• We've identified 19 of the high-powered executives that Microsoft has assembled in a team to fight its rivals in the cloud wars, based on information from insiders and experts.
• Microsoft has long been considered the No. 2 cloud provider versus dominant Amazon Web Services, but that perception has started to change through recent and significant victories, such as landing a $10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon.
• Experts say that contract puts Microsoft's Azure cloud computing business in the same league as AWS — whether Amazon likes it or not.
• Of course, Microsoft still has a lot of catching up to do. Gartner estimated Amazon's 2018 cloud market share was three times the size of Microsoft's.
• Click here to read more BI Prime stories.

Microsoft's cloud business is on the rise and the Redmond, Washington-based company has assembled a team of high-powered executives to upend its rivals.

Microsoft Azure has long been considered the No. 2 cloud provider versus dominant Amazon Web Services, but that perception has started to change.

"Azure is the primary growth engine for the company and positions them to have a leading marketshare in a potentially multitrillion-dollar opportunity in the future of computing," RBC Capital analyst Alex Zukin said. 

To be sure, Microsoft still has a lot of catching up to do. Gartner in a report released over the summer pegged the 2018 market share for AWS at 47.8% and that of Microsoft Azure at 15.5%. But Microsoft has scored some significant wins and recent moves indicate the company is prioritizing the cloud above all else.

Perhaps most significant is the company's recent win of a $10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon. AWS was considered the frontrunner but experts say the win puts Microsoft in the same league as the AWS.

"It signals to the market Microsoft is no longer a runner-up and can be viewed as a leader in the category where they can surpass AWS in certain areas," Zukin said.

To lead that charge, Microsoft has assembled a team of high-powered executives to guide its all-important cloud strategy. We spoke with insiders and experts who said that these were the 19 power players to watch within Microsoft's cloud business.

Meet Microsoft's ace cloud team:

SEE ALSO: Amazon reportedly restricted partners at its New York conference from mentioning competitors like Microsoft and Google

Ann Johnson, corporate vice president in the Cybersecurity Solutions Group

Johnson oversees Microsoft's strategies for cybersecurity and compliance solutions across marketing, engineering, and product teams.

She's an expert in cyber resilience, online fraud, cyberattacks, compliance, and mobile security, and "has built and shaped one of the company's highest performing teams whose digital transformation expertise leverages built-in cloud security capabilities,"according to her bio on Microsoft's website. 

Johnson started at Microsoft in 2015 as general manager of the company's enterprise cybersecurity group and has been in her current position since 2018.

Bharat Shah, corporate vice president of Cloud and AI Security Engineering

Shah's job is to make the Azure cloud platform secure.

He's spent more than 30 years at Microsoft, including a decade in the cloud computing business, and now runs services that help cloud customers protect against security threats including Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, and Azure Key Vault.

Shah also leads security product development teams for user and infrastructure-oriented security and runs the Microsoft Security Response Center, which responds to attacks against Microsoft's cloud, as well as the data center security team, which protects the physical security of Microsoft data centers.

Charles Lamanna, corporate vice president of Citizen Applications Platform

Lamanna leads the engineering and program management teams for the business applications group's Low Code Application Platform, which includes products such as Microsoft's Dynamics 365 customers relationship management platform and PowerApps, which helps companies create business apps without coding.

Offering products that require little or no coding — part of the so-called low-code/no-code movement in the developer tech market — has become a priority for Microsoft.

"Microsoft has a very big commitment not just to true software developers, but citizen developers [or non-professional developers," Daniel Newman, Futurum Research principal analyst and founding partner, said. "They're trying to drive low-code, no-code adoption where you can do it all without needing to be an experienced coder." 

Lamanna's team includes nearly 1,000 people in Redmond, Hyderabad, Paris, and Toronto.

Charlotte Yarkoni, corporate vice president of Commerce and Ecosystem

Yarkoni's job is to attract customers and partners including developers, enterprises, and independent software vendors into Microsoft's cloud business.

Her team is responsible for the Microsoft Scale-Ups program, which provides sales, marketing, and technical support for Series A startups, and Microsoft's Imagine Cup student competition. 

Yarkoni also runs Microsoft's Channel 9, which publishes videos behind-the-scenes at Microsoft, and learning resources and forums such as developer.microsoft.com and doc.microsoft.com, making her a visible part of the company's all-important push to appeal to developers.

Corey Sanders, corporate vice president of Microsoft Solutions

Sanders sets the sales strategy and runs the corporate technical sales team for Microsoft's Azure cloud business, its productivity apps, and Dynamics 365, its competitor to Salesforce. 

Sanders joined Microsoft in 2004 and has worked on the Azure team since before its release.

"I find Corey Sanders as one of the well-trusted names in the space," Gartner research director Sanjeev Mohan said.

Eric Boyd, corporate vice president of AI Platform

Boyd runs Azure AI, the artificial intelligence platform for Microsoft's Azure cloud business.

Microsoft formed the Azure AI group during a company wide reorganization last year. It is charged with finding a way to sell the artificial-intelligence research and technologies already used in the company's products to customers – and making it easy for any type of company to use.

Simplifying artificial intelligence and machine learning for cloud customers could make Microsoft more competitive in the fierce cloud-computing battle with AWS, and Boyd is a leader in that effort. 

Erin Chapple, corporate vice president of Azure Compute

Chapple is the head of product for Azure Compute, which provides the infrastructure customers need to build applications.

She joined Microsoft in 1998 and has spent much of her time at the company working on Windows Server, Microsoft's server operating system.

"She has domain expertise and knowledge," Gartner research director Sanjeev Mohan said. "She can transcend the legacy Windows Server and the Azure business. That is a very important combo right there."

Gayle Sheppard, corporate vice president of Microsoft Azure Data

Sheppard oversees strategy for Microsoft's data and analytics products and services. 

She's in charge of product management and customer experiences for Microsoft products and services including Microsoft's SQL Server database management system and other products related to SQL, the programming language designed for managing data, plus additional data and analytics products within Azure.

Sheppard joined Microsoft in April about six months after leaving Intel, where she was vice president and general manager of the Saffron AI Group. Microsoft is still in the "first innings" of data and artificial intelligence, CEO Satya Nadella said when he recently listed the technologies that will guide the future of the company.

James Phillips, corporate vice president of Business Applications

Phillips leads Microsoft's business applications group, in which his teams build and operate Microsoft business applications including Dynamics 365 customer relationship management, the Power Platform that helps customers customize cloud applications with minimal coding, and Microsoft's artificial intelligence and mixed-reality business applications.

He started at Microsoft in 2012 as a strategic adviser to Satya Nadella, the company's current CEO. 

Phillips' team had more than 5,000 employees globally as of 2018.

Jason Zander, executive vice president of Azure Intelligent Cloud and Intelligent Edge

Zander is the top executive within Azure, Microsoft's overall cloud platform and its rival to the market-leading Amazon Web Services.

He's run the team since Microsoft reorganized in 2018, dismantling its traditional Windows organization in favor of a focus on cloud computing. 

That means Zander is in charge of everything from product management to engineering withing Azure. The Azure group is part of the Cloud & AI group – also created during the reorganization – and Zander reports to Scott Guthrie, the head of that group.

Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Worldwide Commercial

Judson Althoff leads Microsoft's worldwide commercial business, which sets the sales strategy for the overall company, and helps make sure customers, partners, and developers are getting the most out of the company's technology.

Althoff first joined Microsoft in 2013 as president of Microsoft North America, where he was responsible for customers and partners in the US and Canada. 

Before joining Microsoft, Althoff served as a senior vice president at Oracle, where he worked for 11 years. Similarly, he also managed and supported the company's partners and sales. Prior to that, he worked at EMC. 

