much as possible of President Trump's agenda is enacted," Smith said. "In one fell swoop, we can secure the border, unleash American energy, and deliver tax relief to workers, families, farmers, and small businesses. These are the policies the American people are demanding. Now it's up to Congress to deliver."

Are you concerned about your tax bill changing, or did it change in the wake of 2017? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Some companies are calling employees back to the office and hiring for in-person roles.
• But many Americans continue to work at least part of the week from home.
• Some workers could retain their flexible work arrangements but struggle to find a new remote role.

Americans who want to keep their work-from-home arrangements may need to cling to their current jobs.

Corporate giants like Amazon, AT&T, and JPMorgan have notified employees they must return to the office five days a week this year. This comes as the share of remote and hybrid postings on job platforms has ticked down in recent years — which has made landing one of these roles more difficult.

As of November, the share of remote and hybrid job postings on Indeed had declined to 7.8% from over 10% in 2022. On LinkedIn, the share of remote or hybrid postings had declined to roughly 21% as of December, down from 26% two years prior.

But remote and hybrid work hasn't faded away. In December, roughly 23% of US workers worked from home at least part of the time, up from about 19% two years prior, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, about 10% worked completely from home.

"We keep hearing stories that 'work-from-home is over,' and while yes it is true for some firms, others must be doing the reverse," Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford University economist and cofounder of the remote work research website WFH Research, told Business Insider. Bloom's research shows that the share of paid full days worked from home in the US has been fairly steady over the past two years — fluctuating between roughly 25% and 30%.

Bloom and other economists told BI that the divide between remote/hybrid job postings and work-from-home rates suggests that some employers could be prioritizing in-person hires while letting some of their existing employees continue working more flexibly. They said this strategy could allow companies to boost their in-office attendance without drawing the ire of employees who've grown used to a remote or hybrid arrangement.

"We know that companies frequently make exceptions to return-to-office mandates for employees to avoid losing them, so policy changes might affect new hires more than incumbent employees," Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, told BI.

This approach would allow workers to retain their flexible work arrangements — but make it more difficult for them to snag a remote or hybrid role at another company, Kory Kantenga, head of economics, Americas, at LinkedIn's Economic Graph Research Institute told BI.

"If you already have a job and you are grandfathered into this flexible work, you're maintaining it in a lot of cases," Kantenga said. "Companies are using those new positions to roll that flexible work back a little bit, but they're not necessarily rolling it back for the workers who already have it."

Why remote work could stick around

Even if more businesses prioritize in-person hiring, it could take a while for work-from-home rates to fall significantly, said Lisa Simon, chief economist at Revelio Labs. That's because hiring, layoffs, and quits have slowed, which means that "very few people have actually changed jobs in the last two years" and businesses haven't added many new workers who would be subject to recent RTO mandates, Simon told BI.

However, the modest share of available remote/hybrid jobs could be somewhat misleading. Simon said that a slowdown in hiring for white-collar roles — where flexible working arrangements are more common — could be pushing down remote/hybrid job postings.

Additionally, Bloom said some companies might not want to commit to a flexible working arrangement in the job posting, but could ultimately allow the employee to work from home at least some of the time.

"They don't want to repeat the 2021 mistake of promising generous work-from-home only to have to painfully reverse this later," he said. Bloom added that for some roles — like university professors — working from home on days when they don't have classes is a norm of the job. However, a job posting might not classify this position as remote or hybrid.

Pollak said remote/hybrid roles are generally underrepresented in job postings because they tend to have lower turnover than the typical in-person job.

"A hotel may replace its entire staff of janitors three times a year, but only replace its remote customer support staff every two years," she said.

Has your employer asked you to work from the office more days a week? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

• Justin Baldoni sued the New York Times for its story about Blake Lively's complaint against him.
• He alleges that the paper took his publicists' quotes out of context and omitted an emoji.
• Experts say emojis can change the meaning of a statement, and that Baldoni might have a point.

As the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni ramps up, one of the most contested points may involve an emoji.

In his lawsuit against the New York Times, Baldoni said the paper failed to include an upside-down smile emoji — which is used to convey sarcasm or silliness — in a quote, effectively changing the meaning.

The Times quoted Jennifer Abel, one of his publicists, as saying "Wow. You really outdid yourself with this piece" to Melissa Nathan, a crisis management expert. Read at face value, it would appear that Abel is congratulating Nathan for contributing to a Daily Mail story critical of Lively.

However, Baldoni said that the upside-down emoji at the end indicated that Abel was being sarcastic and therefore changed the meaning of the text.

He raises an interesting question about modern communication, Dr. Monica Riordan, a computer-mediated communication professor at Chatham University, told Business Insider.

"I would argue that the inclusion of that emoji is actually very important," Riordan said. "You can't just remove an emoji from a message and indicate that the message contains the same meaning."

Others disagree, arguing that the emoji omission won't be enough to help Baldoni's case.

Emojis make up for a lack of body language

Emojis originated in Japan in the late '90s as a set of pixelated images created for an early mobile internet platform. By 2011, Apple introduced an emoji keyboard on iPhones and has regularly replenished it with new ones.

As communication has become more reliant on digital media, from texting close friends to messaging online dates, emojis have become crucial for filling in the blanks for what we don't see.

"Emojis have similar functions to body language and spoken interaction in the digital space," Vyvyan Evans, a linguist and author of "The Emoji Code," told BI. As with IRL body language, he said emojis are often used to establish tone.

