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• Moving is always stressful, but planning and buying the right supplies make it go a lot smoother.
• For my past two moves, I've ordered everything I need from U-Haul's online store, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for its convenience, comprehensiveness, and fast standard shipping.
• You can select one of U-Haul's moving kits that comes with all the supplies you'll need or choose supplies a la carte. I recommend the moving kits since the quantities of each item in them can be adjusted to best fit your moving and packing needs. 
• A more sustainable option for local and short-distance moves, U-Haul also rents reusable plastic moving boxes that you can pick up and return to the same U-Haul location. Learn more about this option.
• Read more: The best dolly carts and hand trucks

I've moved five times in the last decade, which might sound like too many times to many people, but probably not to New Yorkers and dwellers of other cities. Suffice it to say, I feel like a moving and packing pro at this point and have picked up some tips that I hope can help others with their future moves.

My best packing tip: get U-Haul's moving kits. These kits contain everything you need to pack, protect, and organize your belongings, and I've purchased them for my last two moves.

U-Haul has four options to choose from depending on the size of your space: the Apartment Kit, 1-2 Bedroom Kit, 3-4 Bedroom Household Kit, and the 4+ Bedroom Master Pak Moving Kit.

I went with the 1-2 bedroom kit for my most recent move in March 2020. Here's everything that comes in the kit:

• 15 small moving boxes 
• 25 medium moving boxes 
• 10 large moving boxes
• 3 large wardrobe boxes 
• 1 cushion foam
• 1 packing paper (100 sheets) 
• 1 dish saver kit 
• 1 glass pack kit
• 1 flat-screen TV cover 
• 3 box/packaging paper tape (55-yard roll)
• 1 box markers with knife
• 2 15' bubble wrap rolls
• 1 sealable mattress bag (queen/king size)
• 1 5" mover's stretch plastic wrap

You can adjust the quantities of each item in your moving kit. I didn't think I'd need 25 medium moving boxes, so I only ordered 10 but since I have a lot of dishes and two TVs, I got an extra dish saver kit and another flat-screen TV cover. I also always get more packing paper and tape than I think I'll use.

If you order the 1-2 bedroom kit without any modifications, it costs $196.24, plus tax. With all my customizations, the kit cost me $168.15, plus tax, and standard shipping was free since the order was over $50. 

What to expect in terms of quality

Everything in the kit arrived in perfect condition both times I used U-Haul.

U-Haul boxes are well made, sturdy, easy to unfold and tape together, and they have dedicated space for you to write what's inside them. They're also recyclable and reusable, but they end up being a one-use product for me since I don't have room to store them in my apartment. 

I especially appreciate the design of the wardrobe boxes, which make packing your closet a cinch. Each box includes a metal hanging bar for hanging up to 2 feet of closet space. 

Our senior home and kitchen editor, Jada Wong, also used U-Haul boxes when she moved this summer:

"I'd bought a ton of large plastic bins for my move, but once I ran out of those, my husband and I bought eight medium U-Haul boxes to finish the job. As Ellen said, the boxes are sturdy — they held plates, books, shoes, and general knick-knacks around my apartment without sagging at the bottom or breaking at the handles."

"We wound up using all eight (you'd be surprised how much you can accumulate in a small apartment), but if we didn't, we would've taken advantage of the Buyback option and gotten a refund for any unused boxes. Most of the boxes are still in decent shape after the move so we kept them around for storage — there's a handy 'second use' spot so you can write in the new contents." 

What to expect for shipping times

As far as shipping options go: U-Haul offers standard (5-10 business days), priority (2-3 business days), and express shipping (1-2 business days), but only standard shipping is free for orders over $50. Priority and express shipping can wind up being quite costly, depending on your shipping address. 

On U-Haul's FAQ page, the company's answer to "how long will it take to get my moving supply order" is as follows: "Orders placed before 10:00 a.m. (CST) will be processed and shipped the same day. Orders placed after 10:00 a.m. (CST) will be processed and shipped on the next business day. Most orders arrive in 2-4 business days."

Both times I ordered moving kits from U-Haul, I chose standard shipping and my order was shipped the following business day and arrived at my door a few days later. Your experience may differ slightly depending on your location. 

There's also a "Pick up in a store" option. You can check store availability near you by entering your ZIP Code.

The bottom line

I haven't found a more convenient or more affordable option for my moving and packing needs, which is why I continue to use and recommend U-Haul's moving kits to friends, family, and Business Insider readers. My cat's also a big fan, clearly. 

Check out more of our buying guides to help plan your move:

• 10 packing tips to make your move easier, according to home organization experts
• The best dolly carts and hand trucks
• The best toolkits
• The best tape measures
• The best cordless drills
• The best duct tape
• The best ladders

• California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) requires company workers to be considered as employees, with some exemptions. Hirers must now use an ABC test to prove that workers are independent contractors. 
• The law can have adverse effects on businesses and freelancers in California, as new regulations change who can be hired and the amount of work they can submit to remain contractors. 
• AB5, which went into effect on January 1, 2020, impacts how companies like Uber and DoorDash manage workers who are currently recognized as contractors.
• Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and other companies have since resisted changes and created Proposition 22, a November ballot measure that would allow them to continue classifying their drivers and delivery workers as contractors. 
• Business Insider regularly covers legal changes that affect how you work. You can read them all by subscribing to Business Insider.

California Assembly Bill 5 affects how companies recognize people who work for them. Better known as AB5, the bill tightens the definition of "independent contractor" and requires employers to conduct ABC tests to determine whether or not their workers should be classified as full-time employees.

The bill minimizes the amount of work that can be conducted by freelancers and contractors without being considered full-timers. The intention is to prevent employers from taking tax shortcuts and provide workers who should be classified as employees with healthcare, workers' compensation, paid time off, and other rights.

Uber, Lyft, and other contractor-reliant businesses that operate in California now have to classify their drivers and delivery workers as full-time employees instead of contractors. Ridesharing and food-delivery giants have resisted orders from the state, coming together to create and fund Proposition 22, a November ballot measure that would exempt them from AB5 requirements. 

But there are some exemptions: Below are some references to help ensure that you and your business are in compliance with AB5. 

For business owners: How companies can best navigate California's Assembly Bill 5 if they consistently work with independent contractors or freelancers

• Rafael Nadal is skipping the US Open due to the pandemic. The tournament will begin on August 31.
• Nadal is the world No. 2 men's singles player, and won the 2019 US Open — his 19th Grand Slam title.
• With more than $120 million in career winnings, Nadal is one of the highest-paid tennis players of all time.
• From buying a custom yacht to playing the French Open wearing a six-figure Richard Mille watch, Nadal likes to spend his money lavishly — but he also puts it toward philanthropy, tennis centers, and investments.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rafael Nadal is skipping the US Open, which begins August 31, due to the pandemic. He still plans to play in the French Open in September, Forbes reports.

Nadal won the 2019 US Open — his fourth US Open win and his 19th Grand Slam title.

Informally known as the King of Clay, Nadal has 84 career single titles under his belt. With $3.8 million in prize winnings from the 2019 US Open, Nadal has more than $11 million total prize winnings in 2019 alone.

But those are only a fraction of his career earnings.

Nadal's career winnings are $120.6 million, Business Insider reported in February. And that's not to mention what he earns from his multiple endorsements, from Nike to Kia. It's easy to see how he's become one of the richest tennis players of all time.

Nadal has a history of spending his hard-earned money a little lavishly, from buying a six-figure watch to purchasing a second home in the Dominican Republic. However, he's also put his money toward philanthropic efforts, tennis centers, and property investments.

From his vacations to his cars, see how Nadal spends his millions.

Rafael Nadal is one of the top five highest-paid tennis players of all time. Throughout his career, Nadal has won more than $120 million in prize money for singles and doubles combined.

Source: US Open, Business Insider, CNBC

He earned $3.7 million from the 2017 US Open and $3.8 million from the 2019 US Open. The latter earned him his 19th Grand Slam title.

Source: Business Insider, CNBC

And he earned $2.6 million winning his 12th French Open title in 2019, his third consecutive year winning the French Open.

Source: CNBC, US Open

He also won the Canadian Open, earning just over $1 million. That brings his 2019 career winnings up to more than $11 million.

Source: Fox Business, ATP World Tour, CNBC

But Nadal doesn't just earn his money by bringing his A-game to the court — he also earned $26 million in endorsements in 2017. He's endorsed by Babolat, Nike, and Tommy Hilfiger, with whom he has a $3 million to $4 million deal.

Source: Business Insider

Nadal is also a global ambassador for Kia. They gifted him a Kia Stinger GT, starting at $31,900, which he can use at his leisure.

Source: Auto Evolution

Nadal is known to spend his money lavishly. He played the 2018 French Open wearing a limited edition Richard Mille watch valued at $725,000.

Source: Business Insider

He also owns a $4,499 Gocycle electric bike.

Source: Business Insider

When he doesn't feel like getting around on two wheels, Nadal has plenty of sets of four wheels to choose from. He reportedly owns an Aston Martin DBS and a Mercedes-Benz SL55, both of which cost up to six figures.

Source: True Car, Bornrich

But Nadal also travels by sea. In 2019, he put his 76-foot yacht Beethoven up for sale for $3 million and commissioned an 80-foot Sunreef catamaran for an unknown price. A similar model is listed for sale at $6.75 million.

Source: TMZ, Business Insider

Like his means of transportation, Nadal also has multiple homes. He has a home in Mallorca, Spain, where he's from, worth at least $1.5 million.

Source: Business Insider

He also has a home in the Dominican Republic, where he purchased a luxury villa for $2 million.

Source: Realty Today

When he's not home or busy winning titles, Nadal has been spotted vacationing everywhere from Italy and Mauritius to Mexico, where five-star accommodations can range from $800 to $1,500 for a weekend.

Source: Bornrich, Rafael Nadal Fans

He was also spotted with his girlfriend in Ibiza, aboard his old yacht, in 2016.

Source: POPSUGAR

But Nadal doesn't just spend his money on himself. In 2008, he started the Fundación Rafa Nadal. Run by his mother, the organization helps disadvantaged kids.

Source: Business Insider

He also opened the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca. The 24,000 square-foot space cost $25 million — Nadal covered 5% of the costs. Kids can attend the tennis academy for $62,000 a year.

Source: Business Insider, Reuters

Nadal teamed up with Telefónica Open Future to call on technology startups for sport and wellness products or solutions that improved the performance of the Rafa Nadal Academy. Selected startups were chosen for an investment of up to roughly $160,000.

Source: Information Age

But Nadal's investments don't stop there. In 2016, he opened Spanish restaurant TATEL, located inside the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, with Enrique Iglesias and the San Antonio Spurs' Pau Gasol.

Source: Miami New Times

Nadal and his partners also recently bought prime Madrid real estate, a 19th-century building that reportedly cost nearly $30 million.

Source: Business Insider

Nadal is set to open a chain of tennis centers at vacation resorts around the world. The first Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre will opened in late 2018 at Costa Mujeres, Mexico.

Source: Condé Nast Traveller

• Bon Appétit has named Dawn Davis as its new editor-in-chief.
• Davis, who will start November 2, is a vice president at Simon & Schuster. She is the founder and publisher of 37 Ink, an imprint that prioritizes a diverse range of authors and voices.
• Davis will take over at Bon Appétit amid a period of turmoil at the food publication. 
• Former editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport was ousted after photos of him in brownface surfaced, as well as allegations from current and former coworkers that he presided over a toxic workplace.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Bon Appétit has named Dawn Davis as its new editor-in-chief.

Davis, who will start at the magazine on November 2, is a powerful figure in the publishing world. She is a vice president at Simon & Schuster, where she presides over 37 Ink, an imprint that prioritizes a diverse range of authors and voices.

"A proven trailblazer in publishing and known for her innovative approach, Dawn's ability to find emerging voices and give them the platforms to transform our society is unparalleled," Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast, said in a statement.

"I will lead by example and treat people the way I've always been treated, which is with respect, and give everyone an opportunity to shine," Davis told the New York Times.