Julia Liuson, corporate vice president of Developer Division

Julia Liuson leads the developer division at Microsoft, which is responsible for many of Microsoft's popular products for software engineers. One of these is Visual Studio Code, an open source code editor that has become the top open source project on GitHub. Another is .NET, which is a leading standard for developing Windows applications.

Liuson first joined Microsoft in 1992 as a software design engineer working on Office and developer products. Since then, she has held a variety of technical and management positions, working on products like Visual Studio, as well as its server and developer tools.

Liuson holds the distinction of having been the first woman at Microsoft ever promoted to the title of corporate VP of development. This year, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame.

Julia White, corporate vice president of Azure Marketing

Currently, Julia White serves as corporate vice president of Azure marketing, focusing on Microsoft's cloud, enterprise security, and IT management businesses.

In 2001, she left Intuit, where she started her career, and joined Microsoft as a product manager. Since then, she has held various management positions in product management, channel sales, and marketing. 

Besides working in tech, White was an Olympic hopeful in the synchronized swimming event. She garnered attention for a stylish leather jacket she wore to a Microsoft event in 2014. 

Mark Russinovich, chief technology officer of Microsoft Azure

Mark Russinovich is the CTO of Microsoft Azure.

He's particularly focused on leading Microsoft's efforts in serverless computing —which allows developers to build and run applications without having to manage the infrastructure behind it. 

Russinovich has worked at Microsoft for 13 years. Before serving as Azure's CTO, he started as a technical fellow, where he helped architect Microsoft's cloud.

Before joining Microsoft, Russinovich cofounded Winternals Software, where he worked for nearly a decade. He also spent three years working at IBM as a researcher.

Noelle Walsh, corporate vice president of Cloud and Infrastructure Operations

Noelle Walsh joined Microsoft in 2017 as corporate vice president. Currently, she's leading the cloud and infrastructure operations which underpin services like Azure and Office 365. She focuses on security and reliability of the cloud.

Prior to joining Microsoft, she spent nearly three decades at the Dow Chemical Company, where she made use of her background in chemical engineering There, she served as corporate vice president, as well as various other positions in multiple businesses.

Rohan Kumar, corporate vice president of Azure Data

Rohan Kumar heads Azure Data at Microsoft, where he leads the engineering, product strategy, development, and design of Microsoft's data applications, analytics software, and databases for data scientists, developers, and IT professionals to use. Mohan joined Microsoft after he received his masters degree, and has stayed for the last 21 years.

One of Kumar's efforts includes leading data applications on Microsoft's hybrid cloud, which allows customers to run applications both on their private data centers and Microsoft's cloud. Kumar previously told Business Insider that hybrid cloud is a key part of Microsoft's strategy.

"I think he's very influential because he oversaw a wide spectrum of Azure's data and analytics offerings," Gartner research director Sanjeev Mohan said. "The fact that he's now more focused on engineering, to me it tells me that Microsoft is doubling down on engineering efforts so they needed him to focus on the engineering side and let someone move over to the planning side."

Sam George, corporate vice president of Azure IoT

Sam George leads Azure Internet of Things (IoT), the organization that creates software that allow customers to access Microsoft's cloud from any connected device, whether it's computers, mobile phones, factory sensors, mapping technology, or even smart cars. 

George has worked at Microsoft since 1997, serving various roles in development, testing, and program management.

Currently, George is a major proponent of IoT and says that companies are increasingly using this technology for manufacturing, construction, agriculture, oil and gas, and other industries.

Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud and AI

Scott Guthrie has worked at Microsoft for over 22 years. As executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and AI group, he is responsible for Microsoft's cloud, servers, artificial intelligence technology, databases, security, business applications, and more. These include products like Microsoft Azure, HoloLens, GitHub, and Visual Studio Code. 

Guthrie joined Microsoft after graduating college. Since then, he has served in various management and executive roles, leading the Microsoft Azure team and the developer division. He was one of the original founders of Microsoft's .NET framework, which is used for developing Windows applications — and is one of the most famous developers in the world, at Microsoft or otherwise.

Ulrich Homann, corporate vice president and distinguished architect of Cloud and AI

Ulrich Homann has worked at Microsoft for over 24 years and currently heads engineering for Microsoft's cloud and artificial intelligence products. He spent most of his career at Microsoft as an architect at various businesses at the company. 

Most recently, he was the distinguished architect for Microsoft's cloud and enterprise business, building out Microsoft's business applications. 

Before he joined Microsoft in 1995, he worked at several consulting companies.

• Over the past few weeks Congress has passed two bills that ensure Donald Trump's dreams of a trade deal that would reshape the Chinese economy are dead.
• The bills condemn the Chinese government for political repression and violence in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, a province in Western China. As such, to Beijing they represent a violation of Chinese sovereignty.
• Here in the US the bills should represent a commitment to US values.
• And politically, they show that US sentiment toward China has darkened to the point that even Republicans know they cannot be seen as soft on the country — even when it means destroying one of the Trump administration's most important initiatives.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If — and it's a big if — Donald Trump gets his "Phase 1 trade deal" with China, there will be no "Phase 2." He'll suffer this loss, in part, because Congress passed two bills standing up for human rights on Chinese territory. The US is a better country for it.

The two bills angered Beijing by stepping on the third rail of Chinese politics — China's territorial integrity. It's a red line Washington, and the Trump administration, have been warned of in no uncertain terms.

In 2017 Lu Kang, an official in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave a rare American interview to NBC News and made it clear that Beijing would be happy to work with the new US President on any issue except for one — Taiwan. To China, Taiwan is still a part of its territory. And the message was that any perceived threat to China's territorial integrity would not be tolerated.

Almost three years later it is not Taiwan that has Beijing crying foul over US interference on its land, but rather Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Both places have garnered international attention for the Chinese government's trampling of human rights in those regions.

The first bill addressing the two regions, passed a few weeks ago, is called the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and the legislation articulates US support for the months-long protests in Hong Kong. The second bill, passed last week, is The Uighur Human Rights Policy Act. It condemns China's internment of Uighur Muslim minorities in "reeducation" camps in the country's western Xinjiang province.

After each bill was passed China's propaganda machine went into overdrive. The country's Foreign Ministry didn't sound much different from nationalist newspaper The Global Times. For example, this week Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying compared China's actions in Xinjiang to the US's anti-terrorism drive after 9/11, and reminded the US of its own past.

"What ignorance, what brazenness, what hypocrisy!" Hua said. "Have they forgotten? The two-century long American history is tainted with the blood and tears of native Indians, who were originally masters of the continent."

So, if you were under the impression that working on 'Phase 1' of the trade deal implied that there would also be a 'Phase 2' you can put that to rest. There will be no grand bilateral trade deal with China that opens up its economy through negotiation. The best we can hope for now is a cessation of hostilities, some small adjustments to how China treats US companies, and some agricultural purchases on China's part.

On one hand, this failure can ultimately be attributed, in part, to Congress' decision to stand up for American values. Good. On the other hand, it is a testament to the intense anti-China sentiment that has taken over Washington in the age of Donald Trump — a sentiment that is bound to linger beyond his administration and change the tenor of relationships across the planet.

Mitch's House  

The GOP-controlled US Senate is not supposed to pass bills that wreck a Republican President's agenda, especially in this age of Trump. But it did.

Both the Xinjiang and Hong Kong bills were passed by unanimous consent (UC). That means that bill was not brought to the floor by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as bills normally are. Instead, under UC any Senator can bring a bill to the floor, but any of the other 99 Senators can hold up the bill with a word.

In both the Xinjiang and Hong Kong bill's cases, not a single Senator stopped the passage of the legislation which gave both bills veto-proof majorities. 

"Train left the station and was moving full steam ahead, and the White House couldn't stop it," one Senate aide involved with the efforts to pass the Hong Kong bill told Business Insider. "The public sentiment in favor of Hong Kong and against China was too strong." 

