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8 artists who’ve declined the Super Bowl halftime show — and why

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Pink’s love of aerial stunts and plethora of bops make her an easy suggestion for the halftime show — in fact, she has performed at the big game, albeit to sing the national anthem in 2018.

However, when the NFL asked her to play the halftime show in 2019, she turned it down.

She told Billboard in 2019 that she was reluctant to play for a couple of reasons. First, “everybody that does it gets so persecuted,” she said.

Then she added that the NFL probably wouldn’t appreciate her support of Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who famously kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, a move that sparked both support and criticism.

“I’d probably take a knee and get carried out,” Pink said.

“They should only give it, because of the controversy, to African-American or Latina women for a while,” she continued.

Maroon 5 went on to headline the show, joined by Travis Scott and Big Boi.

In 2018, the NFL league banned on-field kneel protests.

In 2020, four years after Kaepernick first kneeled, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to Black players in the league.

“We the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” he said in a statement. “We the National Football League believe Black lives matter. I personally protest with you, and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country.”




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‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy has gone missing. Here’s what we know.

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Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of beloved “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since Sunday, and authorities are investigating her disappearance as a crime.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that based on the scene at her Tucson, Arizona, home, he believes Nancy was “taken from her home against her will” and is treating this as a “possible kidnapping or abduction” case.

“Just call us. Let her go. Just call us. The family will tell you, there’s no questions asked here,” Nanos told NBC News.

Here’s what to know.

Who is Nancy Guthrie?

Nancy Guthrie is the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.

She has appeared on “Today” numerous times, including when Savannah called her on air in 2012 to wish her a happy 70th birthday. In 2022, for her 80th birthday, Savannah paid tribute to her mom on the show, calling her “a truth teller, whether you really want to hear the truth or not. She’s quick and she’s smart, she’s well-read, she’s curious about everything.”

Last November, Nancy was featured in a segment where Savannah took a tour of her hometown of Tucson.

Nancy was last seen at her home outside of Tucson, Arizona, on the evening of January 31 after her family dropped her off there. She lives alone but has house staff.

The next day, Sunday, February 1, a friend called the family concerned when Nancy wasn’t present for Sunday service at her church.

After an hour of searching the home and property, the family called 911. Authorities say her cell phone and car were left behind. She has limited mobility and requires daily medication that can be fatal if not received within 24 hours.

What do police think happened to her?

Authorities said they don’t know if Nancy Guthrie was targeted because of her famous daughter and are not aware of any threats to Savannah Guthrie.

Along with investigating what Nanos described as “hundreds of leads,” authorities have been searching for Nancy using drones, a helicopter, an airplane, search-and-rescue dogs, and volunteers. Nanos said on February 3 that possible DNA evidence had been found at the scene, though it could take several days to learn anything conclusive.

ABC News reported that investigators are focusing on Nancy’s electronic devices to see if there is data that could point to an assailant or a specific time when the abduction occurred.

What has Savannah Guthrie said?

Savannah Guthrie has been an anchor on NBC’s morning show “Today” since 2012.

Born in Australia, she and her family moved to Tucson when she was young. She joined NBC in 2007, and in her time there before “Today,” she was a White House correspondent and anchored “NBC Nightly News.”

Savannah has not appeared on “Today” since her mother’s disappearance.

On Tuesday, she posted an image on her Instagram that read “Please Pray” with the following caption:

we believe in prayer. we believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. we believe in goodness. we believe in humanity. above all, we believe in Him.

thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.

we need you.

“He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us.

Bring her home.

Guthrie is part of NBC’s lineup to cover the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy; it’s so far unclear if she will still attend.




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Elon Musk discussed plans to party with Jeffrey Epstein on his Caribbean island, newly released emails show

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In November 2012, Jeffrey Epstein emailed Elon Musk about sending a helicopter to whisk the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to his private island in the Caribbean.

“how many people will you be for the heli to island,” Epstein asked Musk in an email exchange, which was made public Friday by the Justice Department.

Musk said he’d need just two seats — for himself and his then-partner, Tallulah Riley.

“What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” Musk asked.

The emails, released Friday, were part of a cache of 3 million files the Justice Department released from its yearslong investigation into the convicted sex offender. They include several exchanges between Epstein, Musk, and their assistants.

Responding to the revelations early Saturday on his social media platform, X, Musk said: “No one pushed harder than me to have the Epstein files released and I’m glad that has finally happened.

“I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express’, but was well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name.

“I don’t care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls.”

Epstein — who counted President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and various other prominent politicians and businessmen among his acquaintances — killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. He had registered as a pedophile in 2008, after pleading guilty to less severe sex offenses.

Shortly after Epstein’s arrest in July 2019, Musk said he had declined invitations to Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands and recounted only one meeting with him. Musk has not been accused of wrongdoing.

“Several years ago, I was at his house in Manhattan for about 30 minutes in the middle of the afternoon with Talulah [Riley], as she was curious about meeting this strange person for a novel she was writing,” he told Vanity Fair at the time. “We did not see anything inappropriate at all, apart from weird art. He tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined.”