Evans compared the upside-down smiley emoji to rolling one's eyes or shrugging in real life. Because tone of voice and facial expressions can drastically change the meaning of a phrase, emojis can, too.

"If an emoji is removed, it's not just that it impacts the tone, it's changing the meaning in a substantive way," he said.

Emojis are more complicated than tone of voice

Unlike smiling or frowning, which have more universally agreed-upon meanings, emojis are more up to interpretation, Riordan said. How people use emojis can differ by generation, for example.

It gets even thornier when analyzing a relationship between two people who may have their own shared language. It's common to develop some norms around emoji use that maybe people outside that relationship might not actually understand or may misinterpret," she said.

Not everyone uses the upside-down emoji the same way — some mean it to be ironic, others to denote frustration or painful acceptance.

It makes analyzing emojis in texts all the more challenging. Riordan said there are "perils" to wading through so many layers of communication to analyze a person's intent. It gets even hazier when the emoji is cut from a quote.

It likely won't be enough to help Baldoni's case

Sean Andrade, a Los Angeles lawyer who's represented plaintiffs in libel cases, previously told BI that the Times removing context such as emojis would be "a little unethical." Still, he believes it won't be enough to disprove that Baldoni's team engaged in a smear campaign against Lively.

Riordan said Baldoni can make an argument for the emoji changing the meaning of the message, but would likely "have a difficult time proving intent." Not everyone views emojis as necessary to quote.

However the case pans out, Evans said it brings up an important point for journalists: it can be "very dangerous" from an ethical and legal standpoint to omit emojis that could dramatically change the interpretation of a quote.

"The communicative intent is what is important," he said. "Without the other relevant elements, you're changing that and misreporting," whether a journalist means to or not.

• Startup CTO Arun Prasad Jaganathan has been in the US for almost 14 years, mainly on an H-1B Visa.
• He said the application process isn't easy and companies don't sponsor applicants to fill spaces.
• The system has flaws, but there are misconceptions about H-1B employees contributing to the economy.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with
Arun Prasad Jaganathan, CTO of workforce platform Jugl. He is from Coimbatore, India, and now lives in Prosper, Texas. His identity, work experience, and visa status have been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I have been in the US for almost 14 years. I built most of my career here. I have my family here. I have my home here. So it would be tough for me to shift back to India and build something from there.

I wanted to come to the US to experience the technology innovation firsthand. The US adapts technology faster than anywhere in the world.

I completed my computer science and engineering degree in India and got an offshore position at global tech services company Cognizant. Eventually, they wanted me to come to New York because they felt like my presence in the US would help them build a better product and train them to scale their processes. So I came in on an L-1B visa, which is for an intra-company transfer to help on a project. Then, I applied for the H-1B Visa.

H-1B is mainly for high-skilled workers. It helped me gain more product and business knowledge because it gave me first-hand experience working with US businesses.

I'm in the process of acquiring permanent residency now, but the H1-B visa has helped me grow from my role at Cognizant to lead and architect at nThrive to managing advanced technology projects at KPMG. Now, I am leading technology and product for the startup Jugl.

It's not easy to get

To get the H-1B Visa, I needed to show a lot of documentation, including my degree, résumé, and job offer. I also needed a very good support letter from the client my company served, arguing the need for me to be placed in that location. The first time, I also had to go for an interview with a US Citizenship and Immigration Services officer once the documents were submitted.

Every three years, you have to go through the same process. If there was no premium processing, which costs more, it took around three to six months to get my renewal. With premium processing, it takes about two weeks.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services scrutinizes every application. Companies don't hire H1-B talent just to fill spaces. They are very cautious about whom they sponsor for H-1B and they make sure that it's the top talent.

There are also regular audits from USCIS. They come and visit the companies and interview them. They audit employees. They ask questions to make sure they are placed in the same roles that they were submitted in the application.

The system has flaws — but there are misconceptions

The H-1B Visa system isn't perfect. However, I would not agree with the misconception I've heard that the H-1B visa is causing job losses. Any process will have loopholes, and they're working toward fixing them, but how fast they are going to do it is a question of the administration and other government functions.

Another argument is that H-1B employees don't contribute to the economy because they don't pay taxes. H-1 B employees pay taxes and insurance, have 401Ks and IRAs, and contribute back to the economy because they buy homes and cars and invest here in the US. I have a home, wife, and kids. I trained people already in the US. I helped them gain knowledge, build teams, develop products, and grow companies.

USCIS is making adjustments. The lottery system is little bit more difficult now because it's not just about skill level, it's more about luck. Now, because there is a lottery system, people with better skills might be frustrated.

In the last couple of years, many people were applying through different companies for a higher chance of getting picked in the H-1B lottery. USCIS understood this was happening, so they updated their system.

There is still room for improvement. For example, USCIS increased wages H-1B employees have to make and also increased sponsorship fees. The downside to it is companies have less incentive to hire.

With the startup I work for now, if we cannot find the talent we are looking for in the US, we have to hire H-1B candidates. But at the early stages of startup, it is a higher cost for us to hire H-1B workers. The H-1B process involves paying the attorney and legal fees as overhead, in addition to the high salary we need to pay compared to local talent.

Now other countries are catching up, like China and India. If H-1B is becoming tougher for workers they're going to open startups where they can build those products. Or, multinational corporates are going to open centers in locations where they can find people like in India, Mexico, Canada, and many other places.