McConnell couldn't stop the bills and risk looking weak when the legislation was likely forced through, and the White House couldn't find a Senator willing to stand up and stop its passage. Compare that to a bill condemning the Armenian genocide, which — in part as an effort to placate the Turkish government — the White House has been able to stop three separate times using three different Senators over the past few weeks.

Sources on Capitol Hill told Business Insider that members of both houses were too afraid of looking weak on China to stop the bill. After all, for years the Trump administration has made it clear that the rivalry between the US and China was to intensify on virtually every front, attacking individual Chinese companies and the government alike.

"Trump stirred up an anti-China fever among Republicans, so they're all looking for ways to f--k with China," one House Democratic source told Business Insider, citing Congresses move to ban the purchase of Chinese made buses and trains as an example. 

"But then [members of Congress] also realize that their districts stand to lose a lot of the trade war escalates," the person continued. "So they tried to balance that [with pleasing Trump]. But that can only last so long." 

Phase forever

You can be forgiven for not knowing exactly where we stand on "Phase 1" of the trade deal with China.

This week Bloomberg reported that the deal was close. Reuters said the Chinese are waiting for Trump to agree to roll back existing tariffs on Chinese goods. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC that the deal still lacked details, that what the parties had on paper was a view "from 40,000 feet."

The President himself said he may postpone the deal until after the 2020 elections (if he's reelected), and finally the Wall Street Journal reported Jared Kushner — the President's son-in-law, advisor, and White House patron saint of hopeless causes —  has added pushing "Phase 1" past the finished line to his seemingly ever-growing list of duties.

It's exhausting and all roads lead to virtually nowhere. Here's the most optimistic scenario: The White House will not increase tariffs on China on December 15th, meaning "Phase 1" could materialize, if not this month, then next quarter. But it would require Donald "Tariff Man" Trump to roll back tariffs on China — something we have yet to see him do.

"We may have a deal, we may have a punt, I don't think we'll have a blow up," Leland Miller, founder of private Chinese business survey, China Beige Book, told Business Insider. 

And then there are the pessimists, who know that —whatever happens next — the game is over. One former US State Department official who spent their career in Asia assumed the passage of the Hong Kong and Xinjiang bills meant Trump had given up on a deal all-together.

"There is not going to be a trade deal," they said. "Someone should tell the markets."

SEE ALSO: White you weren't looking the trade war with China went off the rails

Join the conversation about this story »

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• On Thursday, General Motors and LG Chemannounced that they will split ownership of a battery-production joint venture.
• Demand for batteries is set to rise dramatically over the next decade as automakers increase electric-vehicle production. 
• GM may have opted for a joint venture over merely continuing to buy batteries from LG Chem because it wanted to have more control over its battery supply, said David Whiston, an industrials analyst at Morningstar.
• GM and LG Chem's factory also has the potential to achieve economies of scale and create cost savings for GM on what is the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, said Ed Kim, the vice president of industry analysis at AutoPacific.
• But the partnership is not without risks, including cultural differences, tariffs on exported batteries, and lower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.
• Sign up for Business Insider's transportation newsletter, Shifting Gears, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On Thursday, General Motors and LG Chem announced that they will split ownership of a battery-production joint venture, deepening their existing relationship. LG Chem, one of the leading suppliers of lithium-ion batteries, makes batteries for GM's Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchback.

The companies will invest up to $2.3 billion in the joint venture and, starting in the middle of next year, they plan to begin construction of a battery factory in Lordstown, Ohio, where GM idled (and later sold) a vehicle-assembly plant earlier this year. The plant was a point of contention in the 50-day strike at GM's US factories led by the United Auto Workers in September and October.

Demand for batteries is set to rise dramatically over the next decade as automakers increase electric-vehicle production. Competitors, like Volkswagen and Toyota, have also announced battery-focused joint ventures this year, and Tesla has operated a battery factory with Panasonic since 2016. 

"It seems like, eventually, every automaker may have to do this," said David Whiston, an industrials analyst at Morningstar.

The joint venture will give GM a more stable battery supply

GM may have opted for a joint venture over merely continuing to buy batteries from LG Chem because it wanted to have more control over its battery supply, Whiston said. The automaker plans to release 20 electric vehicles by 2023, and doesn't want to face a situation where a battery shortage could force it to delay deliveries, he added. GM will have first access to the Ohio plant's output, which would not necessarily be the case if it were buying batteries from a factory operated by a supplier that worked with other automakers.

GM and LG Chem's factory also has the potential to achieve economies of scale and create cost savings for GM on what is the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, said Ed Kim, the vice president of industry analysis at AutoPacific. UBS estimated last year that batteries made by Panasonic at Tesla's Nevada factory were less expensive, per kilowatt-hour, than any competing batteries, including those made by LG Chem. GM and LG Chem on Thursday highlighted a plan to develop battery technology as another potential route to lower costs.

But there are cultural and economic risks

But the partnership is not without risks. There is always the chance that large companies will be culturally incompatible, and when each company has an equal stake in a partnership, decision-making can be difficult, said Jessica Caldwell, the executive director of insights at Edmunds.

There are also potential concerns that lie beyond GM and LG Chem's control. Many of GM's upcoming electric vehicles will be sold in China, and there are questions over whether batteries imported from the US would be subject to tariffs, Whiston said. And demand for electric vehicles may not increase as fast as GM expects, though the joint venture could serve as a hedge against the risk of low demand, Kim said, as GM could potentially sell the batteries it doesn't use to competitors.

• Read more:
• Photos showed Tesla Supercharger stations faced long lines during holiday travel, revealing a big hurdle for EV makers
• The Tesla Cybertruck is the first stainless-steel vehicle since the ill-fated DeLorean — here's a closer look at both
• The Carpocalypse is here — automakers are set to cull 80,000 jobs in the next few years
• Uber's CEO says he never sought the job, and that encapsulates his best advice for young people: Don't overplan your life

SEE ALSO: McDonald's is teaming up with Ford to recycle coffee residue into car parts

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The chicken biscuit just might be the new chicken sandwich, and chains are trying to get in on the action.
• I compared the new chicken biscuits from McDonald's and Wendy's against the Chick-fil-A original to see if they could compete.
• I found that while McDonald's has a decent biscuit and Wendy's has decent chicken, Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit is much better in every way.
• Here's how they compared:
• Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Chicken has been the hottest item on fast food menus this year.

Ever since Popeyes took a giant bite out of the chicken sandwich market, other chains have been scrambling to get a piece of the pie. Now, chains are hoping that the chicken biscuit will be the next chicken sandwich.

Wendy's is releasing a maple chicken biscuit as part of its upcoming breakfast menu, and McDonald's is adding chicken to its breakfast menu, both in 2020. McDonald's is testing a McChicken biscuit in select markets but hasn't announced which chicken items it's planning to add next year.

Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit has been a menu mainstay since 1985 and has singlehandedly carved Chick-fil-A a hefty piece of the fast-food breakfast sector. So can these brand-new buttery bites compete with the champion of breakfast chicken biscuits?

In order to find out, I ate all three. Here's how they compared:

SEE ALSO: Popeyes' new chicken sandwich convinced us that we never need to go back to Chick-fil-A

I went to my local McDonald's, Wendy's, and Chick-fil-A restaurants and ordered their respective chicken biscuits.

From left to right: McDonald's McChicken biscuit, Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit, and Wendy's maple butter chicken biscuit.

McDonald's biscuit costs $3.19 before tax, Chick-fil-A's costs $3.79 before tax, and Wendy's costs $2.59 before tax.

From the top, the biscuits looked largely the same. Wendy's was the only biscuit that didn't feel crispy.

Opened up, it was obvious McDonald's had the flattest, most processed patty. Chick-fil-A's chicken was tall and natural, and Wendy's wasn't bad-looking either.

McDonald's has previously had other chicken biscuits on its menu, but the McChicken biscuit is the first to grace its breakfast in a while.