Davis enters Bon Appétit amid a period of turmoil at the Condé Nast-owned food publication. Over three days in June, the magazine saw its editor in chief, Adam Rapoport, and its head of video, Matt Duckor, step down following allegations of racism from former and current employees.

On June 8, the food and wine writer Tammie Teclemariam tweeted an old Instagram post showing Rapoport dressed in an offensive Halloween costume that featured stereotypical Puerto Rican garb. A day later, another Twitter user unearthed Duckor's offensive tweets about gay people and people of color.

The two executives presided over a toxic and exclusionary environment, employees previously told Business Insider. It allegedly led to some non-white employees at Bon Appétit to not to receive income through Condé Nast Entertainment for their video work.

Condé Nast has previously repeatedly denied this. In an internal email shared with Business Insider by a spokesperson, the company completed a pay review study that found, according to the company's findings, compensation was fair and not based on race."While we found that everyone was compensated fairly for video through their full-time salaries or other means as part of project or freelance agreements, it's on us that our lack of open communication about video compensation created confusion," the email said.

This environment allegedly led some non-white employees at Bon Appétit to not to receive income through Condé Nast Entertainment for their video work. (In a previous statement, a Condé Nast representative denied this, saying, "It's simply not true to say that any employee is not paid for their work.")

Over the past decade, Bon Appétit has evolved from a stodgy print outlet to a dynamic, beloved brand. That's largely thanks to its wildly popular YouTube channel, in which editors and guest contributors visit the brand's test kitchen to make recipes from the magazine or website.

The channel has been inactive since June 10. In solidarity with their coworkers of color, Bon Appétit's on-camera talent has not participated in videos on the channel since the second week of June, a move that has likely affected the publisher's bottom line. Seven of Bon Appétit's 13 video stars previously said they will no longer appear in videos. 

Condé Nast previously said that videos will resume in September. 

Amanda Shapiro, who is the interim editor-in-chief, succeeded Rapoport. Shapiro was previously the editor of the magazine's vertical Healthyish.

• The dishwasher and oven are among the appliance workhorses in a home that need to be cleaned regularly. What are the best cleaners for your appliances?
• Lemi Shine Multi-Purpose Appliance Cleaner can tackle the crud and odor in your washing machine, dishwasher, and garbage disposal.

Expecting fresh, clean clothes from a smelly washer, or sparkling plates from a dishwasher crusted with hard water minerals is a fool's errand. All you'll get is frustration and disappointment.

Luckily, there are easy-to-use products available that can restore appliances back to their prime. Many use natural ingredients and are not toxic to the environment or your lungs. Just a seasonal cleaning will usually remove build-up and flush away odors, allowing the appliances to do their jobs well. Of course, if your household has some big messes, you may need to clean the appliances more often.

Along with my own housekeeping, I've tested cleaning products for decades as a home economist for companies and publications. I'm always looking for the most effective, easiest to use, and the best value in products and these are the best ones for the job when it comes to cleaning appliances.

Here are the best cleaning products for kitchen and laundry appliances:

• Best overall: Lemi Shine Multi-Purpose Appliance Cleaner
• Best for dishwashers: Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner
• Best for garbage disposals: CLR Garbage Disposal Foaming Cleaner and Freshener
• Best for washers: Lemi Shine Washing Machine Cleaner
• Best for ovens: Easy-Off Professional Max Fume Free Oven Cleaner
• Best for ceramic and glass stovetops: Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Max

Updated on 08/27/2020 to edit copy, links, and to add related buying guides and remove references to third-party reviews, because we've found them to be unreliable in the past.

The best overall

If you are looking for one product that can take care of odors and soil build-up in your dishwasher, garbage disposal, and washing machine, Lemi Shine Multi-Purpose Appliance Cleaner is your best bet.

Even with all of the water and detergents that pass through the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and washing machine, they can still accumulate a layer of residue that traps soil, odor-causing bacteria, and minerals from hard water. When all this gunk clings to the inside of the appliance, it cannot perform optimally and causes problems.

LemiShine has developed a formula, based on crystallized citric extracts, that works to cut through that residue. By adding an envelope of the powder to an appliance and running a cycle with hot water, you will quickly have cleaner dishes and laundry, and odor-free garbage disposal.

While LemiShine offers individual appliance cleaners, the Multi-Purpose is the best value because of the versatility and price. I keep some on hand for quick and thorough cleanings anytime I see or sniff a problem.

Pros: Non-toxic, uses natural ingredients, fresh scent, pre-measured individual packets, simple to use, suitable for multiple appliances

Cons: Does not clean the outside of the appliances

The best for dishwashers

Easy to use and a top performer, Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner can be used while you wash a load of dishes. No extra cycle needed.

Stop and think of what lurks on your dishes when you stick them into the dishwasher — grease, bacteria, and crusty food. A good detergent and the volume of hot water swirling in the dishwasher cut through all of that gunk, leaving the dishes clean. But where does the messy stuff go?

Most gets flushed away, but some clings to the sides, seals, and components of the dishwasher. Eventually, the build-up becomes too much and redeposits on your dishes. No one needs that.

That's where Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner comes in to cut through the limescale, grease, and fatty deposits that you can see, and also those in the hidden parts of the dishwasher. All that crud can clog pumps, drains, and pipes, which reduce the performance of your machine.

Every three months or so, I simply place one of the tablets in the bottom of the dishwasher tub when I'm ready to run a full wash cycle. There are no wrappers to remove or a need to empty the dishwasher of dirty dishes. Since Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets is rated as one of the best dishwasher detergents, using the Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner was the next natural step.

Pros: Can be used in a dishwasher loaded with dirty dishes, no wrapper to remove, effectively removes grease deposits, limescale, and odors

Cons: Excellent choice for regular cleaning, but may not remove years of heavy build-up

The best for garbage disposals

The fun-to-watch foaming action of CLR Garbage Disposal Foaming Cleaner and Freshener leaves the disposal free of greasy residue and odors.

Maybe it's because I always loved the vinegar and baking soda volcanoes at the science fair, but watching the foaming action of CLR Garbage Disposal Foaming Cleaner and Freshener makes me happy. Happy because I know that the foam is helping to dislodge bits of food and grease that is causing my garbage disposal to smell funky.
 
The individual, premeasured packet contains citric acid and sodium bicarbonate, along with other ingredients that help cut through the gunk and leave a fresh clean scent. It is so easy to use but you should follow the directions to allow the ingredients time to be effective. The cleaning time is around seven minutes, and there's no need to scrub — just watch the science experiment happen.
 
I use CLR Garbage Disposal Foaming Cleaner and Freshener when I get a whiff of something foul. It should be noted that these packets will not remove a severe clog or jam in the disposal.
 
Pros: Non-toxic ingredients, simple to use, effectively removes odors and residue from disposal

Cons: Does not remove clogs or jams in the disposal

The best for washing machines

If your laundry isn't smelling as fresh as you'd like, Lemi Shine Washing Machine Cleaner will remove funky odors from the washer that are transferring to your towels and clothes.

Today's high-efficiency washing machines use around 14 gallons of water and hold larger loads, and we use more cold and warm water to protect synthetic fabrics. That leaves lots of opportunity for body soil, product residue, and bacteria to cling to the inside of the washer drum and rubber seals that protect it from leaking.

All that gunk can redeposit on your clothes, making them less than clean and fresh. That's why you need to clean your washer and the best cleaner is Lemi Shine Washing Machine Cleaner. Using non-toxic citric acids, the powder strips away the build-up, and you even get a handy wipe to use after each cleaning cycle to capture any residue on the seals and to wipe down the outside of the washer where drips and soil can accumulate. I also love the fresh scent. 

Pros: Effectively removes body soil, bacteria, and detergent residue from the washing machine drum, includes wipes for hard-to-reach areas like door seals and the outside of the appliance, non-toxic, and pleasant citrus scent

Cons: Not widely available in all mass-market stores

The best for ovens

Spills happen but Easy-Off Professional Max Fume Free Oven Cleaner will take care of the worst messes without burning your lungs or making you scrub forever.

I'm a pie baker who can't seem to remember not to overload the pie plate with filling. Sure enough, the pie bubbles over onto the oven floor. Fortunately, I know that clean-up can be simple with Easy-Off Professional Max Fume Free Oven Cleaner. Until I found this product, I dreaded cleaning the oven because of the fumes. No more.

The key to using it is having a cold oven. Just spray on the cleaner and wait at least 40 minutes (longer is even better). The grease and spills will wipe away easily. It's safe to use in electric and gas ovens and oven racks — even ovens that proclaim to be self-cleaning.

Pros: Fume-free formula, removes heavy, baked-on stains, safe for electric and gas ovens

Cons: Does not work quickly, requires at least 40 minutes to work effectively

The best for ceramic and glass stovetops

Smooth glass and ceramic cooktops are prone to scratching. Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Max can safely get rid of cooked-on spills and tackle the stains and leave your cooktop scratch-free.

After years of the standard enamel and stainless cooktops that could stand up to scrubbing from a steel wool pad, I ended up with a smooth ceramic cooktop. It looks sleek and conducts heat well, but removing the overflow from a boiling pot was a challenge until I found Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Max.

The micro-bead technology gives just the right amount of abrasive power to remove burned-on food and grease but doesn't scratch the surface. After cleaning and rinsing, there are no streaks or watermarks left behind. The lemon-scented paste formula is applied with a cleaning pad that is included, which stores conveniently on the top of the container.

Pros: Removes the worst burned-on messes and grease effectively, does not scratch glass and ceramic surfaces, comes with a scrubbing pad

Cons: Does not remove scratches, not readily found in all mass-market stores

Check out our other guides to household cleaning products

The best disinfecting cleaners

If there's one reason to keep your home clean, it's to protect against the spread of germs. A disinfecting cleaner can help kill bacteria and other illness-causing organisms and keep your family healthy. Here are the best household disinfectants you can buy.

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The best bathroom cleaning products

With a regular cleaning schedule and the right products, you can get your bathroom clean and sparkling quickly and easily. These are the best products for the job.

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The best floor cleaners

Even if most of your home has wall-to-wall carpeting, some floors will still need more than just vacuuming. We reviewed and chose the best floor cleaners for hardwood, laminate, vinyl, ceramic tile, and stone floors. 

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The best countertop cleaners

Countertops in kitchens and bathrooms take lots of abuse and sometimes need to be cleaned multiple times daily. With the right cleaners and tools, you can have stain-free and clean countertops easily. These are the best countertop-cleaning solutions.

• The Department of Homeland Security sent an email to its employees reminding them to avoid participation in partisan political events on Thursday.
• Acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf appeared at a partisan event just two days ago.
• Wolf oversaw a naturalization ceremony for five immigrants alongside President Donald Trump during the Republican National Convention — a possible violation of federal law.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Department of Homeland Security employees are being reminded to not engage in "partisan political events," just two days after acting DHS chief Chad Wolf appeared at the Republican National Convention.

The agency notified staff in an email on Thursday that they are prohibited from "conducting any political activity while on duty or while in a government room, building, vehicle" or participating in political activity "wearing a DHS badge or insignia, or while using government equipment." The email was first reported on Twitter by Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampbell. Politico also obtained a copy. 

• Many of the world's youngest billionaires hail from the tech industry. 
• Snap's Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy are 30 and 32, respectively, and Stripe's John and Patrick Collison are 30 and 31.
• Not every tech billionaire is young — the world's two richest people, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, are in their 50s or 60s. And Oracle's Larry Ellison was 49 when he reached billionaire status.
• Still, companies like Airbnb, TikTok-parent ByteDance, and social networking behemoth Facebook are run by millennials. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It pays to be young in tech. 

While there are currently plenty of over-50 and over-60 billionaires who hail from the tech world — Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates chief among them — there are also dozens of newly minted millennial billionaires. Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy (30 and 32, respectively) became billionaires in their mid-20s, and Spiegel is one of only a few self-made billionaires age 30 or younger. 

Mark Zuckerberg became the world's youngest billionaire at age 23 (though he's since been unseated by Kylie Jenner). He's still among one of the youngest, richest people in the world. 

That's not to say youth is a requirement in the tech world. Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who's currently worth over $58 billion, was 49 when he reached billionaire status. Elon Musk and Meg Whitman were in their 40s as well. 