Musk has since said in social media posts that he “refused” to visit Epstein’s island despite multiple attempts from Epstein.

The emails released Friday appear to show him planning to visit Epstein’s island at least twice.

In addition to the November 2012 planned visit, Musk indicated he would visit Epstein’s island in January 2014.

“Will be in the BVI/St Bart’s area over the holidays,” Musk wrote to Epstein in December 2013, referring to the British Virgin Islands. “Is there a good time to visit?”

Epstein said he’d be available for the first week of January.

“always space for you,” Epstein told Musk.

After some back-and-forth about their schedules, Musk appeared to confirm that he would visit Epstein on January 2 of 2014.

“When should we head to your island on the 2nd?” Musk wrote.

Epstein later canceled on Musk, according to another email. He said he looked forward to spending time with Musk with “just fun on the agenda.”

“I was really looking forward to finally spending some time together with just fun as the agenda,” Epstein wrote. “so i am very disappointed. Hopefully we can schedule another time in the near future.”

The emails show Epstein planning to meet Musk on other occasions as well.

In February of 2013, Musk’s personal assistant tried to nail down plans for a meeting at SpaceX’s offices in California. Epstein’s assistant said Musk had suggested the location.

“Shall we organize a lunch for Elon and Jeffrey to get together at SpaceX in the coming weeks?” Musk’s assistant wrote. “Elon is generally available at SpaceX on Mon, Thurs and Fri each week.”

It isn’t clear from the emails reviewed by Business Insider if that meeting took place. Musk has previously said that Epstein never “toured” SpaceX’s facilities.

In early March of that year, Epstein directly asked Musk about his availability.

“now its time for fun,” Epstein told Musk.

In the emails, Musk told Epstein he was busy with work at Tesla and SpaceX. Epstein suggested he get more sleep.

“benefit analysis would probably show , tesla doing better with you getting more sleep,” he said.

Musk disagreed.

“Normally I would agree, as I have found that my total daily productivity is optimal at around 6 to 6.5 hours of sleep.”

The two may have met later that spring. In another email exchange, dated April 2013, Epstein’s assistant said he planned to meet Musk at the Milken Institute economic conference.

The Justice Department emails also show Epstein inquiring with Musk about Solar City, a solar electricity company that was later acquired by Tesla. Epstein said in September 2012 that he wanted to use its services for his properties in the US Virgin Islands and New Mexico.

“is there any one at Solar City that my guys can talk to about electriying the caribean island?” Epstein asked. “or the new mexico ranch”

This story has been updated.




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Dramatic photos show how massive the winter storm is that’s pummeling the US

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  • A huge winter storm struck the US this weekend, impacting hundreds of millions of people.
  • The storm stretched over 2,000 miles from New Mexico to Maine.
  • Photos show how the storm affected travel and the economy.

A major winter storm blanketed the US this weekend with heavy snow and ice, threatening nearly 180 million Americans from the Southwest to New England.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said there were widespread travel disruptions due to the storm. Over 10,000 flights were canceled over the weekend, the most since the pandemic, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm. Nearly 2,000 are already canceled on Monday morning, and authorities are urging many Americans to skip the morning commute.

Take a look at the impact of the potentially historic storm below.

States across the South, Midwest, and Northeast were blanketed in snow and ice by Sunday night.

Little Rock, Arkansas, on Saturday.

Will Newton/Getty Images

Snow turned to ice in many affected states as the storm moved from the Southwest to the Northeast.

The heavy snowfall is disrupting traffic on roadways and highways.


Snowplow in Little Rock, Arkansas, during winter storm 2026.

Roadways in Little Rock, Arkansas, were covered in snow on Saturday.

Will Newton/Getty Images

The Departments of Transportation in several states, including New York and Texas, have urged residents to avoid roadways during the winter storm and through Monday.

As a result of the snow, people are getting creative.


Man in Indianapolis during US winter storm.

A man in Indianapolis uses snow skis during the winter storm on Sunday.

AP Photo/Obed Lamy

Some Americans ventured into the frosty weather with skis, including folks in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.

Thousands of flights are being canceled as a winter storm moves across the US.


American Airlines plane during winter storm 2026.

The winter storm disrupted air travel on Saturday.

Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Aviation analytics company Cirium said over 10,000 flights were canceled over the weekend. Nearly 2,000 flights have been canceled so far on Monday. Over 50% of American Airlines flights were canceled on Sunday and over 75% of JetBlue flights.

Ice is a major concern during the winter storm.


US winter storm in New York City

Icy weather conditions are affecting several parts of the US on Sunday.

AP Photo/Heather Khalifa

Ice and sleet are other factors at play during the winter storm. On Sunday, the National Service Prediction Center said parts of the country have received over 0.5 inches of ice.

Ice storm warnings remained in effect for much of the storm’s path.

The freezing weather is causing power outages.


Man walks amid the 2026 winter storm Prairie Village, Kansas.