• Hotmail is a Microsoft-owned email platform that surged to popularity over two decades ago.
• Microsoft ultimately folded Hotmail into its broader software suite known as Microsoft Outlook.
• You can still create a Hotmail.com email address, but through Outlook.

A generation ago, AOL, Ask Jeeves, GeoCities, and Hotmail were all the rage. Surprisingly, of those 1990s vintage platforms, only AOL still exists in anything like its original form. Ask Jeeves is now Ask.com, and GeoCities is simply gone.

As for Hotmail, it's still around, but not in the same form as you remember it. Hotmail is now part of Microsoft Outlook, an email, calendar, contact, and scheduling software suite favored by many businesses. And while you can still get and use a Hotmail email address, don't bother trying to do so at Hotmail.com — you'll just be redirected to Outlook, which was once part of Microsoft Office, now known as Microsoft 365.

When was Hotmail launched and what were its early days like?

Hotmail was first launched in the summer of 1996, and it was bought by Microsoft the following year, as the company coasted on the success of its massively popular Windows operating system. Microsoft ultimately rebranded Hotmail as MSN Hotmail, though that name was rarely used by the public.

Despite being one of the most popular email platforms of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hotmail was also plagued by problems.

In 1999, for example, it came out that any account could be logged into using the word "eh" as the password, prompting a hurried security fix. And then, two years later, hackers found an easy way to extract email from another user's account by creating a URL that included that account's email address.

Still, Hotmail remained popular throughout the first decade of the 21st century, though in the 2010s, Microsoft would merge Hotmail into its new program, Microsoft Outlook.

What happened to Hotmail?

In 2013, Microsoft rolled Hotmail into Outlook and sunset the original email service. But despite being officially discontinued, Hotmail did not in fact go away. You can still use your Hotmail email address and in fact you can log into Outlook with it. You can also log into Outlook with a Live or MSN email address, or of course with an Outlook email.

As of now, Outlook seems like it will not be going anywhere any time soon, so don't worry about yet another change coming. While not as venerable as, say, Microsoft Word, it is a core platform of the company.

Can you still get a Hotmail address?

Yes, you can still get a Hotmail email address, but you will have to access it through the Outlook platform. When signing up, you can choose a Hotmail.com address as your email domain.

How can I access my old Hotmail account?

To recover an old Hotmail account, go to Microsoft's account recovery page, then follow the prompts on screen, which will have you enter an old email account to be recovered as well as a current account to which to send the information.

Keep in mind that if your Hotmail account was totally inactive for more than two years it may have been permanently deleted.

• The LA wildfires could cost between $250 and $275 billion in damages while displacing thousands.
• High property values in areas like the Pacific Palisades are contributing to the massive cost.
• Governments, insurers, and residents face long-term financial burdens from the disaster.

The damage and economic cost estimates for the wildfires in Los Angeles are in the hundreds of billions, a bill that will be split among local and federal governments, insurers, and residents.

As of January 14, LA authorities reported that 24 people have died and over 12,300 structures have been destroyed. Meanwhile, more than 40,000 acres have burned, displacing residents and leveling entire neighborhoods. High winds expected this week have firefighters racing to contain the blazes.

And, as the damage increases, so does the price tag.

A new estimate by weather data platform AccuWeather puts the total cost between $250 and $275 billion and calls the damage "catastrophic." The full cost of the wildfires won't be clear until long after the smoke clears, and expensive rebuilding efforts could take years.

The wildfire cost will likely be calculated through direct and indirect damages

Since 1980, more than 400 weather and climate events in the US have exceeded $1 billion in damages when adjusted for inflation, per the National Centers for Environmental Information.

The Los Angeles wildfires could be among the most expensive on record. The total cost of a disaster is calculated from both direct and indirect losses, said Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.

AccuWeather's estimate accounts for direct costs like rebuilding, relocation, cleanup costs, and emergency shelter expenses. It also factors in indirect costs: healthcare bills for people who were injured or exposed to wildfire smoke, lost wages and housing displacement for employees, along with hits to the local job market, business scene, and tourism industry.

Part of the reason that the LA fires are so costly is because of the area's high property values, Schlegelmilch said. The severely impacted Pacific Palisades neighborhood, for example, is home to several celebrities and has an average home value of $3.5 million.

Beyond direct damages and lost economic opportunity, there are costs that are difficult to quantify. Many LA residents are facing the costs of short or long-term displacement, along with emotional or physical trauma.

A combination of governments, insurance companies, and LA residents could pay the bill

In the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, local and federal governments pick up some of the tab.

The Federal Emergency Response Agency (FEMA) provides a variety of aid like supplying hazard mitigation, clearing debris, and financing emergency shelters, along with offering monetary support to some displaced residents. The federal government often signs off on block grants — money that is directed from national to local governments for a specific purpose, like disaster relief — but it could take months or years for that money to become accessible to local communities.

State and LA-county leaders, the Small Business Administration, and philanthropic groups will also likely shoulder some rebuilding costs for homes and businesses.

President Joe Biden said the federal government will cover 100% of fire response costs and provide a one-time $770 stimulus check for those impacted: "I told the governor and local officials, spare no expense," he said on January 9. Congress has not yet reached an agreement on an aid package, and it's not clear what President-elect Donald Trump's plan will be for disaster relief in California.

Still, most government response programs are not built to provide long-term aid.