But these days, some of tech's biggest or most exciting companies are run by billionaires in their 20s and 30s. Thanks to Forbes' annual billionaires list, we've identified the 27 youngest billionaires in tech. 

Peter Szulczewski

Age: 39

Net worth: $1.8 billion

What he does: Peter Szulczewski is the cofounder and CEO of ecommerce platform Wish.

Sachin Bansal

Age: 39

Net worth: $1.2 billion

What he does: Sachin Bansal is cofounder of Flipkart, India's biggest ecommerce site. 

Joe Gebbia

Age: 39

Net worth: $3.1 billion

What he does: Joe Gebbia is cofounder and chief product officer of short-term home rental company Airbnb.

Brian Chesky

Age: 38

Net worth: $3.1 billion

What he does: Brian Chesky is cofounder and CEO of short-term home rental company Airbnb.

Evan Sharp

Age: 38

Net worth: $1 billion

What he does: Evan Sharp is cofounder and chief creative officer of inspiration and trend discovery site Pinterest.

Ben Silbermann

Age: 38

Net worth: $2.1 billion

What he does: Ben Silbermann is cofounder and CEO of inspiration and trend discovery site Pinterest.

Eduardo Saverin

Age: 38

Net worth: $14.8 billion

What he does: Eduardo Saverin cofounded Facebook along with Mark Zuckerberg.

Su Hua

Age: 37 or 38

Net worth: $2.9 billion

What he does: Su Hua is the cofounder and CEO of Kuaishou, a Chinese GIF and video-sharing app. 

Binny Bansal

Age: 37 or 38

Net worth: $1.1 billion

What he does: Binny Bansal is cofounder of Flipkart, India's biggest ecommerce site. He was CEO of Flipkart Group until his resignation in November 2018 after allegations of "serious personal misconduct."

Cheng Wei

Age: 37

Net worth: $1.2 billion

What he does: Cheng Wei is the founder and CEO of Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing.

Brian Armstrong

Age: 37

Net worth: $1 billion

What he does: Brian Armstrong is the cofounder and CEO of cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase.

Daniel Ek

Age: 37

Net worth: $4.3 billion

What he does: Daniel Ek is the cofounder and CEO of music-streaming company Spotify. 

Drew Houston

Age: 37

Net worth: $1.5 billion

What he does: Drew Houston is the cofounder and CEO of file-sharing service Dropbox.

Ryan Graves

Age: 37

Net worth: $1.6 billion

What he does: Ryan Graves was the first full-time employee and first CEO of Uber. He's currently the CEO of investment firm Saltwater Capital. 

Nathan Blecharczyk

Age: 37

Net worth: $3.1 billion

What he does: Nathan Blecharczyk is the cofounder and chief strategy officer at short-term home rental company Airbnb.

Zhang Yiming

Age: 36

Net worth: $16.2 billion

What he does: Zhang Yiming is the chairman of ByteDance, a Chinese content company behind the short-form video app TikTok. 

Bill Liu

Age: 36

Net worth: $1.7 billion

What he does: Bill Liu is the CEO and chairman of Royole, which makes flexible displays and sensors that are used in devices like foldable phones.

Kevin Systrom

Age: 36

Net worth: $1.9 billion

What he does: Kevin Systrom is the cofounder and former CEO of photo-sharing app Instagram, which was acquired by Facebook in 2012.

Mark Zuckerberg

Age: 36

Net worth: $98 billion

What he does: Mark Zuckerberg is the cofounder and CEO of social networking company Facebook.

Dustin Moskovitz

Age: 36

Net worth: $16.2 billion

What he does: Dustin Moskovitz cofounded Facebook along with Mark Zuckerberg. He left Facebook to cofound the workplace management company Asana, where he is CEO. 

Pavel Durov

Age: 35

Net worth: $3.4 billion

What he does: Pavel Durov is the founder of messaging app Telegram. He also created VK, the biggest social networking app in Russia. 

Chris Wanstrath

Age: 35

Net worth: $2.1 billion

What he does: Chris Wanstrath is the cofounder and former CEO of GitHub, a social network for software developers that was acquired by Microsoft.

Jihan Wu

Age: 34

Net worth: $1.8 billion

What he does: Jihan Wu is the cofounder and chairman of Bitmain Technologies, the largest cryptocurrency mining company in China. 

Bobby Murphy

Age: 32

Net worth: $4.6 billion

What he does: Bobby Murphy is cofounder and chief technology officer of Snap, the social media and camera company that makes Snapchat. 

Patrick Collison

Age: 31

Net worth: $3.2 billion

What he does: Patrick Collison — along with his brother, John — founded payments company Stripe. He currently serves as the company's CEO.

Evan Spiegel

Age: 30

Net worth: $4.4 billion

What he does: Evan Spiegel is cofounder and CEO of Snap, the social media and camera company that makes Snapchat. 

John Collison

Age: 30

Net worth: $3.2 billion

What he does: John Collison — along with his brother, Patrick — founded payments company Stripe. He currently serves as the company's president. 

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

• Weddings aren't only expensive for the couple. Usually their friends and family also end up spending a surprising amount of money on the event, from engagement, shower, and wedding gifts to clothing and transportation. 
• With these thoughtful engagement gifts under $50, you can express your excitement for the couple and stay within your budget. 
• Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all Insider Reviews gift guides.

A 2018 survey from Bankrate revealed that wedding guests spend an average of $628 on wedding-related expenses, including gifts, attire, and travel. If you're a friend of someone who got engaged recently, this number probably isn't something you want to be reminded of.

However, accompanying this expensive revelation is our own reminder that the utility and thoughtfulness of your wedding-related gifts matter more than how much you spend on them. The engagement gift in particular doesn't have to be splashy (save your money for the big wedding gift) and is more of a way to extend your initial congratulations. 

For a memorable engagement gift, consider something that will help them prepare for the wedding, an accessory to match the larger wedding gift they'll probably receive later, and treats or relaxation tools to calm them down before the big day.

The top 5 affordable engagement gifts: 

1. A personalized card and gift box (from $13)
2. A custom map poster of a meaningful location ($49)
3. An egg cooker that's a huge kitchen timesaver ($16.99)
4. A frame that can hold their wedding invitation and engagement photos ($48)
5. A unique take on the classic champagne celebration ($28)

You won't need to spend more than $50 on these 35 engagement gifts:

A cookbook of delicious meals to cook together

Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds, $25.09, available at Amazon

Cooking every day at home isn't easy, but it becomes just a little more appealing when done alongside their loved one, with this book of 130 recipes cracked open. 

Simple and pretty ceramic dip dishes

All Day & Night Dip Dishes, $26, available at Year & Day

Dip dishes are often overlooked when buying dinnerware and serve-ware. The small, multicolored ceramics from Year & Day make even the messiest spreads look elegant. 

An assortment of low-maintenance plants

Succulent Assortment, $39, available at The Sill

Succulents last a lot longer than flowers, and are easier to take care of, too. The Sill offers these small plants as well as a variety of other indoor house plants to fill their home with greenery. 

Champagne-infused sweets

Sugarfina Sweet & Sparkling Candy Boxes, $28, available at Nordstrom

Pop the champagne ... bears! They're probably going to be drinking a lot of champagne in the upcoming months as they celebrate their engagement, so gift them these gummies for a sweet, edible change. 

A competitive card game designed for couples

Marital Bliss Game, $15, available at Uncommon Goods

Perfect for competitive couples, this fun card game helps them get used to married life and encourages each partner to perform thoughtful tasks for the other in order to earn rewards.

A bottle of authentic, high-quality EVOO

Alive Olive Oil, $37, available at Brightland

Good for the body and easy on the eyes, Brightland's olive oil is the essential ingredient every home cook wants in their kitchens right now. This specific oil is smooth and nutty, great for use in dressings and baked goods.

Embroidered towels

Washcloths (Pair), $30 + $30 embroidery, available at Weezie

Washcloths are the perfect towel size for a small engagement gift. Ordinary towels these are not — they're ultra-fluffy and soft, made from 100% organic long-staple cotton, and can be personalized with a variety of embroidery styles. 

Silk pillowcases

Silk Pillowcase, from $20, available at Lilysilk

While some luxury silk pillowcases can run you $100 or so, Lilysilk's are both really affordable and effective. Your recipients will enjoy the cool and smooth feel of the cases all night long, and their hair might emerge looking better, too. 

A surprisingly sleek dish rack

simplehuman Kitchen Compact Steel Frame Dish Rack, $49.99, available Amazon

Simplehuman puts a sleek twist on boring kitchen products, like this steel frame dish rack with a smart drainage system that prevents water from dripping on the countertop. 

A custom rubber stamp

WestAndSage Custom Address Stamp, from $27.95, available at Etsy

Is it really official until they have a shared return address stamp? This classic wood block stamp finishes off their invitations and letters cleanly and efficiently. 

A popular egg-making kitchen appliance

Dash Rapid Egg Cooker, $16.99, available at Amazon

People love this seemingly gimmicky egg cooker that can quickly make six eggs (hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, you name it) at a time. Whether they're meal prepping or just ravenous, they'll appreciate having this device on hand. 

A media streaming stick

Fire TV Stick 4K, $49.99, available at Amazon

No need to worry about figuring out a new cable subscription together — the Fire TV Stick holds and organizes the streaming services they'll actually use for shows and movies. This new remote features a Wi-Fi antenna design optimized for 4K Ultra HD streaming and can be set up in minutes. 

A list of essential films to watch together

100 Essential Films Scratch-Off Chart, $25, available at Pop Chart

There's no excuse for having nothing to watch for the next 100 movie nights. As they watch these can't-miss films, they can scratch off each "ticket" to reveal a full-color image underneath. 

A custom map poster

Create a map for $49 at Grafomap

Take them back to the college campus they once ruled, their first date, or their favorite vacation destination, down to the exact coordinates. Good luck deciding on one of the many bold and artistic map designs. 

A beautiful candle

Single Flame Gift Box, $36, available at Otherland

Candles might be a common gift, but Otherland's are among the best ones to give. That's because the scents are unique, the packaging is gorgeous, and everything down to the matchbox message — the engagement-themed one says "The Perfect Match" — is thoughtfully designed. 

An instant camera to capture shared memories

Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Instant Camera (with 10-pack film), $59, available at Walmart

The fanciest DSLR can't beat the novelty and instant gratification of this Instax camera, which produces mini prints to slip in wallets and hang on the wall. 

*Although we selected this gift when it was under $50, the price can often fluctuate, and it may occasionally rise above $50

Matching underwear

Gift Card, $25, available at MeUndies

Unless you're very close to the couple, we don't expect you to know their underwear sizes or color preferences. A $50 gift card will cover the cost of MeUndies' fun matching underwear set, which lets them choose their individual underwear cuts and a quirky print or pattern. 

An unbelievably soft sleep mask

Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask, $50, available at Nordstrom

If they love their silk pillowcase, there's more where that came from. This soft sleep mask, available in seven styles, uses the same material. 

A smart home assistant and light bulb bundle

Sengled Smart LED Daylight A19 Starter Kit, $38.99, available at Amazon

Their entry to the perfect smart home setup starts with this smart bulb kit, which will let them turn their lights on and off or adjust the brightness with their voice. 

A new paint job for their shared space

Gift Card, $50, available at Backdrop

Whether they're moving into a new place together or have been itching for a change in their current home, this next phase of their life is a good excuse for a color upgrade. The gift card comes with a paintbrush that they can dip immediately into one of Backdrop's many eye-catching colors. 

A journal they can share thoughts in

Our Q&A a Day: 3-Year Journal for 2 People, $10.59, available at Amazon

This daily question journal will show definitive proof of how much the couple changes in three years and only requires a couple minutes of thought and few lines of writing per day. 

A small, personalized gift box

Create a gift box at Greetabl

Greetabl is a cool service that lets you choose an eye-catching box design and a gift (options range from $4 confetti to a $28 bracelet) to go inside it. Then, pick a few photos, write a personal message, and you have a small gift that may not be extravagant but is infinitely thoughtful. 