A man walks in Prairie Village, Kansas, during the winter storm on Saturday.

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

The power was out for nearly a million Americans by Sunday night, according to poweroutage.us, an analytics firm tracking electricity outages across the United States.

Texas and other states were seeing the most outages as of Sunday evening.

Grocery store shelves were cleared out ahead of the storm.


Empty grocery store shelves

Empty store shelves at a grocery store in Washington, DC.

Nathan Howard/Reuters

Shoppers across multiple states emptied grocery shelves on Friday and Saturday as they prepared to hunker down for the winter storm.

Consumers have been known to panic-buy during emergencies. During the pandemic, panic-buying across the US led to a short-term shortage of toilet paper and other essential items.

City workers are spreading salt to prevent ice.


Salt truck filled with salt

A truck is filled with salt in Louisville during

Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Salt is spread on roadways to improve traction and make plowing easier.

In Louisville, city workers used a mixture of salt and calcium chloride.

“Calcium chloride helps salt remain effective in extremely cold temperatures,” the city said on its website.

Crews across the country as clearing snow.


Workers clearing snow in New York City during winter storm.

Workers in New York City help with snow-clearing efforts on Sunday.

Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images

While many Americans stayed inside, swaths of workers across the country braved the weather to help clear snow and perform other storm-related tasks.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised city workers in an X post on Sunday, writing, “Thank you to all of the city workers who have been working around the clock this weekend to keep us safe. No job is too small, no storm is too big.”

Many cities are canceling school for students on Monday.


Sledding in Texas during the US winter storm.

Residents sled in Austin during the winter storm on Sunday.

Austin American-Statesman/Hearst Newspapers/Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images

New York City’s public schools have canceled in-person classes on Monday due to the “extreme cold.” Instead, students will do remote learning. Boston Public Schools and Baltimore City Public Schools issued similar announcements on their websites.




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Photos show empty supermarket shelves as millions across the US brace for Winter Storm Fern

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Preparations are underway as over half of all US states brace for what could be a historic winter storm this weekend.

Across the country, Americans are stocking up on essentials and picking store shelves clean as they brace for Winter Storm Fern, which is expected to span from the South and Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast and Midwest, starting Friday morning.

Local authorities have begun salting roads and establishing emergency protocols in anticipation of potential power outages and limited travel.

Experts and authorities are advising people in affected states to stock up on food items that don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated, and to have at least one gallon of water per person or pet per day. They are also recommending that people charge all electronic communication devices in case of power outages. They’re warning to watch out for pipes bursting, snow blocking exhaust vents, and iced-over roads.

The Weather Channel predicted Thursday that wintry conditions, including ice, snow, and dangerous wind chills, could affect up to 230 million people — or two-thirds of the country’s population — across the US.

The Midwest will experience the coldest temperatures as a polar vortex dips south, with lows possibly reaching -50 degrees Fahrenheit in states like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

The Appalachians and the Northeast Corridor could see the most snow accumulation, with the mountains of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia expected to receive at least a foot of snow over the weekend.

From Texas to the Carolinas, the South and Southeast can expect ice accumulation on roads and power lines. Local authorities are warning of potential multi-day power outages in the region.

See how Americans are preparing for what could be a historic storm, from stocking up on necessities to salting roads.

Shelves in a North Carolina Walmart were almost completely empty on Thursday as residents stocked up ahead of the storm.

A Morganton, North Carolina, Walmart had empty bread aisles by Thursday afternoon ahead of winter storm Fern.

Jesse Barber for BI

In Marietta, Georgia, residents also cleared a store’s shelves of bottled water.


A shopper searches for water on near empty shelves in grocery store ahead of winter weather, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Marietta, Ga.

Experts advise storing at least 1 gallon of water per person or pet per day during the storm.

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

In Nashville, locals are following the “bread, milk, eggs” approach in their pre-storm shopping.


A shopper buys groceries Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn., ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend.

Eggs often sell out before winter storms, even though they require refrigeration and power to cook.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Experts recommend stocking up on items that don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated.


A loaf of bread sits on empty shelves in the bread isle in grocery store ahead of winter weather, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Marietta, Ga

Shoppers in Marietta, Georgia, are selling out bread from local supermarkets in preparation.

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

This supermarket in Nashville was also low on fresh produce on Wednesday.


A shopper buys groceries Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn., ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend.

Bananas are selling out in Nashville ahead of Winter Storm Fern.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Many are preparing to be stuck at home for days, with forecasts warning of roads icing over.


Luz Lopez shops for groceries Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn., ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend.

Travel will likely be limited in places like Nashville during the storm.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

A sign outside a Lowe’s in North Carolina listed storm-supply items that had sold out.


Lowes store in Morganton, North Carolina, has a sign announcing different products they are out of on Thursday, January 22, 2026, ahead of winter storm Fern.

A sign outside a Lowe’s in North Carolina announced to shoppers that the store had run out of a variety of storm-prep supplies.