"FEMA is not designed to make you whole again," Schlegelmilch said. "It's not designed to completely pay for the cost of rebuilding a new house."

Private and state insurers will be responsible for covering much — but not all — of the property damage for their customers, he added.

However, not all homeowners are insured. Companies like State Farm and Farmers have recently cut or restricted coverage in areas they deem "uninsurable" due to high and rising disaster risks, leaving thousands of LA-area households uninsured or forced to enroll in FAIR, the state's insurer of last resort. This means some residents can expect significant out-of-pocket costs to repair their homes.

Schlegelmilch added that LA residents will feel wildfire impacts in other parts of the economy too.

The cost of construction will likely increase as local residents and businesses look to rebuild, he said. Schlegelmilch expects that the price of hiring contractors, plumbers, electricians, and other specialists will increase with steep demand.

Consumer prices in the LA-area for things like rent, lumber, and building materials may also spike because of price gouging, increased demand, or damaged supply, Schlegelmilch said. He said taxes likely won't change in the short-term, but the overall cost of living in the area could become more expensive with time.

Past natural disaster response shows what LA might expect

Previous devastating natural disasters give a clue into how wildfire costs could be handled in LA.

Following 2012's Hurricane Sandy in New York, Congress provided around $20 billion adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars to affected areas through a Community Development Block Grant. That represents a share of the storm's inflation-adjusted $88.5 billion cost, per the National Centers for Environmental Information. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused $201.3 billion in inflation-adjusted damages, which was partially covered by federal emergency response and recovery grants.

Schlegelmilch said that a key challenge with disaster relief in cases like Sandy and Katrina is that aid can be distributed inequitably between high and lower-income areas because wealthier areas often have stronger insurance and access to resources. He cautions that the same could happen in California.

"Those that are the most vulnerable before often see that vulnerability grow," Schlegelmilch said," adding "a lot of times we see this along racial lines, along socio-economic lines, and we see communities decades later still struggling to recover when the downtown areas are nice and new and everyone says it's back to normal."

Looking forward, Schlegelmilch said that disaster preparedness policies could help alleviate losses and keep residents safe. He said this could look like building with flame-retardant materials, widening roads that allow for emergency vehicles to easily pass through when necessary, and planting less flammable vegetation in dry areas.

"There's actually quite a bit that can be redone in the rebuilding process that can help lower the risk into the future," he said. "There are costs associated with it, and in the short-run, it may be more expensive. But, in the long run, it's a lot less expensive."

Have you experienced steep out-of-pocket or insurance costs due to a natural disaster? Are you open to sharing your experience with a reporter? If so, reach out to [email protected].

• Jeffrey, 57, submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Business Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
• A dietitian said his diet might be too restrictive to maintain, and he should eat more carbs.
• If you'd like to have your diet reviewed by an expert, fill out this form.

Jeffrey, 57, submitted his eating routine to Business Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer readers advice on their eating habits.

He said his goal is to lose weight.

Jeffrey described himself as "somewhat active," having recently started doing yoga or calisthenics daily. He also plans to build up to walking a minimum of two miles a day.

Jaclyn London, a dietitian, told BI that Jeffrey's restrictive diet would likely be difficult to maintain long-term, which could see him fall into a binge-restrict pattern and even leave him nutritionally deficient.

"It is possible to lose weight, keep it off, and still enjoy your life," London said. "And all of that can be achieved with some small but meaningful tweaks he can make to each meal and through the addition of some strategic snacks."

Eat a range of fruits at breakfast

For breakfast, Jeffrey eats three eggs with some avocado, plus Greek yogurt with berries or walnuts.

London said Jeffrey's breakfast is a nutritious choice, providing protein, satiating fats, and some fiber.

However, he could eat more fruit by always having some at breakfast and eating some for snacks and in meals later in the day.

"Berries are a very common 'low carb' fruit, but the truth is, fruit (and other whole foods) provide complex carbs on which our bodies thrive," London said. "Fruit provides antioxidants, fiber, key minerals, and phytochemicals that help us feel our best by supporting our gut health and overall immunity, and increasing our fiber intake so we can get (and stay) regular."

Don't be afraid of complex carbs

For lunch, Jeffrey typically has a turkey spinach wrap using a low-carb flatbread with tomato and feta cheese.

London recommended Jeffrey eat more carbs in the form of starchy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes.

"All of these are complex carbohydrates, which are nutrient-dense, provide additional fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals which deliver powerful nutritional benefits and have been linked to decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes," she said.

Starchy vegetables like potato, sweet potato, and squash can be a good place to start, London said, as they are satisfying and will help Jeffrey stay feeling full longer.

He could then try to incorporate grains like oats, buckwheat, and quinoa into his meals once he sees that the vegetables only make him feel more energized without causing weight gain, she said.

Eat snacks rich in protein and fiber

Jeffrey said he generally doesn't snack but if his energy levels are low he might have an Atkins shake.

London said Jeffrey would likely benefit from eating more snacks rich in protein and fiber to prevent him from becoming ravenous before each meal and help him stay energized.

"Include fiber-filled foods like vegetables and fruit; pulses, nuts, and seeds; plus protein from animal and plant sources at each eating occasion, and add snacks that are satisfying, nutritious, and provide just enough energy to keep your weight loss on track without losing too much too fast," London said.

Instead of an Atkins shake, London recommended making a high-protein, whole-food smoothie using Greek yogurt or milk, fresh or frozen fruit, and some nut butter.