A face mask to pamper and moisturize their skin overnight

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask, $49, available at Sephora

Planning a wedding is stressful, but this thick, soothing mask made from avocado will melt all the tension away. 

 

Matching monogrammed leather keychains

Hotel Keychain, from $9 + $5 monogram, available at Leatherology

These little leather accessories provide a touch of luxury every time they reach for their keys. There are multiple leather colors available, and you have the option to monogram the keychain so they'll never mix their keys up. 

Matching ceramic mugs

BeholdenLife Mugs, from $17.10, available at Etsy

It's the simple things — like sipping coffee or tea together on a quiet weekend morning — that are often the most enjoyable. Individual Mr. and Mrs. mugs are $17 each and you can pair them up accordingly. 

A soothing bath salt

OSEA Sleep Time Bath Salt, $29, available at Parachute

Another thoughtful self-care gift is this synthetic ingredient-free bath salt composed of lavender and essential oils. 

A hand-drawn card

NoteworthyPaperPress Congratulations Card, $5.50, available at Etsy

So it's not hand drawn by you, but the thought put into finding a beautiful card also counts. Bonus points if the recipients are outdoorsy. 

A marble cheese board

Hayes Black Marble Board, $29.95, available at Crate & Barrel

Every night will end up including an Insta-worthy cheese and charcuterie spread once they own this chic board. 

Coasters in an unusual shape

Slate Coasters, Set of 4, $14.95, available at Crate & Barrel

A departure from the usual round coasters, these slate accessories do the job just as well. 

A cold brew iced coffee maker

Takeya Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, $21.95, available at Amazon

Since there are so many different types of coffee machines on the market, you're better off waiting to see which one they add to their registry to buy as a wedding gift. But in the meantime, this convenient cold brew maker is an affordable choice to satisfy their coffee fix. 

 

A book that has been called a 'wedding therapist in a pocket'

A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration, $14.01 available at Amazon

It's all too easy to let the insignificant details of wedding planning overshadow the real purpose of the event. This practical guide will keep them calm in the face of overwhelming wedding complications. 

An invitation frame

Personalized Silver-Plated Beaded Frames, $48, available at Pottery Barn

After all the time spent designing and sending out invitations, they can't forget to keep one for themselves. A double frame is a sweet way to feature the announcement. 

A bottle of nice (and sustainable) wine

Banfi Rosso di Montalcino 2017, $24.99, available at Wine.com

There's no such thing as too much wine, but the story behind this winery is especially compelling and noteworthy: It's led by one of the industry's few female CEOs, and it's the only winery to win an ISO award for sustainability. 

A unique photo display

Cork & Brass Print Stand, from $30, available at Artifact Uprising

The unexpectedly stylish combination of solid brass and Portuguese cork will share the stage with whatever photo they decide to display. 

A personalized wooden ring box

DejavuWood Personalized Wooden Ring Box, from $17.25, available at Etsy

This rustic box will keep their rings safe before and after the wedding. With its wooden construction and custom engraving, it'll be easy to distinguish from their other jewelry storage accessories. 

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable. We hold ourselves to that standard, and in this moment, we are demanding the same from our lawmakers and law enforcement." —The players of the Milwaukee Bucks, after deciding not to play their game against the Orlando Magic due to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

President Trump will accept the GOP nomination tonight in a White House speech. He'll speak on the South Lawn of the White House to a crowd of 1,500. Wednesday night's message, amplified by VP Mike Pence, was law and order. The crowd at Pence's speech was not tested for COVID, and mingled maskless with Trump and Pence. 

Kenosha was quieter last night, and armed counterprotesters stayed away. The FBI is going to investigate the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha officer, and state officials have charged a 17-year-old Trump supporter with the murder of two protesters. Strikes have spread through the world of professional sports, and the NBA playoffs appeared on the brink of collapse but seem to be back on track after a meeting among players this morning. Many players wanted to end the season unless team owners and the league take more tangible action to oppose police violence and systemic racism. 

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer has resigned. The company has been besieged since Trump demanded that it sell its US operations or be banned here. Mayer, who is also leaving as COO of parent company ByteDance, indicated that the political environment and possible forced sale have made the job not what he signed up for. 

More than one million new unemployment claims again this week. Claims have stayed high after briefly dipping below 1 million. More than 58 million people have filed for unemployment since the pandemic started. Speaker Pelosi and Trump Chief of Staff Meadows are meeting today for the first time since relief bill talks collapsed in early August. 

Hurricane Laura has weakened to Category 1 after making landfall in Louisiana. The storm is one of the most powerful ever to hit the US. Winds have dropped to 85 miles per hour, though it will still bring an enormous, life-threatening storm surge into coastal Louisiana and Texas. 

VIEWS OF THE DAY

Law and Order for thee, but not for me

Law and Order was a big theme at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, with keynote speaker Vice President Mike Pence touting the President's dedication to cops — those who walk the "thin blue line."  

This is rich. Trump and a slew of people around him have a long history of violating the law, breaking rules, ignoring things like subpoenas, and lying under oath. Here's a list of just some of the people the supposedly "law and order" president has surrounded himself with or defended:

• The president's campaign head, Steve Bannon, allegedly ran a scam bilking money from Trump supporters who want a wall built on the border with Mexico. 
• The president's other campaign head, Paul Manafort, was convicted of bank fraud, tax fraud, and other crimes. 
• The president's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn plead guilty to lying to law enforcement and the president has still fought for him.
• The president's friend and and advisor, Roger Stone, was convicted of lying to law enforcement and got his sentence commuted by the president.
• The president's son, Eric Trump, has refused to comply with subpoenas from the NY Attorney General, Leticia James, about the Trump Organization's financial statements.
• The president also defended violent white supremacists because they were "very fine people."
• The president's staff constantly violates the Hatch Act, trying to blur the lines between what is and is not part of our permanent governmental structure. That seems fine.
• The president's daughter Ivanka Trump has done government work from her personal email address. — Linette Lopez

A quick glossary of terms to get you through America right now

Things are confusing in America these days, so we thought we'd put together a short glossary of terms that should be clarified.

Athletes did not "boycott" because of Jacob Blake's shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They were "striking": A boycott is when consumers intentionally do not but a product. By contrast, the athletes who did not play yesterday are workers who provide Americans with a service. That service is not something Americans are entitled to, it is a luxury offered to a functioning society where people can gather civilly and play by a set of rules. Nothing about our society over the last few days (or months) suggests we are capable of that, and there has been little work done in Washington to change those conditions, so the workers decided not to work. That is a strike.

"Opportunity zones" are looking less like a boon for poor neighborhoods and more like a "billionaire tax break": I only mention this because Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner pushed back on striking athletes in a CNBC interview, citing all his father-in-law has done for minority urban communities. Kushner listed opportunity zones as one of those achievements, but based on reporting by ProPublica, it looks like those programs are more beneficial for people like him than the communities they are intended to serve.

The 17 year-old who murdered protesters in cold blood on Tuesday night was not part of a "militia" he was part of a "terrorist organization": Any organization that openly encourages people to commit violence against or inspires someone to murder people exercising their First Amendment right should be called a terrorist organization. Full stop.

Don't call it an "economic aid package." Call it an "economic stability package": Using the word "aid" to describe a bill that will ensure the entire economy doesn't go to hell seems wrong. Aid is something you give to someone else, this package is for all Americans so that the economy doesn't drop out on us — and that's all of us. It seems like the White House is starting to understand that, as after twiddling its thumbs since May. Chief of Staff Mark Meadows wants to restart bill negotiations with House Democrats.

Joe Biden is against defunding the police: There's no vocabulary lesson there, it just bears repeating after Vice President Mike Pence cynically claimed the opposite in his RNC speech last night. It was just one among a litany of calumnies.  — LL

The RNC is starting to sound like a right-wing Youtube video

As I wrote in my latest column, watching the Republican National Convention has felt like falling into an algorithmically-driven rabbit hole of right-wing YouTube. 

The four-day political pageant even kicked off Monday night with a speech by a prominent conservative YouTuber Charlie Kirk.

The 26-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder with close ties to the Trump White House called the president the "bodyguard of Western civilization." Whatever Kirk meant by "Western civilization" isn't exactly clear, but the term is an obsession of right-wing YouTubers like Dennis Prager, "Intellectual Dark Web" celebrities like Jordan Peterson, and the recently  banned by YouTube alt-right philosopher Stefan Molyneux.

When Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones spoke at the RNC of the Democrats' keeping Black people on their "mental plantation," I felt like I was listening to Candace Owens, the YouTube star and Trump favorite who started "Blexit" to convince Black people to abandon the Democratic Party.  

Patrica and Mark McCloskey — best known for drawing their guns on Black Lives Matter protesters outside their St. Louis home — called congressional candidate and protest organizer Cori Bush a "Marxist liberal activist" during their RNC speech. Granted, Bush is a Democratic Socialist, but the McCloskey's deliberate and repeated invocation of Marx made me think of "cultural Marxism" — an obsession of conspiracy theorists like former InfoWars editor-at-large Paul Joseph Watson.

There's nothing particularly novel about hearing these things at an overtly partisan and propagandistic event. Conservatives don't like socialism, they like their "culture," and they can't understand why more Black people won't vote for them. 

What's striking is how these phrases, which are repeated like mantras on right-wing YouTube, have made it to the big kids' table at the RNC.

Hearing these phrases and bugaboos sprinkled throughout RNC speeches feels in some sense like a callback to their original sources. And they may be deliberate or inadvertent signals to young conservatives.

The message: We know who the conservative thought leaders are in the Trump era, and we watch their videos, too.  — Anthony Fisher

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Abbott has won approval to market a $5, 15-minute COVID test. Testing experts say that this kind of fast, cheap test could allow millions to safely get back to school and work before a vaccine is available. 

Amazon opened the first Amazon Fresh grocery store. The Woodland, California, store —the first of probably many — will offer national and private-label Whole Foods brands, a "Dash" cart that will allow customers to skip checkout, and same-day delivery for Prime customers. 

LIFE

 26 Disney theme-park foods you can make at home. Mickey-shaped waffles are easy. The Dole Whip — also not so hard. 

The four best foods to eat before a workout. Bananas, oatmeal, whole grains, yogurt and fruit. And the five best foods after a workout.

THE BIG 3*

The Lakers and Clippers voted to end the NBA playoffs at a contentious meeting about the response to the Blake shooting. LeBron James left early, demanding more social-justice reform efforts from owners. The vote was not official, and other teams want the playoffs to continue. 

Kenosha police chief says that the three victims wouldn't have been shot if they hadn't been out after curfew. 

People are selling guns on Facebook by pretending they are selling stickers. They are skirting Facebook's ban on private gun sales by displaying stickers with prices and gun brand names. 

*The most popular stories on Insider today.

• Naomi Osaka has dropped out of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in protest of police violence.
• As of now, she's still set to play in the US Open, which begins August 31.
• At age 22, Osaka was the world's highest-earning female athlete last year, with $37.4 million in earnings — more than any other female athlete has ever earned in a single year.
• On the heels of two back-to-back Grand Slams, Osaka landed several lucrative endorsement deals last year.
• Much of Osaka's career was spent out of the public eye, but her time in the spotlight is just beginning.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On Wednesday night, Naomi Osaka dropped out of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in protest of police violence, Insider's Meredith Cash reported. The tournament — generally considered a warm-up to the US Open, which begins August 31 — subsequently announced it would pause play on Thursday and resume Friday, per Forbes.

Osaka's Twitter statement didn't address whether she'll still be participating in next week's US Open.

Osaka was the highest-paid female athlete in the world in 2019, Forbes reported in May. The 22-year-old tennis star raked in $37.4 million in the past year. It's a feat that involves several records broken: Serena Williams was the world's highest-paid female athlete for four years running, and Maria Sharapova previously held the title for the most money earned by a female athlete in a single year (Sharapova earned $29.7 million in 2015).

Following her launch into the pro tennis spotlight, Osaka also has a string of lucrative endorsement deals under her belt, all of which contributes to her growing fortune.

A representative for Osaka declined to comment on the financial details of Osaka's various endorsements.

Here's how Osaka became the highest-paid female athlete.