One of the best parts of McDonald's breakfast is its buttery, crumbly biscuit.

And in this sandwich, the biscuit does most of the heavy lifting. It's got a satisfying crunch and buttery texture.

But the McChicken inside the biscuit tastes like it's just been slapped on with no thought or effort.

Together, they make a salty, dry, and ultimately disappointing sandwich.

While the biscuit is satisfying, the McChicken on a biscuit feels cheap, lazy, and confusing. McDonald's chicken lovers deserve better.

But if McDonald's makes a "B"-plus biscuit, Chick-fil-A's baked breakfast bread is valedictorian.

While chicken is something of a side hustle for McDonald's, it's Chick-fil-A's main thing.

So it's no surprise that I let out an audible "mmmmm" as soon as I bit into the buttery crust of this biscuit.

The softness of the chicken is enmeshed beautifully with the crunchiness of the chicken thanks to a generous pat of melted butter.

The tart pickle-brined flavor of the chicken really shines through, while the light sprinkle of black pepper in its coating adds a little something extra.

Sure, Popeyes may have a better chicken sandwich. But Chick-fil-A has the chicken biscuit.

There's a lot at stake for Wendy's when it comes to the chicken biscuit.

Every time Wendy's has tried to launch breakfast, McDonald's has combated those efforts. So when Wendy's announced it'd launch a new breakfast menu complete with chicken, McDonald's naturally decided to add chicken breakfast items soon after.

Wendy's biscuit has a great flavor concept. Maple butter is unique and tastes wonderful on fried chicken and a biscuit.

However, Wendy's biscuit itself is by far the weakest of the three — so much so I'm not even sure it qualifies as a biscuit.

It's mushy, not at all crispy, and even kind of chewy, which a biscuit shouldn't be.

Wendy's sandwich has strong potential, but it's being held back by its below-average biscuit.

So how do fast-food's chicken biscuits stack up? Well, Chick-fil-A's is clearly on top.

Wendy's has decent chicken and McDonald's has a decent biscuit, but their sandwiches are overall much, much worse than Chick-fil-A's.

Maybe if they made love, not war, they could build a better chicken sandwich.

• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore an ensemble inspired by the Statue of Liberty during the Miss Universe National Costume Show. 
• Her outfit looked strikingly similar to the dress Sandra Bullock wore in the film "Miss Congeniality," in which she plays an FBI agent who went undercover as a pageant queen. 
• Kryst told the New York Post that her outfit paid homage to Lady Liberty, Lady Justice, Rosie the Riveter, and Maya Angelou. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

From a soccer uniform to a cannabis leaf, there were plenty of showstopping national costumes during the Miss Universe preliminaries this weekend. 

But some eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that Miss USA Cheslie Kryst's national costume looked very similar to another famous pageant moment. 

Kryst, 28, looked like a golden Statue of Liberty thanks to her torch and crown, which shot confetti. 

The look was strikingly similar to the ensemble Sandra Bullock wore in the 2000 hit film "Miss Congeniality," in which she plays an FBI agent who goes undercover as a pageant queen. 

During the finals of the Miss United States pageant in the film, Bullock and her fellow pageant queens wear Lady Liberty outfits complete with crowns and torches. 

While Kryst's national costume for the Miss Universe pageant wasn't inspired by Gracie Hart (Bullock's character), it did pay homage to quite a few powerful women. 

Miss USA told the New York Post that her costume, which was designed by Martin Izquierdo, has references to Rosie the Riveter, Maya Angelou, Lady Justice, and Lady Liberty (of course). 

"I wanted to think of a way to combine several iconic American women into one costume," Kryst said. 

Rosie the Riveter, a cultural icon of World War II, inspired Kryst's headband and gown, the latter of which was made from denim and painted gold. 

"She represents power and empowerment and how women contribute to society," Kryst told the Post. 

Kryst said her massive wings were inspired by Angelou's autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and symbolized "creativity and authenticity."

Kryst told the Post that her costume made her "feel powerful." 

"It's pretty, but it means something," she said. "I get to wear a dress, and all of a sudden we're talking about the history of the Statue of Liberty and Lady Justice."

• Read more:
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst helped free a man sentenced to life in prison for a drug offense and says marijuana should be legal
• Meet the 90 contestants competing to be Miss Universe 2019
• Miss Universe Catriona Gray believes it's easier to learn how to walk in high heels with a taller heel, and top runway coaches agree
• Miss Universe and Miss USA reveal how they did their makeup without any mirrors right before going onstage for the final competition

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The 2019 Miss Universe pageant was held at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday. 
• The contestants wore a variety of outfits during the competition, including a swimwear or athletic look, an evening gown, and a final piece for the night.
• Many of the contestants used fashion as a way to show off their unique styles.
• Miss France, for example, channeled the 1920s in a tiered gown, while Miss Colombia opted for a dress with daring cutouts.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Shweta Sekhon, Miss Malaysia, wore a floral ensemble that included a table covered in food.

The 22-year-old model and hockey player paid tribute to Malaysia's Peranakan culture with her national costume.

Vartika Singh of India looked stunning in a red-and-gold outfit.

The contestant is 26 years old and has a master's degree in public health.

Mariana Jesica Varela, Miss Argentina, dazzled in a beaded outfit, crown, and feathered attachment.

The 23-year-old aims to promote equality around the world and end gender-based violence.

Shubila Stanton of Tanzania stepped onstage wearing a three-dimensional costume that looked like armor.

The 23-year-old is all about the environment and hopes to combat climate change.

From Ukraine, Anastasiia Subbota wore a green dress that featured rounded wings and a large hat.

The 26-year-old model frequently works with organizations that support veterans, children, and people coping with mental health issues.

Priya Serrao, Miss Australia, donned a sleeveless gown and feathered bracelets.

Serrao is 27 years old and the first Indian-Australian to be crowned Miss Universe Australia.

Lora Asenova of Bulgaria looked glamorous in a baby-pink dress with a sheer bodice made of flowers.

The 25-year-old has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in e-business.

Barbora Hodačová, Miss Czech Republic, hit the stage in a blue minidress embellished with leaves and a long train.

When she's not competing in pageants or studying law, Hodačová works with a children's cancer foundation.

Bilgi Aydogmus, Miss Turkey, donned a regal red-and-gold dress with a matching crown.

The 23-year-old contestant graduated from the Istanbul University Faculty of Law, and now works to protect children's rights.

Bria Smith, Miss British Virgin Islands, was surrounded by pink flowers while wearing a sparkling gown.

The 26-year-old currently works as an adjunct lecturer and advocate for the preservation of her home nation.

Maëva Coucke from France invoked the 1920s in a tiered gown with rows of sparkling fringe.

The 25-year-old currently works as France's secretary of equality between women and men.

Cheslie Kryst of the United States sparkled in a baby-pink jumpsuit.

At 28 years old, Kryst works as an attorney, television host, and fashion blogger.

Kryst later took the stage in a snakeskin bikini and tan heels.

The contestant also wore a black cape covered in colorful writing and drawings.

Gabriela Tafur Nader, Miss Colombia, wore one of the most daring gowns of the night: a long-sleeved blue dress with two cutouts at the waist.

Nader is a 24-year-old lawyer who's been granted the keys to five cities in Colombia.

Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa, rocked the swimsuit portion in a colorful two-piece and cape.

The 26-year-old contestant is passionate about ending gender-based violence and stereotypes.

The pageant winner also turned heads in a bedazzled, baby-blue minidress with a halter-style top.

She paired the outfit with dangling earrings and her country's sash.

Sylvie Silva of Portugal opted for a sleeveless dress with sparkling fringe and a thigh-high slit.

The 20-year-old contestant has plans to pursue a career in landscape architecture. 

Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir, Miss Iceland, chose a white-and-gold minidress.