Jesse Barber for BI

Other hardware stores advertised available supplies.


ACE Hardware store in Morganton, North Carolina, ahead of winter storm Fern on Thursday January 22, 2026.

Residents of the North Carolina town rushed to buy supplies before the storm hit on Friday.

Jesse Barber for BI

Shoppers in Morganton, North Carolina, bought up supplies like ice melt ahead of the storm.


Shoppers buy ice melt salt in Morganton, North Carolina, ahead of winter storm Fern on Thursday, January 22, 2026

Many North Carolina residents went to stores like Ace Hardware in preparation for heavy snow.

Jesse Barber for BI

Lines for gas also formed as residents stocked up.


Shoppers refuel gas in Morganton, North Carolina, ahead of winter storm Fern on Thursday, January 22, 2026

Residents in Morganton, North Carolina, stocked up on cooking gas ahead of the storm.

Jesse Barber for BI

Others bought up wood as the storm threatened power outages across multiple states.


Shoppers in Morganton, North Carolina, buy lumber ahead of winter storm Fern on Thursday, January 22, 2026

Morganton residents stocked up on lumber and gas as alternative heating methods in case of power outages.

Jesse Barber for BI

A “Winter storm special” was even available at one North Carolina store.


Fuel inside store in Mroganton, North Carolina, ahead of winter storm Fern on January 22, 2026

In the North Carolina town, some hardware stores ran specials for supplies like fuel.

Jesse Barber for BI

In Richardson, Texas, authorities were salting roads on Wednesday in anticipation of the storm.


A digital billboard along Highway 75 warns of road preparations for upcoming inclement weather expected in the region Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Richardson, Texas.

Texas is expected to see freezing rain and sleet beginning Friday.

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Illinois and other Midwestern states could be hit with life-threatening wind chills.


A plow clears snow from a snow-covered sidewalk during a cold day in Lake Forest, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.

Wind chills in the Midwest are expected to drop to -30°F in some areas, posing a threat of frostbite in exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Nashville was also mobilizing salt trucks as of Thursday.


A Nashville Department of Transportation truck applies salt brine to a roadway Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend.

Nashville could see heavy snow, ice accumulation, and record-low temperatures during the storm.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Salt brine helps prevent roads from icing ahead of snowstorms.


A Nashville Department of Transportation truck applies salt brine to a roadway Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend.

The National Weather Service said that travel during the storm could be “impossible” in Nashville.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Some parts of New York are expected to see heavy snow accumulation in the double digits.


A snowplow works among piles of snow in Lowville, N.Y., on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.

In Lowville, New York, snow has begun to accumulate as of Thursday, before the storm arrives.

AP Photo/Cara Anna




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THEN AND NOW: Vintage photos show how department stores have changed

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  • Department stores have changed dramatically over the last 100 years.
  • Department stores once sold necessities. Now, many are struggling to remain in business.
  • While some classic chains cease to exist, other retailers have found ways to increase sales.

In the early 1900s, department stores existed to sell necessities, including food, home goods, and apparel.

Today, many luxury department stores are struggling to survive.

The rise of the internet and surge in online sales have placed a major strain on department stores. Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus, became the latest department retailer to file for bankruptcy on Tuesday.

Take a look at how department stores have changed over the last 100 years.

In the early 1900s, department stores were focused on selling the necessities.

A Harrods department store.

Heritage Images/Getty Images

Core products included clothing and home goods. During times of war, the necessities on sale included military jackets, coats, and accessories.

That’s why Harrods, a famous department store in London, featured an in-house tailoring room throughout World War I. The space was utilized to alter used uniforms and sell new ones.

Department stores still sell the basics, but novelty items are also typically present.


Harrod's Department Store holidays

A modern Harrods department store.

Prisma by Dukas/Getty Images

You can find everything from household tools and fashionable clothes to toys and knickknacks at modern department stores — they seem to sell everything, in an apparent bid to compete with online retailers.

Harrods also sells store-branded items, including bags, stationery, and teddy bears.

Leading up to the 1930s, department stores were often crowded.


An old photo of a crowded department store.

A crowded department store.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Around 1929, people were encouraged to shop in order to help boost the nation’s sinking economy, Fortune reported.

But that same year, the stock market crashed, and the Great Depression officially began. The period lasted for 10 years, causing major layoffs, failing banks, and mass poverty.

Today’s department stores rarely see such large crowds, aside from major shopping events like Black Friday.


Macy's on Black Friday/

A Macy’s department store on Black Friday.

Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images

Even during major holiday sales, many modern shoppers still prefer to shop online from the comfort of their homes.

In 2025, shoppers in the US were projected to spend a record $11.7 billion online on Black Friday, an 8.3% increase from 2024.

It marked a contrast from the wild Black Friday scenes that could be seen in stores in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 1920s, employees worked in department store basements to make change for cashiers upstairs.


Making change for department store cashiers.

The basement of a department store in the 1920s.

Underwood Archives/Getty Images

In large stores that existed across multiple floors, vacuum systems transported the change upstairs through tubes.