"This will add some fiber-filled carbs, protein, plus healthy fat to boost satiety and add extra nutrient density to Jeffrey's day," London said.

Stay hydrated and strength train

For dinner, Jeffrey might eat chicken, fish, or shrimp with green vegetables (such as broccoli, green beans, or asparagus). Sometimes, he adds a small chickpea salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, he said.

London said it's great that these meals are nutrient-dense and high in protein and fiber, but she again recommended adding some carbs. London said Jeffrey should aim to have carbs take up 40% of his overall energy intake.

Equally, London advised Jeffrey stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and incorporate strength training into his workout routine.

"This is critical at every age, but especially as we get older," London said. "Replacing fat mass with lean muscle is the most effective way to keep weight off, maintain metabolic health, promote better strength, balance, and bone health as we age, and help your metabolism work more efficiently to promote slow, steady, and sustainable weight-loss over time."

• Synthesia has secured $180 million in Series D funding led by NEA, valuing it at $2.1 billion.
• The London-based startup uses AI to create videos and avatars for businesses.
• Check out the 18-slide pitch deck the startup used to secure fresh funding.

Generative AI startup Synthesia has secured $180 million in a Series D funding round led by venture firm NEA.

The London-based startup, launched in 2017, creates AI-generated videos and avatars for businesses.

The round values the startup at $2.1 billion — making it the UK's largest generative AI startup by valuation, according to data platform Dealroom.

"Over the last few years, we think we've built the market-leading AI video platform for enterprise," cofounder and CEO Victor Riparbelli told Business Insider in an interview.

Synthesia offers its customers a suite of products, including tools for creating custom AI avatars, an AI screen recorder that can help edit videos on the startup's platform, and an AI video assistant that can turn web pages into videos.

Companies like Zoom and UiPath use Synthesia's platform to develop everything from customer service videos to corporate training clips.

Riparbelli said the company's global client base distinguishes it from other European AI companies. "Over half our revenue comes from the US, so we've been quite successful at building not just a regional player but a global player out of the UK," he said.

Synthesia has benefited from the heightened investor appetite for growth-stage AI startups. The Series D was led by NEA, with participation from existing investors, including Google Ventures, and new backers, including WiL (World Innovation Lab), Atlassian Ventures, and PSP Growth. This brings its total funding to $330 million.

With the cash injection, Synthesia will continue to hone its existing product suite and build out its video publishing platform. "We're also building some of our AI agents that help you in the video production process," Riparbelli added.

The startup also plans to expand its geographic footprint in Japan, North America, and Australia in the coming year.

Check out the 18-slide pitch deck it used to secure the fresh funds.

• The Russian central bank has dismissed rumors of freezing retail bank deposits.
• Freezing deposits would harm financial stability and undermine trust, the bank said.
• Last year, the central bank hiked rates to 21% in an attempt at cooling Russia's wartime economy.

Russia's central bank has taken to Telegram to publicly dismiss rumors that its citizens' bank deposits may be frozen.

The idea that retail bank deposits could be frozen is "absurd" and "unthinkable," the Central Bank of Russia wrote in a Telegram post on Monday.

"In addition to the fact that this is a gross violation of the right of citizens and companies to manage their assets, such a step will undermine the foundations of the banking system and the financial stability of the country," the regulator wrote.

The concerns came after Elvira Nabiullina, Russia's central bank governor, hiked rates to 21% late last year in a bid to cool soaring inflation — an economic pain point President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged.

The high interest rates attracted a flood of bank deposits. Recently, rumors emerged that retail deposits could be frozen, prompting Russians to swarm the central bank with questions, the bank wrote in its Telegram post.

"It is quite obvious that in any market economy, of which bank lending is an integral part, such a step is unthinkable," the bank wrote in the post dismissing the rumors.

The rumors about frozen deposits are a reflection of the nervousness in Russia's wartime economy.

This is not the first time Russia's central bank has addressed concerns that Russians' savings could be frozen and interest withheld.

In November, Nabiullina dismissed such concerns as "nonsense," Russia's RBC news outlet reported. She was responding to a question from the lower house of Russia's parliament.

Russia has been under a slew of Western sanctions since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It has managed to avoid going bankrupt thanks in part to growth from its massive spending on military and defense activities. It has also managed to pivot to alternative export markets such as China and India.

However, the Russian central bank has warned that the economy is at risk of overheating.

Russia's economy faces multiple issues like high inflation, a decline in the value of the ruble, and a severe manpower shortage.

In November, the country's inflation rate hit nearly 9%. Prices of staples from butter to potatoes in the country have risen sharply, putting a strain on the finances of ordinary citizens.

As the war in Ukraine nears its fourth year, Russia's economy could run out of cash before the end of this year, a Swedish economist wrote on Tuesday. This could hit its ability to continue financing the war and its economy.

• Consuming diet and false nutrition content online is part of what led Rachel Evans to develop an eating disorder.
• She became an advocate of "clean eating," a trend she now criticizes for being restrictive.
• Now an ED psychologist, she advises clients to view online health content through a critical lens.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rachel Evans, 34, a chartered psychologist who lives in the UK. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

There's often no single reason why a person develops an eating disorder, but viewing misleading nutrition information on social media contributed to mine.

Through my recovery and training to become an eating disorder recovery psychologist, I learned ways to navigate the treacherous online health space and free myself from restrictive eating.

Growing up in the 90s, I read about celebrity diets and workouts in magazines and thought I should copy what they were doing.