At 20 years old, Þórhallsdóttir is the first-ever biracial winner of Miss Universe Iceland. 

• Read more:
• What 13 Miss Universe contestants look like without makeup
• Behind-the-scenes photos show how Miss Universe 2019 contestants get ready for the world-famous pageant
• Here's how Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss America are different
• 37 showstopping looks from the Miss USA pageant over the years

• Comedian Steve Harvey made a joke about cartels while speaking to Miss Colombia Gabriela Tafur Náder onstage at the 2019 Miss Universe pageant. 
• Harvey had been discussing his infamous 2015 gaffe, when he incorrectly named Miss Colombia the new Miss Universe instead of Miss Philippines, before he made the joke. 
• When Náder told Harvey that her country had forgiven his mistake, he said: "The cartel hasn't forgiven me." 
• It was Harvey's second joke of the night about Colombian cartels. Many on Twitter called him out, calling his jokes "ignorant" and "absolutely disrespectful." 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Steve Harvey isn't embarrassed about his infamous Miss Universe 2015 gaffe, and wanted everyone to know that when he took the stage as host once against for the 2019 competition on Sunday night. 

But the host began trending on Twitter yet again when he made a cartel joke while talking to Miss Colombia. 

Miss Colombia Gabriela Tafur Náder referenced Harvey's 2015 mistake, when he announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the next Miss Universe when Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach had actually won the competition, after he revealed she had made the top 20. 

"Are you sure?" she joked. "Should I go back?" 

Harvey said "Yes, look," and then spelled out Colombia. When Náder told Harvey that her country had forgiven his mistake, he said: "The cartel hasn't forgiven me." 

The joke didn't sit well with many viewers, who took to Twitter to express their disappointment in Harvey. 

Colombian actor Andres Simon said Harvey was the "worst host ever," calling his joke "ignorant" and "absolutely disrespectful." 

"Worst host ever @IAmSteveHarvey, absolutely disrepectful the joke of the 'Cartels'. We are a great country full of good people and we don't deserve that image anymore," Simon wrote in the tweet. "Surprising how ignorant a host can be, recommend you to open a book once in a while. Joke a out of place!" 

One viewer said Harvey's joke was all the more tone-deaf as it preceded Miss Colombia's package video, in which she discussed her work to fight violence in her country.

The moment wasn't Harvey's first cartel joke of the night. At the beginning of the pageant final, during his opening monologue, Harvey discussed his error in 2015 and said "Colombia's gotten over that." 

"They've forgiven me," he continued. "Well, not all of them. The cartel's still tripping a little bit." 

Popular culture in the US has a long history of associating Colombia with Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel that he created in 1976.

Escobar died in 1993, but his influence continues to be seen in everything from the popular Netflix show "Narcos" to references of Colombian violence and drugs in "Modern Family,""Family Guy," and "Entourage." 

• Read more:
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore a Statue of Liberty dress that looked like something straight out of 'Miss Congeniality' to compete in Miss Universe 2019
• Miss Universe and Miss USA reveal how they did their makeup without any mirrors right before going onstage for the final competition
• Miss Universe Catriona Gray believes it's easier to learn how to walk in high heels with a taller heel, and top runway coaches agree
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst helped free a man sentenced to life in prison for a drug offense and says marijuana should be legal

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Zozibini Tunzi was named Miss Universe 2019 at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday.
• The 26-year-old hails from South Africa, and spends her time working as an activist.
• Her biggest passions are ending gender-based violence, and promoting natural beauty amongst women.
• Ninety women competed for the coveted title this year.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Zozibini Tunzi took home the 2019 Miss Universe title at the annual beauty pageant on Sunday, held this year at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Hailing from South Africa, the 26-year-old pageant winner is the first black woman from her country to wear the Miss Universe crown. She works as an activist, and is particularly passionate about fighting gender-based violence. Natural beauty is also important to Tunzi, who believes women should "love themselves the way they are," according to the Miss Universe website.

After being named the winner, Tunzi pressed her hands together against her head and grinned.

She was then presented with the Miss Universe sash, which was placed over her sparkling, long-sleeved gown.

Of course, the Miss Universe crown followed. Tunzi looked emotional as Catriona Gray — who previously served as Miss Philippines and Miss Universe 2018 — placed the crown upon her head.

This year's crown is called the "Power of Unity," according to a video from Mouawad Jewelry.

It's made with 18-karat gold and 1,770 diamonds, including a golden centerpiece stone weighing 62.83 carats, according to Rappler. The floral design of the crown is meant to represent unity among women from all seven continents, while the crown as a whole was inspired by "nature, strength, beauty, femininity, and unity," according to Mouawad's video.

Miss South Africa looked stunning in the headpiece, and its center stone perfectly matched her golden dress.

She was up against Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Mexico, who took home second and third place respectively.

Read more:

• Meet the 90 contestants competing to be Miss Universe 2019
• What 13 Miss Universe contestants look like without makeup
• Behind-the-scenes photos show how Miss Universe 2019 contestants get ready for the world-famous pageant
• The wildest outfits in the history of Miss Universe's National Costume Show

Join the conversation about this story »

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• This is a preview of the AR in Social Media research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• 14-Day Risk Free Trial: Get full access to this and all Apps & Platforms industry research reports.

Augmented reality's (AR's) ability to link our digital and physical worlds is transforming the way brands engage with consumers on social media. Digital titans Snapchat and Facebook are monetizing consumers' love for AR with ads and branded experiences, opening the door for brands to use a new means of creativity and immersive storytelling to reach consumers in a way they appreciate and respond to.

While the use of AR in social media is still in early stages, the immersive technology is already becoming impossible for brands to ignore. This fun, memorable, and convenient way to merge a brand into consumers' lives is catalyzing the way brands escalate converted sales, drive consumer engagement, and lift brand awareness.

With AR ads expected to generate over $13 billion in revenue by 2022, and, as a result, account for over 12% of all mobile ad revenue by that year, it's crucial brands map out their AR strategies now to secure an early-mover advantage. 

In the AR in Social MediaReport, Business Insider Intelligence dives into the growing social media AR ecosystem; explores why brands should integrate AR into their ads and branded experiences; outlines how brands are benefiting from embracing this new, immersive form of content delivery; and probes what's ahead for the space.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• The number of mobile AR users is expected to have grown 100% year-over-year (YoY) in 2018 to pass 1 billion, and social media is quickly becoming consumers' go-to channel for mobile AR experiences. 
• Consumers' viral acceptance of AR in social media underscores why brands need to embrace the technology to enhance their social strategies, and it's already proving to be an effective channel for engaging consumers and expanding their reach.
• There are three clear goals brands are striving to achieve when implementing AR in their social media strategies: escalate converted sales and downloads, drive consumer engagement, and lift brand awareness. 
• Additionally, there are numerous indications that the technology will improve in the near future, which will play a chief role in driving brands' AR usage within social media. 

In full, the report:

• Sizes mobile AR adoption in social media and identifies the factors driving uptake among both consumers and brands. 
• Details how brands stand to benefit from leveraging AR in social media and offers an inside look into how it has played a role in helping brands achieve their goals. 
• Provides an overview of a trends that will heighten the social media AR experience and supercharge the opportunity for brands in the years to come. 

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now
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The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you've given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the rapidly growing social media AR ecosystem

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• Steve Harvey appeared to call the wrong name while announcing the winner of the National Costume Show at the Miss Universe 2019 pageant on Sunday. 
• Harvey announced that the winner was Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados, and a photo of Ganados in her national costume was shown in the broadcast. 
• But then the show cut to Harvey next to Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon, who was in a very different costume and told the comedian he had made an error. 
• Harvey said that the teleprompter had given him the wrong name, much like when he called the wrong name while announcing the winner of Miss Universe 2015. 
• But a representative for the Miss Universe Organization confirmed to Insider that Harvey actually said the correct name and that Ganados did win the contest. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Steve Harvey has once again found himself at the center of confusion on the Miss Universe stage. 