Naomi Osaka earned $37.4 million in the past year — more than any other female athlete has ever made in a single year. And she's only 22.

Osaka's earnings broke the record for the most money earned by a female athlete in a single year. That record, per Forbes, was previously held by Maria Sharapova, who earned $29.7 million in 2015.

Her earnings also ended Serena Williams' winning streak as the world's highest-paid female athlete, a title William held for the past four years. (Osaka earned $1.4 million more than Williams over the last 12 months, according to Forbes.) Osaka ranks in the 29th spot and Williams ranks 33rd among the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world.

Her speedy ascent is particularly noteworthy — Osaka wasn't even ranked on Forbes' 2019 list of highest-paid athletes at all.

Osaka was born in Osaka, Japan, to a Japanese mother and Haitian father but moved to the US at age three. Much of her early career took place out of the public eye.

Osaka and her family first lived on Long Island before moving to Florida, the epicenter of youth tennis. She has one sister, Mari Osaka, who is also a professional tennis player. Mari competes in lower-level events and is 18 months older than Naomi.

With dual citizenship in the US and Japan, Osaka registered with the Japan Tennis Association instead of the United States Tennis Association at age 10.

"We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age," Osaka's parents told Tom Perrotta of The Wall Street Journal. "Quite simply, Naomi and her sister Mari have always felt Japanese so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation."

Osaka preferred to play in small International Tennis Federation events, which aren't often televised, instead of junior tournaments. She declined to enter junior Grand Slam tournaments even when her ranking was high enough to qualify, Perrotta wrote.

Sean Gregory for TIME magazine described the junior tennis circuit as "a cutthroat environment that burns out many promising teen players."

By age 16, Osaka turned pro. The USTA offered Osaka a spot in its program at this time, but she trained at Harold Solomon Tennis Academy and the ProWorld Tennis Academy with her father instead.

Osaka and her sister were largely taught how to play tennis by their father, Leonard Francois, who would take them to public courts. 

A recreational player, Francois's tennis dreams for his daughters began when he watched Venus and Serena Williams playing in the French Open on TV, wrote Gregory. He looked to the Williams sisters as models for his daughters and copied the coaching approach their father took. 

Naomi and Mari were both homeschooled online so they could dedicate more time to practicing tennis.

At age 18, Osaka stepped up her game: She began practicing at the Evert Tennis Academy and got her first professional coach.

She and her father would practice at the Evert Tennis Academy for two hours a day. "She had a lot of raw talent and she hit the ball a ton, but she wasn't moving and she was making a lot of errors," retired pro tennis player Chris Evert, who cofounded the academy, told the Journal.

But when she began training with two professional coaches — first David Taylor, then Serena Williams' former hitting partner Sascha Bajin — Osaka's game improved quickly.

In 2016, Osaka was named Newcomer of the Year by the Women's Tennis Association. It was a big year for the 18-year-old.

In January 2016 at the Australian Open, Osaka qualified to enter her first Grand Slam, rolling into the third round. She also reached the third round of the French Open and the US Open.

That same year, she became the first Japanese player since 1995 to reach the finals in the Toray Pan Pacific Open, a WTA event in Tokyo.

Two years later, in March 2018, Osaka became the first Japanese woman to win the Indian Wells Masters in California (USA).

Source: Naomi Osaka Profile

Osaka won two back-to-back Grand Slams at age 20: the 2018 US World Open — a controversial match with Serena Williams — and the 2019 Australian Open.

Osaka catapulted into celebrity following her first Grand Slam title at the 2018 US Open, which was an upset loss for Williams. It was a dramatic match that, as Macaela Mackenzie for Shape put it, involved accusations of an unfair call against Williams, an entire game erased from Williams' record, and a smashed racket. Williams had to eventually tell fans to support Osaka's win.

Osaka became the first player from Asia to reach No. 1 in the singles rankings.

Source: WTA Tennis

In 2019, Osaka gave up her US citizenship to represent Japan in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Japan's Nationality Act mandates that those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday, wrote Cindy Boren for The Washington Post.

"It is a special feeling to aim for the Olympics as a representative of Japan," she told Japanese broadcaster NHK. "I think that playing with the pride of the country will make me feel more emotional."

She supported the decision to push back the Olympics until next year amid the pandemic. "Sport will eventually unite us again and be there for us always, but that time is not now," she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, as reported by ESPN.

Osaka already had a string of robust endorsement deals, but her Olympics decision made her a hot commodity among Olympic sponsors. It contributed significantly to her earnings last year.

Procter & Gamble, All Nippon Airways, and Japanese ramen company Nissin all signed endorsement deals with Osaka to use her around marketing for the Games, according to Forbes.

"If you're talking about an international sporting event like the Olympics, she's your international star you're going to market it around," Bob Dorfman, a veteran sports marketer, told TIME last year. "She's got American appeal, Caribbean appeal, Japanese appeal. As nationalities continue to mix in this world, that makes her even more desirable."

After a bidding war with Adidas, who Osaka previously partnered with, Nike reportedly paid Osaka more than $10 million last year in an agreement that runs through 2025, per Forbes. Neither Nike nor Osaka's rep has confirmed the financial details of the endorsement agreement.

It plans to launch an Osaka streetwear line in the fourth quarter and gave Osaka a rare exception to its requirement that tennis players only wear Nike gear during a match.

Osaka now has 15 endorsement partners; almost all are worth seven figures annually.

With her endorsement cash, Osaka partnered with several brands last year, including emerging sports drink BodyArmor and sport recovery tech company Hyperice, with significant equity components.

"I'm really interested in seeing a young business grow and adding value to that process," Osaka told Forbes in 2019. "I tasked my team with finding brands that align with my personality and my interests."

In 2020, Osaka dropped out of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in protest of police violence. She is still set to play in the US Open.

Osaka was set to face Elise Mertens in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open but announced her decision to drop out the night before, reported Insider's Meredith Cash.

"Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach," Osaka wrote in a statement published on Twitter.

Her decision came with protests erupting around the US — including by other major athletes — in light of Sunday's police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Wisconsin who was shot seven times by a police officer in front of his three kids.

People have hailed Osaka as the next Serena Williams.

"Mentally, I feel she's the best female tennis player that I've seen come along since Serena," Rick Macci, a tennis instructor who worked with the Williams sisters when they were young, told the Journal.

Osaka also has one of the fastest serves on record at 125 miles per hour, only slightly slower than Serena's 128 miles per hour serve.

Williams is reportedly Osaka's role model, but Osaka doesn't see herself as the next Serena. "I don't think there is ever going to be another Serena Williams," she told TIME. "I think I'm going to be me. And I hope people are OK with that."

• An American has been writing and editing thousands of articles on the official Wikipedia page for the Scots language, according to Motherboard.
• AmaryllisGardener, an administrator of Scots Wikipedia, has been misspelling English words on the site to imitate a stereotypical Scottish accent since 2013.
• The incident has angered some people online, who say the mangled English "harms the already derogratory [sic] view of Scots languages."
• Wikipedia allows free rein over who edits on its website, and editors for versions in smaller languages — such as the nationally recognized Scots — have more control over the overall product.
• A spokesperson for the Wikimedia Foundation told Business Insider that it "does not set editorial policy on Wikipedia or our other projects."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

An American has written and edited thousands of articles on the official Wikipedia site for the centuries-old Scots language.

The Wikipedia user AmaryllisGardener, an administrator for the site, has written over 23,000 articles and edited more than 200,000 articles on the official Scots Wikipedia over the last six years, according to a report from Motherboard's Edward Ongweso Jr. The matter was uncovered by a Reddit user on r/Scotland. 

The administrator — who describes themself as "a Christian, a North Carolinian, a furry, and an INTP," referring to the personality type — has written articles on the Wikipedia edition by misspelling English words in an effort to imitate a stereotypical Scottish accent. 

For example, on the page for TikTok, the text describes it as "a video-sharin social networking service awned bi Bytedance, a Beijing-based internet technology company foondit in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. It is used tea creaut short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos."

Users can also "Sairch Wikipedia" for keywords on the online encyclopedia.

Scots is an actual language recognized by the Scottish government, and a 2011 census found that 30% of Scottish citizens use it.

One user on the administrator's talk page — where editors can discuss article changes and improvements — pointed out that AmaryllisGardener's interpretation of Scots is somewhat accurate, when you consider translations provided by Scots dictionaries, like scots-online.org. But many Scots and online users have expressed anger toward AmaryllisGardener, according to the report.

Some Redditors pointed out how AmaryllisGardener may have contributed to or exacerbated an inferior perception of the Scots language. The administrator showcasing the language in mangled English, users say, "has possibly done more damage to the Scots language than anyone else in history," per Motherboard.

Some people online have been calling the issue out for years. A user on AmaryllisGardener's page wrote in 2016:

"Sorry but as a Scot and native speaker of a Scots language what is written on this site barely resembles the actual Scots language. I find it insuting [sic] that you would pass this off as our native language which you clearly don't speak. Again, as a native Scot and native speaker, no one where uses this site as it isn't close to resembling any Scots language. The language you use here is English with some changes in spelling and passing it off as the real deal harms the already derogratory [sic] view of Scots languages."

AmaryllisGardener wrote that if they could do it over again, they would focus on "keeping the wiki up and running instead of writing articles, but I meant the best." On August 25, they wrote: "I was only a 12-year-old kid when I started, and sometimes when you start something young, you can't see that the habit you've developed is unhealthy and unhelpful as you get older."

A blurb at the top of the Scots Wikipedia page states that the site is currently reviewing articles for language inaccuracies.

AmaryllisGardener on their talk page said, "I don't mind if you revert all of my edits, delete my articles, and ban me from the wiki for good. I've already found out that my "contributions" have angered countless people, and to me that's all the devastation I can be given."

The matter highlights Wikipedia's policy that allows anyone and everyone to write and edit articles on the website. Many more editors contribute to widely-read Wikipedia versions of major languages — like English and Spanish — than they do to smaller, less-visited language sites, like Scots, as Motherboard notes. Editors of those smaller ecosystems have much more control in how they shape the overall product to their will.

In an email to Business Insider, a Wikimedia Foundation spokesperson said the organization "does not set editorial policy on Wikipedia or our other projects, meaning we do not write, edit, or determine what content is included on a specific language Wikipedia or how that content is maintained. Rather, editorial policy is determined by the volunteers who edit and participate in the development of each project."

Read the full report on Motherboard here.

• Financial problems within the US Postal Service could keep votes from being counted in the 2020 elections.
• More Americans than ever are expected to vote by mail this year, and some doubt the post office will be able to deliver and return applications and ballots on time.
• Federal intervention has also resulted in fewer machines to count ballots.
• View more episodes of Business Insider Today on Facebook.

An avalanche of problems within the US Postal Service could keep votes from being counted in 2020. 

The pandemic is prompting more Americans than ever to vote by mail in the 2020 elections. And since the Postal Service has a monopoly over letter delivery, those ballots will have to go through the post office.

But years of financial problems, recent budget cuts, and a strain from the pandemic is slowing the system down — threatening our democracy. We enlisted Business Insider politics reporter Grace Panetta to explain the unfolding postal crisis and how it might affect the upcoming election.

The problems begin with sorting machines, which are crucial to a quick delivery. But the Postal Service has been planning on dismantling them since May. Many machines have already been removed from distribution centers across the country, which could slow down all sorts of mail delivery, including ballots.

Mailed-in ballots "don't get special treatment on their own in the postal system for being election mail," Panetta said. "They're just processed in with all the other first-class mail."

Mail-in voting includes both universal mail-in ballots and absentee ballots. Some states send mailed ballots to every registered voter, while others require voters to apply for an absentee ballot ahead of the election.

That process results in a lot of mail — and state election offices depend on the USPS to deliver it.

If the Postal Service cannot deliver and return applications and ballots on time, those votes might not be counted.

But there are other options for voters concerned about mail delays. Some states also offer other ways to return your ballot, like in drop boxes or by hand-delivering them to local election offices.

"As a voter, you have a lot of agency over making sure your vote gets counted even in a crazy pandemic time," Panetta said. "If you are voting by mail, you should go and request your ballot now. Do not wait to go get it. Do not wait until the last minute."