None of those “tube rooms” are needed anymore, thanks to computers and credit cards.


A Macy's cashier.

A cashier at Macy’s.

Kena Betancur/Getty Images

Modern shoppers often don’t even have to interact with a cashier if they don’t want to. Instead, they can use touchscreen self-checkout machines to purchase products from many department stores.

Starting in 1924, Macy’s celebrated the holidays with its first annual “Christmas Parade.”


macy's first thanksgiving day parade

A photo from the first parade was taken in 1924.


Macy’s

Live animals such as elephants were included in the early days of the Macy’s parade. Balloons depicting popular characters such as Mickey Mouse appeared a little later in the ’30s.

The name has since been changed to the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”


The Radio City Rockettes at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Radio City Rockettes at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Scott Gries/NBC via Getty Images

Other aspects of the yearly tradition have also been changed. For example, live animals have been replaced with people dressed in costumes, and giant marching bands have become a staple. Tons of celebrities have also appeared on floats.

Minimal merchandise was showcased in store window displays throughout the ’40s.


department store display window

A department store display window.

Kirn Vintage Stock/Getty Images

Beginning in the 1870s at Macy’s, some chain retailers in New York City have made it a tradition to decorate store-front windows each holiday season.

There was some art to these displays, as props were placed alongside mannequins and merchandise to create a scene.

Contemporary display windows are unlike anything of the past.


A holiday display window at Macy's.

A holiday display window at Macy’s.

Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto

Modern department stores often incorporate technology, moving props, and bright lights into window displays.

As early as 1923, Barneys New York was a popular department store.


barneys new york

Barneys New York.

Peter Morgan/AP

Barneys New York was created by a man named Barney Pressman when he pawned his wife’s engagement ring and opened a shop on Seventh Avenue and 17th Street in New York City.

By the ’60s, Barney’s son, Fred, had turned the location into a luxury store, and the company became a national sensation throughout the 1990s and 2000s. By 2019, there were 22 stores in the US.

However, the chain faced difficulties and shuttered all stores in 2020.


A closing sale at Barneys New York.

A closing sale at Barneys New York.

WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images

Barneys New York filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2019 and closed all remaining stores in February 2020.

Bonwit Teller was once a prominent luxury department store with a flagship location in New York City.


Bonwit Teller Department Store

A Bonwit Teller department store.

George Rinhart/Getty Images

The store was known for selling a range of high-end women’s clothing inside a luxurious Art Deco building. It grew to more than a dozen locations across cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia, and Columbia, South Carolina.

By 2000, every Bonwit Teller store had gone out of business.


Bonwit Teller out of business

Bonwit Teller’s closing sale.

Barbara Alper/Getty Images

In 1979, the Bonwit Teller company was sold from its original owners to outside corporations. Ten years later, in 1989, the store filed for bankruptcy and began shutting all of its stores, with its last location closing in 2000.

While the flagship Bonwit Teller store would have been exempt from the closure, the building was purchased by Donald Trump in 1979, who demolished it to build Trump Tower.

The Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City opened in 1924.


Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Saks Fifth Avenue.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Saks Fifth Avenue was once a bustling destination for luxury shoppers. At 650,000 square feet, the store spans an entire city block.

Saks Global filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday.


Saks Fifth Avenue.

Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Saks Global’s 2024 acquisition of Neiman Marcus for $2.7 billion left the company in debt and struggling to pay luxury vendors, some of whom have withheld inventory.

Business Insider reporter Madeline Berg visited the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store the day Saks Global announced it was filing for bankruptcy and found it to be “nearly empty” with little foot traffic.




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Internal emails show what happens inside Nvidia when its products face backlash

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An internal Nvidia email chain revealed how senior executives at the chip giant — including founder and CEO Jensen Huang — mobilized in response to customer criticism of a key product launch late last year.

The thread offers a glimpse into how the company responds to public backlash as it expands products designed for individual developers and researchers.

The thread, which Business Insider has seen, centered on the launch of DGX Spark, a desktop AI system designed for developers and researchers to build AI products and work on apps for data science, medicine, and other fields.

While much of Nvidia’s business targets data center customers, Huang underscored Spark’s significance in the thread, calling it the “ultimate developer’s platform — out of the box easy to run all NVIDIA.”

Spark drew criticism soon after its launch, with some citing software stability and performance issues, which garnered coverage in other tech outlets.

An Nvidia spokesperson declined to comment.

Anshel Sag, a Moor Insights & Strategy analyst who has tracked Nvidia launches for 15 years and was an early DGX Spark tester, said the company’s long experience releasing graphics cards in the gaming industry — where products are routinely scrutinized — has made it adept at handling public feedback, with Huang typically keeping a close eye on new releases.

In recent years, the company has become even more reactive, Sag said, due to increased internal resources and “sensitivity about the stock price and how negative sentiment can draw that down.”

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang steps into the fray

In the fall of last year, AstraZeneca executive director Justin Johnson wrote in a LinkedIn post that while the DGX Spark met performance and speed claims, the software experience was buggy and unstable.