The comedian repeatedly mentioned his infamous blunder from 2015, in which he incorrectly named Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez as the winner instead of Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach. 

But history repeated itself, or at least appeared to, during Miss Universe 2019 on Sunday. 

Harvey had taken the stage to announce the winner of the National Costume Show, a preliminary portion of the pageant in which the contestants wear an ensemble that represents their country. 

The preliminary contest, which took place on Friday, does not account for the women's scores to make the top 20. 

But a winner is still selected from the extravagant display, and this year Harvey revealed it was Miss Philippines. 

The broadcast of the pageant then showed a photo of Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados in her national costume. 

But when the broadcast cut back to Harvey, he was standing alongside Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon, who was in a very different costume. 

"It's not Philippines," she told him. "It's Malaysia." 

Harvey, clearly confused, said he had merely read what was on the teleprompter. 

"Well… let me explain something to you. I just read that in a teleprompter," he said. "You all quit doing this to me. I can read this. They are trying to fix it now. This is what they did to me back in 2015." 

"This is Malaysia," he continued. "I really love this National Costume of Malaysia. This is crazy." 

A representative for the Miss Universe Organization confirmed to Insider that Ganados did actually win the Miss Universe 2019 National Costume competition.

A source close to the Miss Universe Organization told Insider that Sekhon was also being featured in the broadcast so that viewers could find out more about her elaborate costume, but she was not aware that Ganados' name would be called first — prompting the confusion. 

The same source said neither Harvey, the prompter, or producers had made a mistake. They added that Harvey made a joke of the situation "so as not to embarrass" Sekhon. 

Sekhon still got her moment in the spotlight as she explained the meaning behind her national costume. 

The gown pays tribute to Malaysia's Peranakan culture, and features trays of Peranakan treats. The dress, which weighs 61 pounds, took three months to complete.

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Peranakan refers to "a native-born person of mixed local and foreign ancestry" in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that "there are several kinds of Peranakans, namely Peranakan Chinese, Peranakan Arabs, Peranakan Dutch, and Peranakan Indians," though the term Peranakan is mostly used by scholars to refer to the Peranakan Chinese as they "form the largest and most important group."

Peranakan cuisine combines Chinese ingredients with spices from Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Culture Trip.

After Sekhon finished, Harvey admitted he was scared to say her name for fear he would mess up again. 

"Thank you, Malaysia," he added. "An outfit that nice, you ought to wear it again."

• Read more:
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore a Statue of Liberty dress that looked like something straight out of 'Miss Congeniality' to compete in Miss Universe 2019
• The 18 best looks the Miss Universe 2019 contestants wore to compete in the pageant
• The wildest outfits in the history of Miss Universe's National Costume Show
• Meet the 90 contestants competing to be Miss Universe 2019

Join the conversation about this story »

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Now the largest generation worldwide, Gen Z accounts for nearly 68 million people in the US alone. As Gen Zers age, financial services providers will be increasingly pressed to shift focus to the burgeoning demographic.

As digital natives, Gen Zers are more receptive to influence from friends and family than traditional advertising. For marketers, strategists, and developers, understanding Gen Z's unique needs — and creating and marketing products accordingly — will be critical to reaping their value.

In Financial Services: 6 Key Attributes to Attract Gen Z, Business Insider Intelligence provides a six-point framework that highlights core traits of the demographic, which banks and payments firms can use to attract, engage, and retain Gen Zers.

This exclusive report can be yours for FREE today.

As an added bonus, you'll receive a free preview of our Banking Pro Briefing.

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• 34-year-old Sanna Marin will soon be the world's youngest sitting prime minister. 
• Marin was selected by Finland's Social Democratic party on Sunday to take over as the country's leader after former Prime Minister Antti Rinne resigned last week. 
• Marin formerly served as Finland's Minister of Transport and Communications. 
• Marin's age and progressive politics, along with the fact that she is a new mom, have garnered comparisons to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

34-year-old Sanna Marin, formerly Finland's Minister of Transport and Communications, will soon make history as the country's youngest prime minister ever. 

Marin was selected by her Social Democratic party on Sunday to take over as the country's leader after former Prime Minister Antti Rinne resigned last week. She will become the world's youngest sitting prime minister once she takes office this week.

Marin will also become Finland's third female prime minister.

The Social Democrats are the largest party in the country's governing coalition. Marin told reporters that she would work to rebuild trust within the coalition after a postal strike shook confidence in Rinne's leadership.

"We have a lot of work ahead to rebuild trust,"Marin told reporters.

The other parties in Finland's coalition government are also led by women, several of whom are under the age of 35. 

Marin joins other young world leaders, including 39-year-old Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, and 35-year-old Oleksiy Honcharuk, the prime minister of Ukraine. 

Marin's age and progressive politics, along with the fact that she is a new mom, have garnered comparisons to Arden.

Marin entered into politics at age 27, becoming the head of the City Council in her hometown of Tampere. 

"I have never thought about my age or gender, I think of the reasons I got into politics and those things for which we have won the trust of the electorate," she said. 

Her designation comes as several of the country's largest companies plan to strike on Monday, Reuters said. The strike is estimated to result in a loss of about 500 million euros ($550 million), according to the Confederation of Finnish Industries.

SEE ALSO: The youngest national leaders in the world, ranked by age

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

In recent years, we've seen a ballooning of activity in fintech — an expansive term applied to technology-driven disruptions in financial services. And 2018 has been no different, with fintechs' staggering influence on the market evidenced by record funding levels for the industry — by Q3 2018, overall funding was already up 82% from 2017’s total figure, according to CB Insights.

Additionally, this year marked a watershed moment for the industry, with the once clear distinction between fintechs and financial services proper now blurred significantly. Virtually every incumbent financial institution (FI) is now looking inward and engaging in an innovation drive, spurred on by competition from fintechs. As such, incumbents are now actively investing in, acquiring, and collaborating with their fintech rivals.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence details recent developments in fintech funding and regulation that are defining the environment these startups operate in. We also examine the business model changes being employed among different categories of fintechs as they strive to embed themselves further in mainstream finance and prove sustainability. Finally, we consider which elements of the fintech industry are rapidly rubbing off on incumbent financial services providers, and what the future of fintech will look like.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Funding Circle, GreenSky, Transferwise, Ant Financial, Nubank, Cellulant, Oscar Health, Stripe, One97, UiPath, LianLian Pay, Wacai.com, Gusto, Toast, PingPong, Flywire, Deposit Solutions, Root, Robinhood, Atom, N26, Revolut, OneConnect, PolicyBazaar, WeCash, Zurich, OneDegree, Dinghy, Vouch Insurance, Laka, Cleo, Ernit, Monzo, Moneybox, Bud, Tandem, Starling, Varo Money, Square, ING, Chase, AmEx, Amazon, Monese, Betterment, Tiller Investments, West Hill Capital, Square, Ameritrade, JPMorgan, eToro, Lendy, OnDeck, Ripple, Quorom, Chain, Coinbase, Fidelity, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Bank of America, TransferGo, Klarna, Western Union, Veriff, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Canada, Facebook, ThreatMetrix, Relx, Entersekt, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Gemalto, Lloyd's of London, Kingdom Trust, Aviva, Symbility LINK, eTrade, Allianz, AXA, Broadridge, TD Bank, First Republic Bank, BBVA Compass, Capital One, Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, Ally, Goldman Sachs.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Fintech funding has already reached new highs globally in 2018, with overall funding hitting $32.6 billion at the end of Q3.
• Some new regions, including South America and Africa, are emerging on the fintech scene.
• We've seen considerable scaling in older corners of the fintech ecosystem, including among neobanks and alt lenders.
• Some fintechs, including a number of insurtechs, have dipped into new markets to escape heightened competition.
• Emergent areas like blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT), as well as digital identity, are gaining traction.
• Many incumbents are undertaking business transformations that aim to reimagine everything from products and services to front-end systems and back-end processes.