It got worse when social media became a part of my life. In 2012, when I was studying psychology at university, Instagram was becoming popular, and the "clean eating" trend was everywhere.

Some clean-eating influencers would promote certain types of food as "good" and "bad," and make extreme claims like saying you should eat foods in a certain order.

Some of the messages had a kernel of truth to them, and the more I started to believe those, the more I started to believe the farfetched ones, too. The more I became obsessed with being healthy, the less critical I got.

I started to develop some health problems. My digestion was messed up, my hair was falling out, and I stopped having periods.

A number of other factors also contributed to my developing an eating disorder. By 2013, I was finishing my master's in health psychology, and I didn't know what I was going to do next. I based a lot of my self-worth on how well I did in my studies, and I was about to lose that stream of validation, so eating perfectly became a hobby I could get really good at.

I became a 'clean-eating' blogger

In 2014, I was living abroad in Singapore and working as a research assistant. At the time, I was maintaining a restrictive diet I had found on YouTube. My preoccupation with food was interfering with my life.

I went into therapy, which helped a bit as I managed to introduce more foods into my diet.

The "clean eating" trend was going strong at the time, and I started posting photos of what I ate on Instagram and created a blog. I amassed thousands of readers, had partnerships with popular brands, and I promoted protein powders and nut butters.

At the time, I thought I had recovered because I was better than I was at my worst, but looking back, I had once again set myself strict rules to follow. Behind the scenes, I was struggling with cycles of binge eating and purging.

Once I decided I wanted to help other people, I knew I had to help myself first

In 2017, with the help of a coach, I decided that I wanted to become an eating disorder recovery psychologist. That was ultimately helpful to my recovery. Once I decided I wanted to help other people, I knew I had to help myself first.

I already had a strong foundation in this area, as I have a Ph.D. in the psychology of eating, habits, self-control, and behavior change from the University of Sheffield, UK. On top of that, I studied to become a master practitioner in eating disorders at the National Centre for Eating Disorders in 2018.

As I learned how to treat people with eating disorders, my relationship with food slowly got more flexible. I deleted the blog in 2020 because it no longer aligned with my views. Now, I post educational content on my Instagram with a more nuanced perspective.

When I was recovering, I spent less time on Instagram and unfollowed accounts that promoted the lifestyle I was trying to move away from.

Food no longer takes up much of my headspace. I try to cook from scratch when I can and eat enough fruits and vegetables every day, but I don't stress if it doesn't happen.

When I speak to my clients about navigating nutrition and diet content online, I tell them just because someone online presents something as a fact, that doesn't mean it's true, or true for you. They don't know you and your body better than you.

I remind my clients to take "what I eat in a day" videos with skepticism and that even if they eat and exercise like someone else, they still might not look like them because their genetics are different.

I also tell my clients to try to scroll less "mindlessly" and make sure they're thinking critically about what they see online.

• Finland said a Russia-linked oil tanker was close to wreaking havoc on its undersea cables.
• Its president said that officials intervened about 12 minutes before the damage got "much worse."
• The tanker is accused of being part of a Russian "shadow fleet" sabotaging European infrastructure.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Tuesday that his country had stopped the crew of a Russia-linked oil tanker just minutes before it caused catastrophic damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.

"Had it continued for another 12 minutes, the carnage would have been much worse than the four basic cables that were there," Stubb told reporters at this week's Baltic-focused NATO summit in Helsinki.

The tanker, the Eagle S, was seized in late December as Finland probed recent damage to its Estlink-2 power line, one of two vital cables carrying electricity in the Baltic Sea.

Four data cables were also severed.

Finnish investigators have accused the Eagle S crew of trying to sabotage the cables by dragging the ship's anchor for miles along the seabed.

The Finnish head of the investigation, Risto Lohi, told Reuters on Tuesday that the Eagle S would likely also have attempted sabotage on the other power cable, the Estlink-1, had police not boarded the vessel.

"There would have been an almost immediate danger that other cables or pipes related to our critical underwater infrastructure could have been damaged," said Lohi, who is the chief of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation.

On Tuesday, Stubb said that Finland's security process for protecting the cables started with the private company overseeing them. If a cable is severed, the firm would alert the authorities, who then try to find possible ships around the location of the damage.

"Once that happens, you identify the ship and contact the ship. Number four, you stop the ship," Stubb said.

Stubb added that Finnish authorities would compel the ship to enter Finnish waters, where officers could then legally board the vessel.

That process is set to change now. European members of NATO announced at the summit that they would launch a new program, called the "Baltic Sentry," to collectively patrol near Baltic Sea infrastructure.

The surveillance program involves frigates, maritime aircraft, and "a small fleet of naval drones," said NATO's secretary-general, Mark Rutte, at the summit.

The investigation into the Eagle S is of particular significance to the European Union because it's suspected for years that Russia has been intentionally trying to covertly damage Western undersea infrastructure. Other cables, such as two fiber-optic data cables running between Finland and Germany, were cut last year.

Though the Eagle S is registered in the Cook Islands, European officials say it's tied to Russia because it was carrying 35,000 tons of unleaded gasoline loaded in Russian ports.

They have accused the ship of being part of a Russian "shadow fleet," or a network of vessels with owners registered outside Russia that are actually carrying sanctioned Russian oil.