After an Nvidia executive shared Johnson’s post in an internal email thread, Huang entered the fray.

“Jump on x and say you will fix,” he wrote.


A founder's edition of the DGX Spark on display at a Paris tech show last June.

A founder’s edition of the DGX Spark on display at a Paris tech show last June.

Chesnot/Getty Images



Subsequently, an Nvidia engineer replied that the company had reached out to Johnson to resolve most of the issues, which were related to a version mismatch of CUDA, Nvidia’s software that allows developers to build AI apps powered by its GPUs.

Johnson responded that he appreciated the outreach and was exploring setting up DGX Spark at the pharmaceutical company, the chain said.

Nvidia staffers ramp up responses

Following Johnson’s criticism, Nvidia staffers saw other unfavorable responses online and set up a social listening campaign to flag complaints from other influential figures, as well as discussions on Nvidia forums and Reddit, the emails said.

Staffers tracked complaints and engaged directly with key critics who raised concerns about DGX Spark’s performance, heating issues, and pricing.

Another incident involved the researcher Christopher Kouzios, who wrote on LinkedIn that he’d purchased DGX Spark to conduct medical research after his daughter died from a rare brain tumor, with the goal of studying cancer risk in his sons.

Kouzios said software incompatibility had rendered the system unusable and that he’d only received an automated acknowledgment 38 hours after filing a support ticket.

After an Nvidia executive flagged the post, team members said they were fixing the bug, according to the emails. The executive later circulated an updated post in which Kouzios lauded Nvidia’s customer support.

“While the situation initially frustrated me, Nvidia’s response time was exceptional,” Kouzios told Business Insider. “In more than 33 years working with large technology companies, I have never seen an organization respond that quickly to public technical feedback.”

It’s often standard for hardware to ship without fully finished software, Sag said, adding that Nvidia tends to be more “high-touch” than other tech companies in fielding complaints — an approach that flows down from an exceptionally “hands-on” CEO.

Nvidia has previously faced some launch hiccups and early criticism for new products, such as its Blackwell rollout, which encountered manufacturing challenges.

While a CEO’s involvement is notable and Nvidia’s backchannel efforts appeared to placate critics, such an approach isn’t without risks, another analyst said.

“C-suite engagement during product controversies has become more common in tech, particularly for founder-led companies,” said Kate Holterhoff, a senior industry analyst at RedMonk. “It can signal authenticity and accountability, but it also carries reputational risk if the response is perceived as defensive or dismissive.”

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at gweiss@businessinsider.com or Signal at @geoffweiss.25. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.




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Vintage photos show Hollywood icons mingling at the Golden Globes

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  • The 83rd annual Golden Globes will air on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday night.
  • Photos taken throughout the event’s long history show Hollywood icons celebrating together.
  • From Marilyn Monroe to Marlon Brando, every big star has been in attendance.

The very first Golden Globes were held on January 20, 1944, to celebrate the films of 1943.

Over the last eight decades, the Golden Globes have evolved to include television, have endured a few scandals, and — after a one-year hiatus in 2022 — are one of the first major events of Hollywood’s awards season.

These photos were taken across the Globes’ 82 years in existence. See how the ceremony has changed.

The Golden Globes were first held in 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a band of writers who came together in 1943.

Tony Curtis and his wife, Janet Leigh, at the 1958 Golden Globes.

Archive Photos/Getty Images

The first ceremony was held at the 20th Century Fox lot. It then moved around for two decades until finding its permanent home, the Beverly Hills Hilton, in 1961.

The award ceremony became more glamorous over time.


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Dorothy Malone presented Angela Lansbury the award for best supporting actress for “The Manchurian Candidate” at the 20th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

By the 20th Golden Globes, the stage looked more like the one we see today.

All of Hollywood’s best and brightest attended the awards.


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Barbara Stanwyck and Gilbert Roland attended the Golden Globe Awards on February 21, 1952.

Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

In 1952, Barbara Stanwyck chatted with fellow screen icon Gilbert Roland.

Roland was nominated the following year for his part in “The Bad and the Beautiful.”

Stanwyck wouldn’t receive a Golden Globe nomination until 1966, and she was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award, a lifetime achievement award, in 1986.

The Golden Globes are known as the “fun” awards show because alcohol is famously served at every table.


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Deborah Kerr, Stewart Granger, and Jean Simmons attended the Golden Globe Awards.

Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

According to The Hollywood Reporter, over 7,500 glasses of bubbly are normally consumed over the course of the night.

And since the attendees are seated at tables, not in rows, there are more opportunities for mingling.


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Judy Garland with Marlon Brando at the 1955 Golden Globe Awards.

Archive Photos/Getty Images

It leads to iconic table-mates like Judy Garland and Marlon Brando, who sat next to each other at the 1955 awards.

They both took home statues that night: her for best actress in “A Star is Born” and him for best actor in “On the Waterfront.”