 In full, the report:

• Details the funding and regulatory landscape in the US, Europe, and Asia.
• Gives an overview into a number of fintech segments and how they've changed over the past year.
• Discusses how incumbents are reacting to fintechs in order to stay relevant in the changing financial services sector.
• Evaluates what the future of fintech will look like and what trends to look out for in the coming year.
  

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	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
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SEE ALSO: How the largest US financial institutions rank on offering the mobile banking features customers value most

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Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Monday.

1. Elon Musk won the defamation trial over his "pedo guy" tweet."My faith in humanity is restored," Musk said after the verdict was announced.
2. Reddit released the most upvoted posts of 2019, and it shows how much trolling is part of the platform's culture. Included in the list of top posts are a timely dad joke, a wholesome cartoon, and a random stream of consciousness.
3. China has ordered all non-Chinese PCs and software be removed from government offices within the next three years, the Financial Times reports. Chinese government agencies have to replace 30% of foreign equipment by next year, followed by 50% in 2021, then 20% in 2022.
4. TikTok's chief is heading to Washington to defend the video-sharing platform against censorship and privacy concerns as lawsuits and investigations pile up.The US government is currently investigating TikTok over concerns about its ties to China because its parent company, ByteDance, is based there.
5. Homeland Security is walking back its plans to use facial recognition on US citizens traveling internationally. Facial recognition scanning is already a requirement for non-citizens who travel in the US.
6. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out Trump after news that Amazon plans to hire 1,500 employees in New York City. In February Amazon cancelled its HQ2 plans to add 25,000 jobs in New York, and laid the blame with local politicians such as Ocasio-Cortez opposing the deal.
7. Snapchat is launching a feature that essentially deepfakes users' selfies onto gifs, TechCrunch reports. The feature is called "cameo" and is an alternative to Bitmojis.
8. Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz is reportedly looking at a direct listing for his $1.5 billion startup Asana to go public next year. According to the FT, Asana has hired Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase to advise on its listing.
9. A top US Marine said young troops should not be blamed for using TikTok. Gen. David Berger said it was the army's responsibility to educate younger troops about the risks of technology.
10. Cybersecurity insiders say big companies use NDAs to hide data breaches, potentially avoiding millions of dollars in fines. One cybersecurity employee told Business Insider a major international law firm suffered a hack where its webcams were hijacked to listen in on sensitive meetings for weeks on end.

Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear 10 Things in Tech each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.

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• At least five people are dead and several others injured after one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes erupted on Monday afternoon local time, sending huge plumes of smoke into the sky. 
• New Zealand's geological monitoring agency, GeoNet, said the eruption began at around 2:11 p.m. on Whakaari, also known as White Island.
• According to the agency, the volcano sent ash plumes 12,000 feet into the air. 
• New Zealand police officials said, around 6 p.m. on the night of the explosion, that the area is too dangerous for rescuers to try to retrieve anybody. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

At least five people are dead and several others were injured after one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes erupted on Monday, sending huge plumes of smoke into the sky. 

The eruption occurred at Whakaari, also known as White Island, which is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the east coast of country's North Island.

According to New Zealand's geological monitoring agency, GeoNet, the eruption began at around 2:11 p.m. local time.

Activity at the volcano diminished after the short-lived eruption.

At a press conference around 6 p.m. local time, New Zealand Police confirmed that at least five people died, while others were being treated in nearby hospitals for burns. 

Police added it is still too early to confirm how many people are involved and how many people are still on the island. 

Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said that the volcano is currently too unstable for rescuers to enter.

"It is important that we consider the health and safety of those who are going to rescue those on the island," said Tims.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said that about 100 people were believed to have been on the island when the volcano erupted, according to the New Zealand Herald. That figure was around double an earlier estimate of 50 given by police.. 

"All our thoughts are with those affected at this stage," Ardern said on Monday afternoon after a cabinet meeting. 

New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency said that the immediate vicinity of the volcano remains hazardous.

GeoNet said the volcano sent ash plumes 12,000 feet into the air. 

A no-fly zone has been established above the island. 

According to GNS Science, New Zealand's geoscience agency, White Island has been New Zealand's most continuously active volcano for the last 40 years. 

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• Boris Johnson says he would stop EU migrants treating Britain "as their own" if he wins the election.
• The prime minister has vowed to introduce a points-based immigration system after Brexit which would award visas based on the perceived skill level of migrants.
• Johnson guaranteed that this system would reduce immigration.
• He told Sky News: "You've seen quite a large number of people coming in from the whole of the EU — 580 million population — able to treat the UK as though it's basically part of their own country..."
• However, experts have questioned the proposals and Johnson's opponents accused him of "demonising" EU citizens.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Boris Johnson has vowed to stop European migrants treating the United Kingdom "as their own country" if he wins this week's general election.

The prime minister on Sunday told Sky News:"You've seen quite a large number of people coming in from the whole of the EU — 580 million population — able to treat the UK as though it's basically part of their own country and the problem with that is there has been no control at all and I don't think that is democratically accountable."

He added: "You have got to have a system by which politicians can say to people, 'Well, yes, we are letting people in but we are doing it in a way that is controlled and checked'."

The prime minister has promised to reduce net migration if returned to Downing Street.

To do this, he has said he would introduce a points-based system of the sort used in Australia, under which migrants wishing to come to the UK would be given one of three visas depending on their perceived skill level.

Johnson said migrants with "exceptional talents" would be given the most rights to live and work in the UK. Skilled workers, like those in the NHS, would be permitted to move to the UK as long as they had jobs waiting for them. The third group, "unskilled" workers, would be given short-stay visas to work in sectors suffering from shortages.

The Migration Advisory Committee, the independent body that advises ministers on migration policy, would have the power to decide how many migrants each sector needs.

Johnson guaranteed that this system would reduce the number of immigrants after Britain leaves the EU, telling Ridge: "Yes, I can make sure that numbers will come down because we'll be able to control the system in that way."

Experts question Johnson's immigration plans

However, experts have questioned Johnson's proposals and criticised his framing of immigration.

Jonathan Portes, a professor at Kings College London, told the Guardian newspaper that the proposed system undervalued the skills of migrants and would lead to shortages in certain sectors.

"There's a damaging misconception in this debate that there's a binary divide between the brain surgeons and the people who pick strawberries – most ordinary immigrants are somewhere in between. Doing jobs that require skills but aren't necessarily highly skilled, and they would not pass this particular test," Portes said.

"Butchers, for example, or people who work in abattoirs – this is hard work and you need training. Most come from eastern Europe but are unlikely to make the highly skilled cut."

The Institute for Government think tank has previously expressed doubt that the UK Home Office, which is responsible for migration, could design and implement entire new immigration system in time for Brexit.

Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrats' Shadow Home Secretary, accused Johnson of "demonising" EU citizens who "contribute so much to our NHS, social care and economy"

She told Business Insider: "This dog-whistle politics is straight out of Nigel Farage or Donald Trump's playbook.

"Conservative plans to end free movement would mean fewer EU nurses and care workers, and fewer opportunities for UK citizens to move abroad.

"Neither Johnson or Corbyn are standing up for free movement and for the millions of EU nationals who are our friends, colleagues and neighbours. Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Boris, stop Brexit and build a brighter future for the country."

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• This is a preview of THE HEALTHCARE PAYMENTS REPORT from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Business Insider Intelligence offers even more healthcare coverage with Digital Health Pro. Subscribe today to receive industry-changing digital health news and analysis to your inbox.

The US healthcare payments market is enormous: Healthcare expenditure hit $3.65 trillion in 2018, per projections from CMS, and this spending is only expected to accelerate.