Much like US states' pandemic strategy revolved around "flattening the curve" of coronavirus spread so as not to overwhelm the healthcare system, voters should try to flatten the curve of mail-in ballot requests "to make sure officials are not slammed at the last minute in mid-October with a ton of requests they can't process," she said.

The Postal Service was already dealing with mail delays thanks in part to reforms implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. 

Those reforms led to cost-cutting measures like slashing overtime and limiting late delivery shifts.

Financial problems at the USPS aren't new, but President Donald Trump's recent attacks on universal mail-in voting brought national attention to the reforms. Among other attacks, Trump falsely claimed that "80 million ballots" were sent to Americans who did not request them. (It's unclear where Trump got the 80 million figure, and the unsolicited documents sent to some Americans were ballot request forms, not the ballots themselves.)

"He's been trying to undermine faith in the democratic process for almost half a decade now," Panetta said. "The other part of it is, the pandemic has been really, really scary for people and it's undermined a lot of people's faith and trust in their government.

DeJoy told senators that the Postal Service will no longer be dismantling machines prior to the election, but those that were already removed won't be replaced. 

He also said that postal employees will be approved for overtime to process mail-in votes, reversing the reduction in overtime opportunities he had overseen in July. 

In a contentious House hearing this week, DeJoy promised that mail-in voting would be safe.

"I am not engaged in sabotaging the election," DeJoy said in the hearing. "The American people have the commitment of the 650,000 men and women of the Postal Service that we will do everything within our power and structure to deliver the ballots on time."

But many worry this isn't enough, especially because of issues processing ballots during the primaries.

"Election offices dealt with a massive, massive influx of people requesting mail ballots at the last minute," Panetta said. "And all of those applications had to be processed. And unfortunately there were people, a lot of people in some states, who didn't get their ballots at all, or got their ballots on the day of the election or when it was too late to return them."

In July, the Postal Service sent a letter to 46 states and Washington, DC, warning that their registration deadlines might not provide enough time for the agency to deliver ballots.

And though concerns about a contentious election are at the forefront of the Postal Service debate, other problems will persist after November.

"More people are interested and concerned about the post office than maybe ever before because of the impending election. But it's important to step back and look at the big picture and the financial problems with the Postal Service are not going away," Panetta said.

"These are big, existential questions about the post office's future, and what it will look like that are not going to go away after the election."

• Some cities and states have opened up beaches and pools, prompting swimmers to wonder whether the coronavirus can spread through water. 
• While little is known about how this coronavirus acts in water, experts say all signs point to it being an unlikely source of contagion, especially if it's chlorinated. 
• Still, swimming can be risky if it involves prolonged close contact with other swimmers, crowded locker rooms, busy beaches, or sewage runoff. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As summer comes to an end, Americans are eager to make the most of the last remaining beach days — and across the country, some public pools and beaches are open with restrictions.

In Los Angeles County, for example, beaches reopened on May 13 for recreational activities including swimming and surfing. In Georgia, pools reopened the same day, provided the facilities could follow guidelines like limiting capacity to 10 people if they can't maintain six feet between patrons.

New York City reopened 15 of its public swimming pools on July 24 and Aug. 1. In Florida, lap swimmers can exercise in pools while following precautions like remaining six feet from other swimmers, limiting their time to one hour, and being prepared to swim only, since the showers and locker rooms are closed.

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware opened state beaches and lakeshores (though not those in New York City) at half capacity on May 22. Outside of the US, the French Riviera is open to recreationalists including swimmers, but they can't sunbathe afterwards. 

But some swimmers are wary: Some viruses, bacteria, and parasites thrive in water. Last year, for example, there was an uptick in crypto infections, which can lead to diarrhea and vomitting, at pools and water parks due to a parasite called cryptosporidium that's highly resistant to chlorine. 

Fortunately, it seems highly unlikely you'll catch the coronavirus through water, but, as always, you can catch it from other people. Here's what to know about the risks of swimming, and how to make the smartest decision for you.  

Water itself is unlikely to transmit the novel coronavirus 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas." It says that treating these types of facilities with chemicals including chlorine should "should inactivate the virus in the water."

Even fresh or salt water is highly unlikely to spread the coronavirus since other coronaviruses aren't stable in water, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, told the New York Times.

That seems to be in part due to the fact that water dilutes the spit droplets that can transmit the disease, Dr. Leonard A. Mermel, a professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, said during an Infectious Diseases Society of America seminar May 19. 

And, although coronavirus RNA has been found in feces, which could theoretically spread through water if you accidentally get some in your mouth, the virus in feces "doesn't appear to be in an infective state," Krista Wigginton, an associate professor of environmental engineering at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering, told Insider. 

"The bigger risk from all of these activities would be from interacting with others who are talking, coughing, or sneezing nearby," she said. 

Plus, because catching the coronavirus usually involves inhaling it, not swallowing it, water is an unlikely route of transmission, Joseph Eisenberg, chair of the epidemiology department at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, told Business Insider. 

"In general, respiratory pathogens don't survive in the water," he said.  

What we don't know about coronavirus in water

There's still a lot researchers don't know for sure about how this coronavirus acts in water. 

There's a chance it could be spread in places where ocean water mixes with untreated wastewater that's contaminated by the virus. The waves could then, in theory, launch the virus into particles that the wind carries back to shore, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinal. 

Kim Prather, an atmospheric chemist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, is currently studying whether that's the case. 

Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Arizona, told WebMD the virus could be in ocean water near sewage runoffs, but isn't particularly worried about it. 

"I'd be more worried about hepatitis, swimming in raw sewage discharge, or many of the other pathogens," he said. "They present a far greater magnitude of risk, even if it turns out that coronavirus is transmitted by water."

Take serious precautions if you plan to swim 

No matter the activity, the risk of contracting COVID-19 mostly depends on the same few factors: How close are you to how many people, and for how long?  

"The general principle should be: Outside is better than inside; open is better than closed; fewer is better than more people; and stay away from sick people," Dr. Erich Anderer, a neurosurgeon and founding member of the North Brooklyn Runners group, previously told Insider.

When it comes to swimming, then, "swimming in an uncrowded pool, lake, or ocean is likely low risk compared to indoor activities and crowded outdoor activities like going to restaurants, malls, stores, and concerts," Wigginton said. 

Broken down further: Jumping in a private chlorinated outdoor pool is about as safe as you can get, while riding waves on a busy ocean-front is riskier, particularly if you're clamoring for space to set up your towel on the sand afterward. 

As for pools, lap swimming in a well-treated pool where you have your own lane and empty lanes next to you is pretty low-risk, while splashing around in a crowded indoor pool is higher risk because you'll likely be in close contact with others' spit as they yell "Marco Polo" or cough when accidentally gulping down some water. 

It's even more dangerous if you're also using the locker room, where you may not only be in close proximity to strangers who aren't wearing masks, but also touching surfaces like doorknobs and shower handles that can harbor the virus. 

Ultimately, use common sense. Swimming brings massive physical and mental benefits. If you can do it with a risk level you're comfortable with, dive in. 

• Business Insider assembled a panel of hundreds of young investors who volunteered to share their views about the markets. This is a self-selected group of people under the age of 35 who have a brokerage account.
• Respondents were asked which single stock they'd most like to hold on a long-term basis.
• Amazon was the most popular pick, with more than 9% viewing the stock as their best long play.
• Other mega-cap tech juggernauts made the list, while AT&T and Disney helped round out the top seven.
• Listed below are the top seven stocks millennials are most interested in holding for the long term.
• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.

The stock market's newer participants are betting that mega-cap growth stocks will keep notching record highs after volatility dies down and the coronavirus recession ends.

Millions of novice investors flooded the market in recent months looking to profit on stocks' rally from March lows. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite now sit at record highs, leaving young investors at a fork in the road: stay safe with the market's growth darlings or find other names for long-term bets.

A panel conducted by Business Insider of more than 460 millennial investors shows the group largely going with the former strategy. Amazon took the top spot with 9% of respondents deeming it their favorite long-term pick. In a separate question, more than half of the panel picked the e-commerce giant as their favorite FAANG stock.

Read more: MORGAN STANLEY: Buy these 12 underappreciated stocks that offer strong profit growth and are due for a surge

Microsoft and Apple nearly tied for second place, supporting the narrative that younger investors see tech outperforming for years to come.

Facebook tied for sixth place alongside AT&T. The social media giant was also respondents' least preferred FAANG name, with only 2% saying they'd pick it over other tech mega-caps to own over the next decade.

Listed below are millennials' top seven stocks they plan to hold for the long term, in descending order of popularity.

Read more: Bank of America shares a trading strategy designed to boost returns from a 'potential blow-off' rally in Apple's stock as it surges past big-tech peers

1. Amazon
   • Ticker: AMZN
   • Share of vote: 9.09%
2. Microsoft
   • Ticker: MSFT
   • Share of vote: 5.52%
3. Apple
   • Ticker: AAPL
   • Share of vote: 5.19%
4. Tesla
   • Ticker: TSLA
   • Share of vote: 4.87%
5. Disney
   • Ticker: DIS
   • Share of vote: 2.60%
6. AT&T
   
   • Ticker: T
   • Share of vote: 2.27%
7. Facebook
   • Ticker: FB
   • Share of vote: 2.27%

Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:

US investing champion David Ryan famously garnered a compounded return of 1,379% in just 3 years. Here is the 11-part criteria he uses to find the next big winner.

Tesla will surge another 19% from current levels on Battery Day hopes, says new biggest Wall Street bull

Salesforce spikes 29% on blockbuster earnings and boosted full-year forecast

• Melania Trump's former close friend and adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff secretly taped the first lady making disparaging comments about her husband and stepdaughter Ivanka.
• Wolkoff drew on those tapes and years of friendship with Melania to write a book about their tumultuous relationship, "Melania and Me: My Years as Confidant, Advisor and Friend to the First Lady."
• In an excerpt of her book published Thursday, Wolkoff describes Melania's tense relationship with Ivanka and an effort by the first lady to minimize her stepdaughter's role in the inauguration. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

First lady Melania Trump's former close friend and adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff reportedly secretly taped the first lady making disparaging comments about her husband and stepdaughter Ivanka, according to Wolkoff's new book.

Wolkoff drew on those tapes and years of friendship with Melania to write a book about their tumultuous relationship, "Melania and Me: My Years as Confidant, Advisor and Friend to the First Lady." The New York Times reported that Wolkoff planned to hand the tapes of Melania over to a news outlet ahead of the book's September 1 release.

Wolkoff joined the first lady's office as an unpaid adviser after the inauguration, The New York Times reported. She resigned amid controversy over the inauguration's finances and reporting that she was paid $26 million for her work.

"Was I fired? No," Wolkoff said in 2018. "Did I personally receive $26 million or $1.6 million? No. Was I thrown under the bus? Yes."

'Operation Block Ivanka'

An excerpt of the book published Thursday in New York magazine details the buildup and immediate aftermath of President Donald Trump's inauguration, which Wolkoff played a key role in organizing.

Drama with Ivanka Trump was an issue from the start, according to Wolkoff.

Ivanka, whom Wolkoff says Melania referred to as "princess," wanted to play a more central role in the inauguration than the incoming first lady was comfortable with, according to the book.

"It was Donald's inauguration, not Ivanka's," Wolkoff writes. "But no one was brave enough to tell her that. Melania was not thrilled about Ivanka's steering the schedule and would not allow it. Neither was she happy to hear that Ivanka insisted on walking in the Pennsylvania Avenue parade with her children."

Wolkoff said this led to "Operation Block Ivanka," an effort to ensure Ivanka would not be shown by TV cameras on the inauguration stage during key moments of the ceremony, including when Donald Trump was sworn in or when he took the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts.

"Yes, Operation Block Ivanka was petty," Wolkoff writes. "Melania was in on this mission. But in our minds, Ivanka shouldn't have made herself the center of attention in her father's inauguration."

Family turf wars 

Things got only more tense once the Trump family began settling in at the White House.