Shirley MacLaine embodied old Hollywood glamour at the 1955 awards.


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Shirley MacLaine at the Golden Globe Awards.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

MacLaine is part of a Hollywood dynasty — her brother is Warren Beatty.

Even future royalty appeared, like Grace Kelly.


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Grace Kelly at a Golden Globe Awards ceremony.

Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Kelly won the now-discontinued award for world film favorite (female) in 1956.

She retired from acting that same year when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became the Princess Consort of Monaco.

The Golden Globes’ lifetime achievement award is named after Cecil B. DeMille, seen below.


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Cecil B. DeMille with Corinne Calvet at the Golden Globe Awards.

Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

DeMille, pictured talking to French actor Corinne Calvet in 1952, is known for directing and producing some of the most famous films of all time, including “The Ten Commandments,” “Cleopatra,” and “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

This year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree is Helen Mirren.

You never know which celebrities might end up sitting together.


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Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball (right) chat with Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons (left) at the Golden Globe Awards.

Jack Albin/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In 2026, this would be the equivalent of DeuxMoi sitting with George and Amal Clooney …

Elizabeth Taylor, her third husband, Mike Todd, and her future fourth husband, Eddie Fisher, rubbed elbows at the 1958 awards.


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Eddie Fisher standing with Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Mike Todd, at the Golden Globe Awards.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The 1958 awards were held in February. Todd died one month later in a plane crash.

While grieving, Taylor and Fisher, one of Todd’s best friends, began an affair, leading to the divorce of Hollywood golden couple Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.

Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay also attended in 1958.


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Actors Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay attend the Golden Globe Awards.

Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

These two have a famous daughter of their own, Mariska Hargitay, who is best known as Olivia Benson of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Hargitay directed a documentary about her famous mother, “My Mom Jayne,” in 2025, in which she revealed that Mickey Hargitay isn’t her biological father.

Marilyn Monroe looked every bit the ’60s starlet at the 1962 awards.


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Marilyn Monroe posed for a portrait at the Golden Globe Awards.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

That same year, she won her fourth and final Golden Globe, for world film favorite (female). Previously, Monroe won the best young box office personality in 1951 and the world film favorite (female) in 1953. She died just five months later, in August 1962.

In 2023, Ana de Armas was nominated for best actress in a motion picture (drama) for playing Monroe in “Blonde.”

Another iconic old Hollywood duo seen at the awards was Dean Martin and John Wayne.


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Dean Martin and John Wayne.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Wayne held Martin’s drink as the singer/actor presented a Golden Globe during the show.

Julie Andrews is a Golden Globes queen.


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Julie Andrews received a Golden Globe.

Paul W. Bailey/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

One of the most iconic moments in award-show history was when she famously shaded Jack Warner, the man who didn’t cast her in “My Fair Lady.”

When the stage musical “My Fair Lady” was made into a movie, Warner, head of Warner Bros. studios, decided to cast Audrey Hepburn as the lead, even though Andrews had played the role on Broadway and in London.

This snub proved to be a blessing, as it freed up Andrews for what might be her most iconic role of all time: Mary Poppins.

When Andrews won her Golden Globe in 1965, she thanked “the man who made all this possible in the first place, Mr. Jack Warner.”

It’s also a big night for couples. Just ask Mark Hamill and his wife, Marilou York.


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Mark Hamill and his wife, Marilou York, at the 35th Golden Globe Awards.

Frank Edwards/Archive Photos/Getty Images

The “Star Wars” star and his wife have been married for more than 40 years.

Or Sonny and Cher.


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Sonny and Cher at the Golden Globe Awards.

Max B. Miller/Fotos International/Getty Images

The duo’s show, “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,” was nominated for best television series musical or comedy in both 1973 and 1974.

Natalie Wood and Robert Redford caught up at the 1966 ceremony.


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Natalie Wood and Robert Redford at the Golden Globes.

Max B. Miller/Fotos International/Getty Images

Wood and Redford, who died in 2025, met in high school and starred in a few movies together, such as 1966’s “This Property Is Condemned,” according to an appearance by Redford on Turner Classic Movies.

Some stars take their parents. It helps if your dad is a living legend like Henry Fonda, seen here with his daughter, Jane.


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Henry Fonda with his daughter, Jane Fonda, at the 36th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Frank Edwards/Archive Photos/Getty Images

This father-daughter duo would team up two years later to film Henry’s last on-screen role, 1981’s “On Golden Pond.”

Jane was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2021.

The Golden Globes can be kid-friendly, too. Here’s a 15-year-old Michael Jackson with his father.


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Michael Jackson and his father, Joe Jackson, posed at the Golden Globe Awards.

Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty Images

The Jackson 5’s album “Skywriter” was released in 1973.

A Michael Jackson biopic, simply titled “Michael,” will hit theaters in 2026.

But usually, it’s a night filled with love between A-listers like Doris Day and Rock Hudson.


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Rock Hudson and Doris Day as they held their Golden Globe awards.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Hudson and Day were both chosen as the “world’s favorite performers” multiple times.