But the industry is at a tipping point. Better-informed and more critical customers, along with a push to combat the complex and opaque medical billing process, are creating demand for innovation in the healthcare payments space.

Despite a titanic market size and room for innovation, digital transformation is occurring incrementally at best. In fact, 90% of healthcare providers still leverage paper and manual processes for collections, according to data from a report commissioned by InstaMed and compiled by Qualtrics.

And even when healthcare providers offer digital solutions like online portals to customers (which 60% do), they seem to be falling short: While the majority of consumers claim they want to make appointments (68%), fill out registration forms (68%), and pay healthcare bills (61%) online, the share of consumers who actually do so hovers around 30% for those use cases. Discrepancies like these make healthcare payments a greenfield for lucrative digital innovation.

In The Healthcare Payments Report, Business Insider Intelligence looks at the healthcare payments process, including the types of healthcare payments, the stakeholders making them, where those payments are going, and what's driving change in the market. We then examine payments companies' innovations from the past year that address healthcare payments' most pressing challenges, analyze why they're lucrative, and discuss how other payments companies can learn from the innovations to furnish their own solutions.

The companies mentioned in this report are: InstaMed, JPMorgan, Liquid Payments, Patientco, Waystar

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• The US healthcare payments market is massive: Total US healthcare expenditure hit $3.65 trillion in 2018, per projections from The Office of the Actuary in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. For reference, consumers spent slightly less on retail purchases — $3.63 trillion — in 2018, per Internet Retailer.
• But healthcare payments innovation has failed to keep up with consumer demands due to providers' reliance on legacy processes, and this may be hurting providers' bottom lines. 
• Healthcare payments are complicated by the different stakeholders — providers, payers, and patients — that have a role in each transaction. These stakeholders' needs are shifting as the market changes: Consumers are taking a more active role in paying for their healthcare while states are pivoting toward a model that compensates providers based on the quality of their services rendered rather than the quantity.
• Some payments firms are successfully adapting to the shifting market by creating digital solutions that balance the evolving needs of the entire healthcare payment value chain. 

In full, the report:

• Outlines the structure of the current healthcare payments market.
• Analyzes the forces and stakeholders driving change in the market.
• Highlights companies that are implementing innovative solutions in the healthcare payments space, and offers key takeaways that other players can apply to their own approaches.

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• Photos and videos show a volcano in New Zealand erupting Monday. The blast has killed at least five people.
• Videos posted to Twitter show tourists on boats speeding away from White Island while smoke billows into the sky from the eruption.
• The volcano is a popular tourist destination. There were around 100 people on the island at the time of the eruption, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Shocking pictures and videos show the minutes after a volcano in New Zealand erupted Monday, killing at least five and injuring many more.

According to New Zealand's geological monitoring agency, GeoNet, the White Island volcano, also known as Whakaari, erupted around 2:11 p.m. local time, blasting a huge plume of smoke into the sky.

The volcano is a popular tourist destination and there were around 100 people on the island at the time of the eruption, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand Herald reported. Police had previously said around 50 people were on the island at the time.

Tourists posted pictures and videos of the eruption to social media, which can be seen below:

The eruption occurred at Whakaari, also known as White Island, which is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the east coast of country's North Island.

As the island is popular tourist attraction, large numbers of photographs and videos have emerged from the disaster. The picture below, taken by tourist Michael Schade, shows the volcano billowing smoke into the sky.

As the eruption began, tourists and guides fled the island on boats.

A huge cloud of smoke can be seen filling the air in this picture, posted to Twitter by Schade.

Videos posted to Twitter show boats speeding away from the island while crews tell passengers to leave the deck and go into the boat's cabin.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1203896534804422656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
WATCH: Dramatic video shows moment volcano erupts at White Island in New Zealand; an unknown number of people are missing pic.twitter.com/Ei8uMysms4

In the video below, also posted by Schade, a person can be heard exclaiming "No, no, no!"

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1203893996566634496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
My god, White Island volcano in New Zealand erupted today for first time since 2001. My family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable. #whiteislandpic.twitter.com/QJwWi12Tvt

(Contrary to Schade's post, the volcano also erupted in 2016.)

In another video, tourists can be seen waiting on a dock on the island, while the volcano erupts in the background.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1203944363434229761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Latest : via CNN
White Island volcano eruption: One dead, others missing in New Zealand - CNN https://t.co/sprAbcDz6l#NewZealandpic.twitter.com/KdUZpyMajT

People injured by the eruption were ferried to tourist vessels by rigid inflatable boats like the one pictured below.

In this photograph, a helicopter can be see waiting on the island, it appears to be covered in volcanic ash.

• A webcam photograph from the New Zealand geological hazards agency GeoNet shows a group of people inside the crater of a volcano moments before it erupted. 
• The eruption occurred at Whakaari, also known as White Island, which is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the east coast of country's North Island.
• New Zealand police confirmed in a press conference at 6 p.m. on Monday local time that at least five people are dead and many more are injured. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. 

A photograph from a webcam operated by the New Zealand geological hazards agency GeoNet shows a group of people inside the crater of the White Island volcano moments before it erupted. 

At a press conference around 6 p.m. local time, New Zealand Police confirmed that at least five people have died as a result of the eruption, while others were being treated in nearby hospitals for burns.

It is not clear whether the group of people inside the crater are among those killed or injured.

The still shows a pathway leading to the rim of the crater. A group of people can be seen walking along the path.

White smoke can also be seen rising from the rim of the crater. 

The time stamp on the still reads 02:10 p.m. — just one minute before the volcano erupted, according to timings given by GeoNet.

According to a Reuters report, images captured at 2:20 p.m. showed the crater floor black and a plume of black and gray smoke rising from the rim of the crater. 

The camera captures images of Whakaari every ten minutes live on its website. 

GeoNet has now suspended the broadcast of the webcam and removed the footage and the images from its website while rescue operations are underway. 

• Read more:
• At least 5 dead after a New Zealand volcano erupted unexpectedly, sending ash plumes 12,000 feet into the air
• Photos and videos show the huge volcanic eruption in New Zealand which killed at least 5 people

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NOW WATCH: Most maps of Louisiana aren't entirely right. Here's what the state really looks like.

• Tullow Oil, a British oil company, tanked on Monday morning after the company announced the resignation of its CEO and exploration director as well as cutting its production guidance. 
• Tullow's board also suspended its dividend.
• As of Friday's close, Tullow Oil's market cap was just under $1.2 billion (£890 million).
• The stock tanked 60% in the first hour of trading in London, wiping over $700 million (£534 million) from its market cap.
• View Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Tullow Oil, a British oil company, tanked on Monday morning after the company announced the resignation of its CEO and exploration director as well as cutting its production guidance. Tullow's board also suspended its dividend.

As of Friday's close, Tullow Oil was worth just under $1.2 billion (£890 million). The stock tanked 60% in the first hour of trading in London, wiping over $700 million (£534 million) from its market cap. 

The oil company announced on Monday that its CEO, Paul McDade, and Angus McCoss, exploration director resigned with immediate effect, and the firm will cut production guidance for this year and 2020.

"We are taking decisive action to restore performance, reduce our cost base and deliver sustainable free cash flow," the company said in a statement announcing the changes.

"A number of factors have been identified that have caused this reduction in production guidance," including "significantly reduced offtake of gas by the Ghana National Gas Company," as well as "increased water cut on some wells, and lower facility uptime," the company said in the statement. 

Dorothy Thompson will now move to the executive chair on a temporary basis among as part of other moves at the top of the company. 

Thompson added that the board was disappointed with the financial performance of the company and was reviewing operations.

"A full financial and operational update will be provided at Tullow's Full Year Results on 12 February 2020, with an update on progress to be given in the Group's Trading Statement on 15 January 2020."

Watch oil trade live here.

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