The US is 'not focused on a boycott' of the 2022 Olympics in China amid human rights concerns, Blinken says

A Chinese flag flutters in front of the IOC headquarters during a protest by activists of the International Tibet Network against the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on February 3, 2021 in Lausanne.

Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images

The United States is "not focused" on boycotting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Calls for nations, including the US, to boycott next year's games are growing. Tensions are rising between the US, its allies, and China over allegations of human rights violations in...

Black millennials increased African American homeownership in 2020, but the road ahead is 'going to be a challenge,' experts say

A for sale sign is seen on a single family home January 30, 2008 in Vallejo, California.

David Paul Morris/Getty Images

Amid a global pandemic, Black millennials led a boom in African American homeownership in 2020. But racial disparities in wealth, education, employment, and homeownership still persist for Black Americans. Homeownership is "going to be a challenge for all millennials, but mostly for Black millennials," an expert told Insider. See more stories on Insider's business...

Smaller drones don't let the US off the hook for war crimes

The XQ-58A Valkyrie releases a ALTIUS-600 small UAS during a test in Arizona, March 26, 2021

US Air Force

The US has relied heavily on drones for many missions - including lethal strikes - for decades. Drones are only a platform, and what matters for international law is how those platforms are used. In the US, focus on the drones themselves has overshadowed debate with the wider ethics of armed violence. See more stories on Insider's business page.

When it comes to armed drones, is smaller...

The investigators looking into sexual harassment claims against Gov. Cuomo have wide, sweeping powers and are paid as much as $750 per hour

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

The investigators reviewing sexual harassment claims against Gov. Andrew Cuomo are being paid as much as $750 per hour. Attorney General Letitia James hired the independent investigators after several women came forward with allegations Cuomo. The Daily News reported that the investigators have wide, sweeping power to conduct the probe freely. See more stories on Insider's business page.

The investigators...

Prehistoric cavemen starved themselves of oxygen to induce hallucinations and inspire their ancient paintings, study finds

Prototype of painting of the facsimile of the Chauvet cave, which contains some of the earliest known cave paintings Arc, in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc.

Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images

Prehistoric cave dwellers living in Europe starved themselves of oxygen to make art, researchers say. An Israeli study found that cavemen purposefully did this to help them interact with the cosmos. The study explains why so many ancient paintings are deep inside cave systems. Visit Insider's homepage for more...

An Ohio GOP Senate candidate reportedly crashed an RNC donor retreat and was escorted out

Ohio GOP Senate candidate Josh Mandel.

AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File

Josh Mandel, running for a vacant Ohio Senate seat, got escorted out of a donor retreat over the weekend. The retreat was hosted by the Republican National Committee and offered candidates coveted opportunities to mingle with donors. There were also opportunities to schmooze with GOP leaders like former President Donald Trump. See more stories on Insider's business page.

Security removed Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel from a...

The Army wants deadlier, more destructive ammo to go with its new sniper rifle

A US Army sniper during a sniper competition.

US Army

The Army just picked a new, multi-caliber sniper rifle: the MK22 Multi-role Adaptive Design, or MRAD. Now it wants a new class of ammunition to make snipers deadlier and more destructive against enemy personnel and equipment. See more stories on Insider's business page.

The Army just picked a new, multi-caliber sniper rifle. Now, it wants a new class of ammunition to make snipers deadlier and more destructive against enemy personnel and...

How a 23-year-old UN rep, manager at billion-dollar beauty brand Deciem, and nonprofit founder spends her day

Harjas Kaur Grewal

Harjas Kaur Grewal

Harjas Kaur Grewal, 23, is the activism associate manager of global social impact at Deciem. She is also a decorated humanitarian known for her work with the UN. To Insider, she breaks down what a typical day looks like. See more stories on Insider's business page.

Harjas Kaur Grewal is always busy.

As an activist, writer, and UN youth ambassador, her days are filled with researching social issues and implementing strategies to help solve the...

Blinken says China 'didn't do what it needed to do' in the early stages of the pandemic

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on April 11, 2021.

Meet The Press/NBC

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said we need to 'get to the bottom' of COVID-19's origin. Blinken said China knows it didn't adequately respond to the early stages of the pandemic. He said China should've allowed real-time access to international experts and been more transparent. See more stories on Insider's business page.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said...

Elon Musk's Neuralink scientists are not the first to get a monkey to control a computer with its mind

Elon Musk.

Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images

Elon Musk's Neuralink showed off its technology allowing a monkey to play video games with its mind. Scientists have been able to get monkeys to control computer cursors via neural interfaces since 2002. It's an important test of Neuralink's technology, but not a revolutionary piece of science. See more stories on Insider's business page.

This week, Neuralink, a company founded by Elon Musk that specialises in neural interface technology, unveiled...