Since Melania was in Manhattan for the first months of the Trump administration — which The Washington Post's Mary Jordan would later write in her book was part of Melania's effort to acquire leverage in renegotiating her prenuptial agreement and secure a better inheritance for her son Barron — Wolkoff was left to serve as the first lady's "linebacker" in a turf war with Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner.

Wolkoff writes that she and Melania Trump immediately suspected Ivanka was leaking to the press when they started seeing "reports that the East Wing was a dark, lonely, sad, cobwebbed place."

"We suspected Ivanka immediately," she writes. "According to Vicky Ward's book Kushner, Inc., Ivanka said during the transition that the First Lady's office would become, under Daddy's administration, the 'Trump Family Office.'"

Wolkoff adds, "The West Wing wasn't big enough for the Kushners. They wanted the East Wing as well." 

Wolkoff also blasts Ivanka for using a private email account to conduct official White House business — the same charge so effectively weaponized by the Trump campaign against Hillary Clinton.

"Ivanka was asking her work contacts at the White House to write to her at her private email — the exact offense the Trumps had lambasted Hillary Clinton for during the general election," she writes. "Would anyone chant 'Lock her up!' about Ivanka's private server? Doubtful. The email thing was hypocritical, to say the least. But the Trumps made their own rules."

Wolkoff's book is being published by Simon & Schuster, which is behind other recent books by close former Trump associates, including the president's niece Mary Trump and former national security adviser John Bolton. 

The publishing house said Wolkoff's book would provide new details about Melania's reactions to the "Access Hollywood" tape and allegations that her husband had affairs and made hush-money payments, as well as why the first lady controversially wore a jacket with the words, "I really don't care, do u?" printed on it. 

• Consumers are continuing to shop at dollar stores as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. 
• Both Dollar Tree and Dollar General reported strong earnings on Thursday, as a result.
• Dollar Tree — which also owns Family Dollar — saw a surge in discretionary spending in its latest quarter.
• Meanwhile, Dollar General continues to boost its fresh grocery capabilities as it focuses on expansion.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Even as coronavirus fears prompt consumers to rethink their shopping strategies, dollar-store giants Dollar Tree and Dollar General continue to win over deal seekers.

Both chains posted second-quarter earnings results on Thursday. Dollar Tree reported a 3.1% increase in year-over-year same-store sales, while subsidiary Family Dollar saw comparable sales climb 11.6%. Combined, the Virginia-based retailer's net sales increased 9.4% to $6.28 billion. Tennessee-based Dollar General's same-store sales also grew by 18.8%, with net sales jumping 24.4% to $8.7 billion. 

The dollar-store segment of the retail market has long been known to thrive during tough economic times. Dollar stores have been soaring during the pandemic to date, even eclipsing rivals in the adjacent grocery market. 

Dollar stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General additionally represent "one of the few bright spots in the retail sector" in terms of customer store visits during the coronavirus, according to foot-traffic tracker Placer.ai.

'Shopping with a purpose'

Dollar Tree saw a big rebound in discretionary spending, which had been down at the company since Easter. Dollar Tree president and CEO Mike Witynski also said that shopping trends have shifted since the start of the pandemic.

"Consumer shopping patterns are evolving," Witynski said in a statement. "Customers are shopping with a purpose, while looking to minimize risk and exposure. As a result, we are seeing material increases in average ticket, while seeing a decline in average visits."

Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos highlighted the same trend, telling analysts that while spending was up, "customers consolidated trips in order to limit social contact."

In its earnings statement, Dollar General credited the COVID-19 pandemic for driving "consumer behavior" that has "had a significant positive effect on net sales and same-store sales." The company has seen a boost in consumables, seasonal, and apparel in recent months – with the largest sales increase in home products. 

Despite the positive earnings results, the dollar stores did face a number of challenges during the last quarter. As an example, Dollar Tree said that pandemic and civil unrest-related spending — in the form of employee bonuses and repairs of stores damaged in riots — cost the company more than $150 million in the period. Witynski also said that both Dollar tree and Family Dollar saw inventory levels decline in certain categories, partly due to "high customer demand for paper towels and cleaning supplies."

What's next for the dollar store giants

Built up momentum during the pandemic has allowed both Dollar Tree and Dollar General to continue expanding. Dollar Tree opened up 131 new stores — while shuttering around 26 — during the quarter. Meanwhile, Dollar General has launched 500 new stores so far this year, and remodeled or relocated an additional 1,016.

Executives from both companies expressed optimism about the coming months. Witynski said that, while back-to-school spending underwent "volatility" due to uncertainty about school openings, the company hasn't seen overall sales in the category decline. He also expects similar results for Halloween, saying that consumers would likely shift spending from candies for trick-or-treaters to decorations.

"Since they're spending more time at home, they want to decorate their homes more and invest in their homes more," Witynski said on the earnings call.

Beyond seasonal items, Witynski said "anything related to stay at home, such as lawn and garden and outdoor grilling, has continued to perform very well" as consumers continue to congregate inside during the pandemic. In-demand products at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar also include apparel like loungewear, sleepwear, slippers, and athleisure garments.

Meanwhile, Dollar General is forging its path into e-commerce and grocery with its DG Fresh initiative, order pickup, and cooler expansion program. COO Jeff Owen told analysts that the company has already installed 60,000 cooler doors in its fleet of stores, up from its target of 55,000.

First introduced in January 2019, the DG Fresh initiative is the dollar-store giant's push to establish fresh and frozen-food options in its stores, which have traditionally lacked a grocery element. Currently, Dollar General delivers grocery products to more than 9,000 of its total 16,500 locations.

Owen added that Dollar General has added 55 new products to DG Fresh. The company has also doubled down on its push for new and improved private brands, as they represent "opportunities to further enhance our value proposition."

Are you a dollar store employee? Email confidential tips to acain@businessinsider.com.

• NBA players made history on Wednesday when a sudden "wildcat strike" in protest of police violence brought the league's restart, and playoffs, to a sudden halt.
• The history of the league shows a willingness to strike from players since the 1950s, but activism has never been as common or pronounced as in the Black Lives Matter era.
• The league, Disney, and ESPN have billions riding on the conclusion of the season, and the players know the leverage they have.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In June, not everyone thought the NBA should come back. 

Its return would only detract from the historic protests over the police killing of George Floyd, which was caught on video. Now, less than a month after play resumed on July 30, Milwaukee Bucks players have gone on strike — what the team originally called a boycott — to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which was also caught on video. Blake was shot in the back and now appears to be paralyzed from the waist down.

By the evening after Milwaukee's players went on strike, the next three games had been called off. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Bucks players were attempting to contact Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul from their locker room.

Later on Wednesday night, Charania, David Aldridge, and Joe Vardon reported the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers — the two best teams in the league this season aside from Milwaukee — had voted to cancel the season, though other reports indicated the vote was not a binding one. By Thursday, Charania reported the players had agreed to continue playing "but want to find new and improved ways to make social justice statements."

They have already made a bold statement.

The sudden collective action by NBA players — essentially a "wildcat strike," or when union members stop work without leadership's authorization — is already the largest sudden work stoppage in NBA history. Even if the playoffs conclude, this moment has high stakes for the league and its partners, especially Disney and its subsidiary ESPN, with $1 billion invested in creating the "bubble" that allows play to safely resume.

NBA players, long unionized and ready and willing to strike, have all the leverage right now over their league and its partners.

The dynamics have clicked into focus over the past 24 hours: A group overwhelmingly made up of Black workers has withheld its labor to advocate for political changes, with billions on the line.

They are the most powerful employees in America, and they are acting like they know it.

Labor, employment, and replaceability 

The members of the Players Association have outstanding leverage, compared with many employees, because of a variety of factors. 

The first is commonly associated with Michael Jordan: the superstar effect. Teams already employ the best of the best: Just 1.2% of college players and 0.03% of high-school players make it to the NBA, according to the NCAA. That might suggest thousands of basketball players are waiting in line to play if an athlete steps out of line, but the superstar effect — whereby the marginal difference between very good and exceptional leads to outsize financial rewards — allows for big-name players with lofty endorsements to make it difficult for teams to just get rid of them. The same holds true for today's leaders, like the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Lakers' LeBron James.

Another is the presence of a strong union, a rarity in American business. According to Investopedia, all the major American sports leagues have had unions for about 70 years.

The NBA union was repeatedly locked out under former Commissioner David Stern, who famously took a scorched-earth approach to negotiations. But Stern isn't the commissioner anymore, now it's his protégé Adam Silver, a famously player-friendly leader, and the former union chief that Stern regularly got the better off, Billy Hunter, was replaced by Michele Roberts, a fierce cogitator.

Plus, the NBA players union benefits from having superstar players leading the drive. All-Star Chris Paul serves as president, and superstars like Kyrie Irving — who said the bubble could distract from civil-rights momentum — and Finals MVP Andre Iguodala work as vice presidents. James was also once a vice president of the union, a turning point for the unit's high-profile leadership.

NBA players have been leading strikes since the 1950s

In 1959, a few years after the NBA players union formed, Minneapolis Lakers star Elgin Baylor sat out a high-profile game after a hotel refused to house him with the rest of his white teammates.

Baylor told his teammate and fellow NBA great Rod Hundley, "Rod, I'm a human being. I'm not an animal put in a cage and let out for the show," The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported. Baylor's protest resulted in then-NBA Commissioner Maurice Podoloff promising to end hotel separation between Black and white players.  

A few years later, after the union was unsuccessful in getting pensions and other requests approved, a strike was in the cards at the 1964 All-Star Game, the first ever televised.

"The players were controlled by the owners," former All-Star Jerry West told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. "All of us felt like we were slaves in the sense we had no rights."

The owners agreed to the players' demands, and the game was delayed about five minutes.

The Black Lives Matter era raised the stakes for activism — and aggressive labor tactics

The next major threat of a strike happened many years later in 2014, when players were ready to strike during a nationally televised game in the aftermath of audio being leaked to the media of Clippers owner Donald Sterling telling his girlfriend to delete a photo of her and Magic Johnson because he is Black. The San Jose Mercury News' Marcus Thompson reported that plans for "all" NBA games were being formulated that day, but Commissioner Adam Silver took the unprecedented step of banishing Sterling and forcing the sale of his team to, eventually, the billionaire Steve Ballmer.

The Sterling affair demonstrated how race has become a catalyst for collective action by NBA players in the past decade. Basketball players have perhaps been most politically vocal since President Donald Trump's election, as many prominent players, coaches, and owners have denounced the commander in chief. The Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors, the NBA champions since 2017, have not visited the White House.

The Milwaukee Bucks have become particularly outspoken on the issue of police misconduct as the team's Black players have suffered abuse in their hometown. Sterling Brown is suing the city after police used a stun gun on him and knelt on his neck during an arrest and has written extensively in The Players' Tribune about his experience. In response to the strike last night, the Bucks released a statement that said in part, "We stand firmly against reoccurring issues of excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging the black community."

After Blake's shooting, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said while Republicans had been "spewing fear" during their national convention this week, Black Americans were the ones "getting killed." He told media on Wednesday, "It's amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back. It's really so sad."

The GOAT and the whole new game

In the Wednesday night vote held by the players, one voice was leading in arguing for the end of the season: Lakers superstar and NBA icon James, who had tweeted earlier that night: "F--- THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT."

It's fitting James is a major player in this turn to activism, since a large part of his case for "greatest of all time," or "GOAT," rests on his greater outspokenness on civil-rights issues than Michael Jordan, the reigning GOAT. This dates at least back to James speaking out about the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, itself so reminiscent of the violence against Floyd and Blake. 

James' willingness to advocate for social change is one of many examples of the NBA community growing more vocal as the Black Lives Matter movement has emerged in the past decade.

Perhaps James is so vocal about his political beliefs because as the game's best player for much of his career, he has long known something his colleagues are all starting to come around to: His power lies in how he can't be replaced. Without the players, there is no game, after all, and to these athletes, pro basketball is no longer just a game.