Russia has denied being involved in any way with such sabotage. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to a comment request sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

• Small businesses are struggling to stay afloat in the wake of the deadly Los Angeles fires.
• Many structures have been destroyed, but others left standing are damaged, with no foot traffic driving business.
• For some industries with slim margins, just days without business has forced permanent closures.

As deadly fires continue ripping through Los Angeles, leveling residential and commercial districts alike, even small business owners whose storefronts have been left standing aren't out of the woods.

Though more than 12,300 structures have been destroyed by the fires, commercial buildings that haven't been totaled are still struggling with costly damages to repair and with no foot traffic driving business.

For some industries with slim margins — like bars and restaurants — going just days without business has begun to force permanent closures.

AccuWeather estimates the damages and economic loss from the wildfires totals between $250 billion and $275 billion, making it one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern US history.

"We have come to the heartbreaking decision that at this time, operating The Ruby Fruit is no longer possible due to financial impact from the current natural disaster," Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman, owners of The Ruby Fruit, a lesbian wine bar in the Silver Lake neighborhood, posted Sunday on the bar's Instagram page.

"Sadly, along with all the feelings of grief and shock that we have experienced over the last few days, also came this undeniable reality: that running our small business is no longer sustainable. The hospitality industry functions on a day-by-day basis and right now, as they say — the math just isn't mathing," they wrote.

The announcement was met with an outcry from fans and devoted patrons of the bar — one of the city's only bars catering specifically to lesbians and "those who fall under the sapphic umbrella," according to the bar's website.

Some customers, in the comments of the bar's closure announcement, begged Bielagus and Herbkersman to create a community fundraiser to save the business. The Ruby Fruit's GoFundMe campaign, raising money to provide wages for the bar's staff — has raised about half its $15,000 goal in three days.

Bielagus and Herbkersman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Financial aid is available for small businesses trying to recover from the aftermath of the wildfires. The Small Business Administration's disaster loan program offers up to $2 million in loans with low interest rates for eligible businesses suffering economic losses and physical damage due to disaster. Interest on these loans does not begin to accrue for a year.

On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced extended tax filing deadlines and relief from interest and penalties for businesses impacted by the fires. However, tax breaks and interest-accruing loans are nothing compared to regular business, and the costs accrued from being closed stack up quickly.

"Thankfully we are safe and, as of now, able to operate," Betsy Martinez, owner of Fan Girl Cafe in West Hollywood, told BI. "However, business has definitely been impacted by the situation and we are navigating it the best we can."

Martinez, who runs Fan Girl Cafe with her wife, said the pair lost roughly $5,000 in just two and a half days of closures, in addition to the slow business in the days since. As a new restaurant in its first year of operations, margins were already tight. They're now considering debt consolidation and taking out a new loan and have contacted their existing lenders asking for extensions on their bills.

Some business owners are turning to the local community for financial support, but such funds are inconsistent — and largely targeted toward businesses that have been destroyed. Restaurants, including Fox's Restaurant, The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop, and The Reel Inn, have all burned down and have started GoFundMe campaigns to raise money to rebuild.

Martinez said she and her wife aren't comfortable starting a GoFundMe, given how tight funds are for everyone else — and that other businesses are dealing with more severe losses.

"It's just a heavy time right now for everyone," she said. "Right now, we're just looking at who we can help, even those of us who need help."

For now, many small business owners in the Los Angeles area are white-knuckling it through another costly disaster just a few short years after the COVID-19 pandemic saw more than 7,500 small businesses shutter across the county, the California Business Journal reported.

"We closed last week and are closing this week. We hope to reopen next week," the owners of Honey's at Star Love, a queer bar in Little Armenia, told BI in an email. "We're taking it all day by day."

• Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea's impeached president, was arrested on Wednesday.
• This was the South Korean authorities' second attempt to arrest Yoon.
• Yoon was impeached on December 14 after he attempted to impose martial law, triggering protests.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested by investigators early on Wednesday morning, local time.

Yoon's arrest comes after weeks of attempts by South Korean anti-corruption investigators to bring him in for questioning. This makes him the first sitting South Korean president to be detained.

Yoon has repeatedly defied attempts to arrest him. During a particularly tense standoff on January 3, investigators had to stand down after six hours when Yoon's security team barred them from taking the president.

More than 3,000 police officers and anti-corruption investigators were involved in Yoon's arrest on Wednesday morning, per Reuters.

South Korea's Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said they had executed an arrest warrant for Yoon at 10.33 am local time, per a statement obtained by Yonhap News.

Yoon said in a statement on Wednesday that he had chosen to comply with the warrant "to prevent unsavory bloodshed," according to a translation by Reuters.

Roughly 6,500 supporters were present outside Yoon's presidential residence when he was arrested, per Yonhap News.

Yoon was impeached and stripped of his presidential powers on December 14. South Korean lawmakers voted to remove him from duties after a stunning declaration of martial law, which triggered large-scale protests and calls for his resignation.

South Korea's nine-member Constitutional Court is set to rule on Yoon's removal from office.

The trial, which must conclude within 180 days from the date of Yoon's impeachment, could take months to resolve. If the court decides to remove Yoon from office, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.

Last month, South Korean lawmakers impeached the country's acting president, Han Duck-soo, after he had refused to fill the Constitutional Court's three vacancies.

Han, who was also South Korea's prime minister, was replaced by the country's finance minister, Choi Sang-mok. Choi said in December that he would move quickly to fill up the court's vacancies.