Harry Reid on former House Speaker John Boehner: 'I did everything I could to cause him trouble' but we 'got a lot done'

Then-House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, speaks with then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada on Capitol Hill on December 10, 2014.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Former Sen. Harry Reid on Saturday responded to his inclusion in John Boehner's new memoir. CNN host Jim Acosta made reference to an incident where Boehner cursed Reid out at the White House. Reid recounted that he worked "well" with Boehner and called the former speaker "a great patriot." See more stories on Insider's business...

China's digital currency will be distributed using a two-tiered system to help get it into consumers' hands

Chinese digital currency.

Reuters

China has become the first major economy to roll out a digital currency. The e-yuan will bypass the global financial system. Economists, however, warn it could endanger the US dollar long-term. See more stories on Insider's business page.

The People's Republic of China (PBOC) introduced its first blockchain-powered digital currency controlled by its central bank, The Wall Street Journal first reported. The project took seven years to complete since work...

The hottest fashion of the pandemic is the pajama set

Caroline Daur in printed pajamas during Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Fall Winter 2018/2019.

Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

If you splurged on a matching pajama set for the first time over the last year, you're not alone. Those fortunate enough to maintain an income shifted "scheduled spend" from normal routines to indulgences. People also satisfied their "skin hunger" with silks, satins, plushes, and Peruvian cottons. See more stories on Insider's business page.

In March 2020,...

The top 9 shows on Netflix this week, from 'Who Killed Sara?' to 'Big Time Rush'

"Who Killed Sara?"

Netflix

Every week, the streaming search engine Reelgood compiles for Insider a list of the TV shows that have been most prominent on Netflix's daily top-10 lists.

Netflix's new thriller "Who Killed Sara?" topped this week's list for the second straight week. Netflix counts a view if an account watches a movie or TV show for at least two minutes. Visit the business section of Insider for more stories. 9. "This is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist" (Netflix...

4 ways small businesses made changes during the pandemic to help boost their bottom line

Small business owners are "persistent, innovative, and creative" when it comes to keeping their businesses afloat during the pandemic.

Donald Iain Smith/Getty

Many small businesses were forced to make adjustments during the pandemic. These changes, such as increasing online presence and working remotely, have yielded strong benefits. Owners were challenged to think outside the box and adapt quickly to keep their businesses afloat. See more stories on Insider's business page.

Now that a year...

How NY Gov. Cuomo's 'apologies' fail to recognize that power imbalances are at the root of sexual harassment

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Andrew Cuomo has issued denials, defenses, and apologies in response to misconduct accusations. His "I never intended" responses miss the point - that power is at the heart of sexual harassment. Ending sexual harassment will require a critical rethinking of the distribution of workplace power. See more stories on Insider's business page.

In recent weeks, multiple women have reported demeaning and sexualized workplace behavior by...

Corporations are standing up and defending our democracy from Republican attacks. But we can't rely on the goodwill of big business to fix the country's problems.

Demonstrators stand outside of the Georgia Capitol building on March 3, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Megan Varner/Getty Images

Corporations like Delta Airlines and Major League Baseball are pushing back on Georgia's new voting law. But the GOP is hitting back, crying that these business decisions in defense of democracy are "cancel culture." While the actions of big business are encouraging, we can't rely on corporations to solve America's problems. Michael Gordon is a longtime Democratic...

Bad press around founder Mike Lindell may ultimately boost business for MyPillow, analysts say

Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Mike Lindell (L), founder of My Pillow, during a Made in America event.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Mike Lindell expects MyPillow to lose around $65 million this year after retailers severed ties. But marketing experts say the company might actually be able to capitalize off the bad press. See more stories on Insider's business page.

In the space of just a few months, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has been blocked from Twitter, sued by...

Goldman Sachs' Marcus unit is struggling with burnout, blown deadlines, and a tech-talent exodus

Hello everyone!

Welcome to this weekly roundup of stories from Insider's Business co-Editor in Chief Matt Turner. Subscribe here to get this newsletter in your inbox every Sunday.

What we're going over today:

Goldman Sachs' Marcus is struggling with burnout, blown deadlines, and a tech-talent exodus.Leaked Amazon documents detail a controversial system that insiders say forces managers to give bad reviews to good employees.DEI execs are burning out amid the billion-dollar push to diversify...

Bitcoin tops $60,000 and sets new high over the weekend as Elon Musk aims towards the "moon"

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

Hannibal Hanschke-Pool/Getty Images

Bitcoin approached all-time highs over the weekend, topping $60,000 for the first time in weeks. Elon Musk tweeted cryptically in an apparent reference to the rally, fueling speculation about his plans. The latest rally comes as the cryptocurrency continues to make gains at major, mainstream institutions. See more stories on Insider's business page.

Bitcoin surged above $60,000 for the first time since March, approaching record highs...