• Superyacht crewmember Jenny Matthews founded She of the Sea in 2018 as a community to connect female deck and engineering crew.
• Along with her business partner Natasha Ambrose, Matthews has grown the company into an initiative aimed at making the yachting industry more diverse, racially and along gender lines.
• They're pushing to change how women are viewed and portrayed in yachting and the talent shortage it's creating.
• Are you a woman working in yachting with a story to share? Email Hillary Hoffower at hhoffower@businessinsider.com.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The day Jenny Matthews joined the yachting industry, she knew she wanted to be a captain.

Eight years later in 2018, she was well on her way, having just passed an exam to become officer of the watch (OOW), a high-ranking deck role on a superyacht.

"I got a lot of amazing feedback from my peers," she told Business Insider. "They were like, 'Congratulations! Did you know that there's less than 10 women that had those tickets?'"

As their words sank in, Matthews realized they rang true to her own experience: "I realized I had actually never seen or worked with another woman in my entire career in either of the deck or engineering departments," she said.

Matthews turned to an existing Facebook group dedicated to women who work on deck. Turns out, the gender disparity wasn't quite as dire as her peers had made it out to be; there were actually more than 10 women with an OOW certificate in the group alone. But Matthews said she was "flooded with responses" from women who had no idea the others existed.

"I was so compelled by what these women were saying," she said. "Everything just blew up from there."

And so began She of the Sea, a new community Matthews created as a way for female deck and engineering crew to connect because they're "few and far between" in these male-dominated roles. Two years later, it has evolved into an industry-wide initiative aiming to diversify yachting along gender lines and also racially.

"How can we move past the sexy woman holding the bottle of champagne while the man drives around, to present women as the intelligent experts and passionate seafarers and corporate leaders that they are?" she said.

From building a community to demanding action

Matthews said She of the Sea "went off with a bang" when it first launched in 2018, but didn't progress much the first year while she worked full-time as an OOW. Things kicked up when Natasha Ambrose, a chief mate for seven-plus years, jumped on board a year in.

Ambrose was one of the first to respond to her call-out in the Facebook group from Matthews seeking female OOWs. The two formed a friendship that developed into a partnership, and eventually into a romance — they're now engaged. "We had such synergy and passion for this," Matthews said.

While She of the Sea started out as an informative online space (with a Facebook group and website where women could share their experiences and jobs), it eventually became an action-based, concerted effort to diversify yachting.

Today, it has four key components: a pledge committing to make the industry more diverse; community outreach to young women who might be interested in a yachting career through collaborations with schools and STEM programs; raising visibility and awareness through webinars and events; and hosting a mentorship program, which has been paused amid the pandemic.

Working on She of the Sea full-time in 2019, Matthews added, was when they really started to see progress. She oversees the big picture, creating the blueprint for change and impact, while Ambrose translates that big picture into reality by doing research and forming personal relationships.

Their first six months were dedicated to research and development. They formed an advisory board and pro bono legal team who oversee everything She of the Sea produces, from the pledge creation to round table discussions and webinars. "You never want to be the smartest person in the room," Matthews said.

Over the past six months, She of the Sea has successfully pushed for change in the yachting world, with 40-plus companies (from shipyards and crew agencies to management companies) signing its pledge.

Above all, She of the Sea is a passion project. So far, Matthews estimates, they've invested €30,000 ($35,000) of their own money into the company. Self-funding, as opposed to seeking outside investors, keeps their message "authentic and pure," she said.

She of the Sea's initiative is filling a hole in the industry

Women, Matthews said, don't have the same opportunities as men to get jobs and the opportunities to progress once they're in those jobs. But what Matthews said she's really pushing for is changing the visual and verbal representation of women in yachting media, advertising, conversations, and events, which fosters many of the barriers they face.

On a broader level, what they're really addressing is the sustainability of the rapidly expanding industry, she said. While the demand for talent is astronomical, she explained, there's a talent shortage because people aren't looking at the right qualities if they're selecting roles based on gender or race.

Matthews said that only 60 women have qualified as senior seafarers in the past 14 years, per the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. (Business Insider was not able to independently verify the figure.)

"If we're only looking at the males or the crew that fit the cookie cutter picture that we have, we miss out on an incredible amount of talent," she said. "If we want the best people, we have to value people based on their competency rather than any other irrelevant factor."

Currently, Matthews and Ambrose are getting ready to launch an interactive community app for She of the Sea members. They're also creating a flagship apparel line with all proceeds going back to the community, and have begun hosting Instagram live events and webinars featuring inspiring women in the industry.

But Matthews' overall goal is that in five to 10 years, She of the Sea won't have to exist. "I hope that we won't have to champion change, that that change would have already happened," she said. "And we can all sit back and laugh that we even had to have a platform for getting this to happen."

Are you a woman working in yachting with a story to share? Email Hillary Hoffower at hhoffower@businessinsider.com.

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• We asked a certified professional career coach and expert at TopResume about the top skills that anyone who wants to advance their career should have.
• From strengthening written skills to mastering public speaking, learning recommended skills has never been more accessible or convenient thanks to e-learning courses.
• Online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer high-quality classes taught by experienced professionals available on your own time, at low costs.

Whether you're a college senior starting to look into your post-grad prospects or a working professional with years of experience under your belt, the constantly shifting job market never gets easier to navigate.

It can be hard to wrap your head around all the newly emerging job titles and inefficient, poorly designed application systems, but one area where you always have complete control is your ability to hone your own skills.

If you feel like your school career center failed you or you're not fully equipped yet to tackle the industry or job of your dreams, online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer high-quality classes taught by experienced professionals or university professors at low costs, on your own time. Learning a new skill from scratch or brushing up on always-relevant ones has never been more accessible or convenient. 

We asked Amanda Augustine, a career advice expert at TopResume and a certified professional career coach with over 10 years of experience in the recruiting industry, about the top skills that anyone who wants to land a job right out of college or advance their career in today's job market should have.

Looking for more e-learning? Here are some of the best online classes you can take

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Here's what Augustine had to say and the online courses she recommends:

Strong written communication skills can get you far.

Whether you're writing your cover letter, following up after an interview, or sending an email to everyone in your department, superb written communication skills are a must. Impress the hiring manager or your boss by optimizing your writing skills. If you struggle to write, conquer that stumbling block with an online course in effective business writing.

Course options:

• GoSkills: Writing Effective Business Communications
• Alison: The Fundamentals of Business Writing
• Coursera: High-Impact Business Writing (University of California, Irvine)

It's helpful to be comfortable with public speaking and presentations.

You may not want a job that requires you to present in front of large crowds, however, sound presentation skills are useful in many instances beyond a podium. Employers value professionals who can clearly and succinctly articulate their thoughts one-on-one and during a group meeting.

Whether you find yourself explaining your ideas in an interview room or during a department meeting, strong communication skills will certainly come in handy. These online courses will help improve your overall communication skills, overcome public speaking fears, and fine-tune your powers of persuasion.

Course options:

• Coursera: Introduction to Public Speaking (University of Washington)
• Udemy: Presentation Skills: Communications Skills & Public Speaking

Don't write off the importance of networking — there are ways to do it effectively while staying genuine.

Love it or loathe it, you can't avoid the art of networking in today's job market. Whether you're looking for a job or wanting to advance your career, a strong professional network is a key ingredient to success. However, not everyone is a social butterfly with a large Rolodex of connections at their fingertips. If you're not a natural power-connector, as described in Malcolm Gladwell's book, "The Tipping Point," then it may be time to find an online course that will teach you the basics.

Remember, sending LinkedIn requests to random people does not count as networking. Look for courses that will help you go beyond social media to seek out relevant contacts and plant the seeds for a meaningful professional relationship with these connections.

Course options:

• LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com): Professional Networking
• LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com): Build Your Professional Network
• Universal Class: Successfully Networking Your Career

You are your own product and need to sell yourself to potential employers.

In today's job market, it's not enough to have a great resume. You also need to clearly communicate your personal brand — the unique qualities and abilities that make you, well, you — to employers and networking connections online, on paper, and in-person. In other words, you have to consciously manage your personal marketing campaign during the job search.

It should come as no surprise then that marketing professionals have an advantage when it comes to searching for work. Give yourself an edge up on the competition during your job search by getting a crash course in the principles of marketing.     

Course options:

• Coursera: Introduction to Marketing (The Wharton School)

Think of negotiations as a conversation, not a battle.

You may not be vying for a sales position, but don't be fooled. Every professional can benefit from becoming a better negotiator. This valuable skill will serve you well during your job search when negotiating your job offer, as well as when you're on the job.

From negotiating contracts with vendors or clients to working out the details of a prospective employee's compensation package, or vying for a raise or promotion with your boss, strong negotiation skills will help advance your career. If you're uncomfortable leaving emotion at the door while you hash out a contract, give one of these online courses a try.  

Course options:

• Coursera: Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills (University of Michigan)
• Alison: Introducing the Art of Negotiation (Stanford University)
• Coursera: Intro to Negotiation: Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator (Yale University)

Fill in a skill gap.

Sometimes, the best way to improve your chances of landing the job you want is to develop relevant skills. If you're new to the workforce with little to no professional work experience under your belt, you may need to seek alternative methods to bolster your resume.

Once you have a clear job goal in mind, reach out to people in your network who work in your desired field to find out what skills are in high demand. Then, research sites like Udemy, Envato Tuts+, General Assembly, Coursera, edX, GoSkills, LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com), and SkillShare, to name a few, to find out if there's a way for you to develop those skills while you're searching for work.

This method is also useful for those who want to change careers or move up the ladder and aren't able to build the skills they need within their current position.

• You can join a Webex meeting using the desktop app, a web browser, or the mobile app.
• If the host is using a paid Webex plan, you will also have the option to dial in from your phone for a voice-only meeting call. 
• If you want to use an app to join the meeting, Webex will prompt you to install it at the appropriate time.  
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

You can join a Webex video meeting using a web browser, the Webex desktop app, a mobile app on your phone, or even audio-only using just a phone call. 

No matter how you plan to join, you'll need the email invitation, so start there. 

How to join a Webex meeting using the desktop app

1. Open the meeting invitation in your email app and click "Join." 

2. If this is your first time joining a Webex meeting on your computer, Webex will automatically prompt you to download the app. Click the installer in your browser's download center to install the app. 

3. Follow the instructions to enter your email address and other information if requested. 

4. You might be asked to enter a password for the meeting. If so, you can find it in the email invitation. 

5. On the Webex meeting window, configure the audio and video for the meeting. You can choose whether to use your computer's audio, dial in with your phone, or even enter your phone number and have Webex call you to establish the audio for the meeting.  

6. You can also show or hide video, and choose if you want to start the call with audio or mute your microphone. 

7. When you're ready, click "Join Meeting."

How to join a Webex meeting using a web browser

You don't need to install or use the desktop app. If you prefer, you can take the meeting entirely from your internet browser. 

1. Open the meeting invitation in your email app and click "Join." 

2. Rather than installing the desktop app, click "Join from your browser."

3. On the Webex meeting window, configure the audio and video for the meeting. You can choose whether to use your computer's audio, dial in with your phone, or even enter your phone number and have Webex call you to establish the audio for the meeting.  

4. You can also show or hide video, and choose if you want to start the call with audio or mute your microphone. 

5. When you're ready, click "Join Meeting."

How to join a Webex meeting using a mobile app 

You can join a Webex meeting from your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Before you get started, install the Webex app for iOS or the Webex app for Android. 

1. Open the meeting invitation in your email app and click "Join." The Webex app will start automatically.

2. In the Webex app, choose to show or hide your video and whether you want to start the meeting with the audio muted.

3. When you're ready, tap "Join."

How to join a Webex meeting using only your phone audio

If you don't have access to Wi-Fi or are having bandwidth issues, you don't need to use a mobile app to connect to a Webex meeting – you might be able to just dial in for a voice-only call. 

Open the meeting invitation in your email app and look for the section called "Join by phone" and assess your options. Depending upon the host's Webex plan there might be an option to dial in and join by phone. If so, just dial one of the numbers provided. Enter the meeting number and password included in the invitation.

If the host is using a free Webex plan, though, this might not be an option, and you will need to join using one of the other methods above. 

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• How to create breakout rooms in Zoom and give callers their own groups to talk privately in

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