There are currently eight justices on the court, after two new justices started their terms this month. Choi said he would appoint a ninth candidate after both the ruling and opposition parties come to an agreement on the nomination.

At least six votes are needed to remove Yoon.

• Two future Ford-class aircraft carriers will be named for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
• It's the US Navy convention to name nuclear-powered flattops after presidents, with some exceptions.
• USS Doris Miller and Enterprise are the only two Ford-class vessels not named after presidents.

President Joe Biden announced Monday that two future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers will be named after former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

"Each knows firsthand the weight of the responsibilities that come with being Commander-in-Chief," Biden said in the White House announcement. "And both know well our duty to support the families and loved ones who wait and worry for the safe return of their servicemember."

US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the future Ford-class carriers "will serve as lasting tributes to each leader's legacy in service of the United States."

The newly named flattops follow the sea service's tradition of naming the nuclear-powered carriers after US presidents. The trend has many exceptions, including first-in-class USS Nimitz, USS Carl Vinson, USS John C. Stennis, and future Ford-class ships USS Doris Miller and USS Enterprise.

Here are the names of the first six supercarriers in the Ford class, poised to become the backbone of America's naval power for the rest of the 21st Century.

USS Gerald R. Ford

The first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford is named after the 38th US president who office after then-President Richard Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate Scandal.

Ford granted Nixon a controversial pardon saying it was in the country's best interest to put an end to the "American tragedy in which we all — all have played a part," he said at the time.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, completed its first full deployment last January, which the Pentagon extended in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.

The Ford and the other warships in its strike group served in part as a deterrence message for its 239-day deployment to the Mediterranean in 2023.

USS John F. Kennedy

The second-in-class USS John F. Kennedy was named after the 35th US president, sharing its namesake with the last conventional aircraft carrier built for the Navy before the introduction of the nuclear-powered Nimitz class.

The future carrier was initially set to deliver in June 2024 but was delayed a year to July 2025 so the Navy could perform more work to prepare it for deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

The Navy said the Kennedy would be equipped with "new technology and warfighting capabilities," making the future aircraft carrier the "most agile and lethal combat platform globally."

USS Enterprise

The future USS Enterprise is one of two Ford-class carriers that wasn't named after a US president. It carries on a storied name whose heritage includes the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a decorated World War II carrier, and a brig from the Barbary War over 200 years ago.

Still under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News — the US's only aircraft carrier shipyard — the Enterprise was initially scheduled to deliver by March 2028, but the Navy's shipbuilding review found that it will now deliver by May 2030 at the latest.

In November, the Enterprise was moved for the first time at the shipyard to accommodate the construction of USS Doris Miller on the same dry dock.

USS Doris Miller

The other Ford-class carrier without a US president's name is the future USS Doris Miller.

The future supercarrier, named after US Navy sailor Doris "Dorie" Miller, is expected to be delivered a year and a half later than scheduled in early 2032.

Miller was a World War II hero of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The mess attendant fired at Japanese aircraft with a .50 caliber machine gun on the battleship USS West Virginia and was the first Black person to be awarded the Navy Cross, the service's second-highest award for valor.

"Naming CVN 81 for Dorie Miller casts long overdue recognition to a true American hero and icon," then-Master Chief Petty Officer Russell Smith said during the ship's naming ceremony. "It also honors the contributions of African Americans and enlisted sailors for the first time in the history of American aircraft carriers."

One controversy has been that the Nimitz-class carrier John C. Stennis honors a key lawmaker behind the funding of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, who was also a longtime segregationist and opponent of the US Navy's racial integration.

USS William J. Clinton

Bill Clinton served as the 42nd president of the US, becoming the second president in US history to be impeached after Andrew Johnson in 1868. He faced charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice in the wake of his infamous affair with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

In his time as commander-in-chief, Clinton ordered cruise missile strikes against Iraq in retaliation for the assassination attempt on former President George H.W. Bush. He also played a key role in promoting peace in the Middle East and Northern Ireland through the Oslo Accords and the Good Friday Agreement.

The name of the future CVN 82 was announced in a private ceremony shortly after the new year, during which former President Clinton's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was announced as the carrier's sponsor.

"It's never far from my mind that the precious freedoms Americans enjoy are safeguarded by our armed forces, anchored by a strong, modern, and agile Navy," Clinton said in a statement. "I'm honored that future servicemembers carrying on that proud tradition will serve on a carrier bearing my name."

USS George W. Bush

The sixth Ford-class carrier will bear the name of former President George W. Bush, whose presidency was defined by the 9/11 attacks and the launching of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

He implemented domestic counterterrorism measures and built a worldwide coalition to dismantle terrorist groups globally.

"I am honored that my name will be associated with the United States Navy and a symbol of our Nation's might," Bush said in a statement. "I have a special admiration for the men and women of our Navy — including my dad — and ask God to watch over this ship and those who sail aboard her."

The 10th and final Nimitz-class carrier was named after Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, who served as the 41st president of the US. The elder Bush was honored for his service as one of the youngest naval aviators serving in World War II, receiving military decorations like the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

CVN 82 and CVN 83 will be the fifth and sixth carriers to join the Navy's fleet in the coming decade, but they are not yet under construction, nor have contracts been issued to HII's Newport News.

In a briefing last week, Christopher Kastner, CEO and president of HII, urged the US Navy to follow its shipbuilding timeline to procure USS William J. Clinton by 2028 as planned to avoid supply chain and workforce issues.