Serpentessa (not her real name) is a former professional belly dancer and a 'snake priestess' who uses snakes to conduct healing massages for her clients. For 33 years, she's been facilitating interactions between snakes and people, ranging from thrill-seekers and nature lovers to people suffering from PTSD. This is what […]

Alphabet has grounded Loon, bursting its dream of balloons that would deliver internet access. But some investors and analysts are glad to see Alphabet entering a "maturing" phase. Alphabet canned another moonshot last year, in what could hint at more changes to come. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. […]

Before the end of its term, the Trump administration tried to paint the incoming Biden administration as soft on China. The thing is, Trump's team and Biden's team agree that it's time to take a more aggressive posture on competition with China. It's just that Biden's team has more effective […]

The global diamond trade spent years in the doldrums, only to be crippled by the pandemic just as things started looking up. Now, at last, business is booming again. Factories in the industry’s “engine room” — the Indian city of Surat — are so desperate to boost production that the […]

Being in DC for the inauguration reminded me of the days immediately after 9/11.  Americans were rightfully traumatized, but we almost immediately began surrendering our civil liberties in the name of "security" and "counterterrorism." A military occupation in the nation's capital, and calls for sweeping new surveillance and law enforcement […]

Twitter has suspended the account of Donald Trump citing the risk of further incitement to violence amid increasingly vociferous calls for for the president to step down. Twitter blocked Trump for 12 hours yesterday but he returned to the site to post a video attempting to be conciliatory. He was […]

Sign up here for our daily coronavirus newsletter on what you need to know, and subscribe to our Covid-19 podcast for the latest news and analysis. The Greater Los Angeles area has surpassed 1 million confirmed Covid-19 cases, though county scientists estimate actual infections are three times higher. The milestone […]

Bank of America Corp. plans to pay its employees special bonuses for their work throughout the pandemic. The lender will give $750 to eligible staff who earn $100,000 or less annually, while higher-paid employees will receive a stock award, according to a memo to staff from Chief Executive Officer Brian […]

President Joe Biden called the National Guard's chief on Friday to issue an apology. Earlier this week, photos circulated on social media of troops sleeping on the floor of parking lots. National Guard members were forced to vacate the Capitol on Thursday, according to Politico. Visit Business Insider's homepage for […]