Christopher Reeve attended the 36th annual Golden Globe Awards with his partner, Gae Exton.


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Gae Exton and Christopher Reeve.

Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty Images

We’ll see if any couples make their red-carpet debut on Sunday.

Tom Selleck and his wife, Jillie Mack, attended in matching tuxedos.


Jillie Mack and Tom Selleck during The 45th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Jillie Mack and Tom Selleck at the 45th Golden Globe Awards.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

Mack and Selleck have been married for 39 years.

Some of the most iconic actors of all time attended as they were just starting out.


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Dustin Hoffman at the Golden Globes with his award for most promising newcomer.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Back in 1968, Dustin Hoffman won the now-defunct award for new star of the year.

Hoffman won for his breakthrough performance in “The Graduate” when he was 30 years old.

Barbra Streisand won her first Golden Globe for her performance in “Funny Girl” in 1969.


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Barbra Streisand with her Golden Globe award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture — comedy or musical at the 26th Golden Globe Awards.

Max B. Miller/Fotos International/Getty Images

At 27 years old, it was her first Golden Globe nomination and win.

Now, Streisand is one of a few people to have received an EGOT — an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award — though not all of them were competitive awards.

Young Arnold Schwarzenegger won new star of the year in 1977 for his role in “Stay Hungry.”


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Arnold Schwarzenegger held Raquel Welch in the air at the Golden Globe Awards.

Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty Images

Schwarzenegger wouldn’t be nominated again until 1995 for “Junior.”

Here’s John Travolta at his very first Golden Globes in 1978.


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John Travolta at the 35th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty Images

Travolta was nominated for his role in “Saturday Night Fever” but lost. He would be nominated multiple times and scored a win in 1996 for “Get Shorty.”

Robin Williams won his first of six Golden Globes in 1979.


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Robin Williams with his award for the television show “Mork and Mindy” at the Golden Globe Awards.

Frank Edwards/Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images

He was nominated for 12 in total.

Angela Lansbury was already a much-loved actor when she won a Golden Globe in 1987.


Actress Angela Lansbury holds up her Golden Globe award, which she won for best performance by an actress in a TV-series drama in 1987.

Angela Lansbury at the Golden Globes.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Lansbury won for best performance by an actress in a TV series drama for her role in “Murder, She Wrote.” She died in 2022 at 96 years old.




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Meta’s Reality Labs chief is calling the ‘most important’ meeting of the year and says employees should show up in person

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Meta’s Chief Technology Officer and head of Reality Labs, Andrew Bosworth, has called an all-hands meeting for January 14, describing it as the “most important” of the year.

Bosworth is also strongly recommending that Reality Labs employees attend the division’s meeting in person, two Meta employees told Business Insider.

The emphasis on in-person attendance is unusual for the division, which oversees the company’s wearables, virtual and augmented reality initiatives, and a nascent robotics unit, these employees said. Some managers have told employees to “drop what they’re doing” to attend the all-hands in person, one employee told Business Insider.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the meeting.

While the division has seen some success, such as its Ray-Ban smart glasses, Reality Labs has been a costly venture for Meta, incurring losses of more than $70 billion since 2020.

Last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shifted the company’s strategic focus toward AI and away from the metaverse. In 2025, Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI and hired its CEO, Alexandr Wang, as part of the major reset of the company’s AI efforts. Meta then embarked on a multibillion-dollar hiring spree, poaching top-tier AI researchers and engineers from rivals such as OpenAI and Google DeepMind.

Reality Labs has faced repeated rounds of cuts over the past year. In December, Business Insider reported that Meta was planning budget cuts up to 30% and considering job cuts in Reality Labs.

Last April, Meta laid off employees in Oculus Studios, its in-house gaming division, and the team behind Supernatural, the VR fitness app Meta acquired for over $400 million. Those cuts followed Meta’s broader January 2025 layoffs that eliminated nearly 4,000 roles companywide, with at least 560 affecting Reality Labs employees.

In a memo obtained by Business Insider earlier last year, Bosworth referred to 2025 as “the most critical” year in his eight-year tenure at Reality Labs.

“This year likely determines whether this entire effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure,” he wrote.

Have a tip? Contact Pranav Dixit via email at pranavdixit@protonmail.com or Signal at 1-408-905-9124. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.




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Photos show the Pacific Palisades one year after the Los Angeles wildfires, from empty lots to rebuilt storefronts

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  • The Palisades and Eaton fires began in Southern California on January 7, 2025.
  • They destroyed over 16,000 structures and burned 38,000 acres.
  • One year later, photos show the remaining devastation as rebuilding work continues.

In January 2025, the Palisades and Eaton fires burned 38,000 acres across Southern California.

Over 16,000 homes and businesses were destroyed as windstorms propelled the flames, according to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. At least 31 people died in the fires.

One year later, some of the damaged areas have been rebuilt and repaired, while others remain scorched shells.

Here’s what the Pacific Palisades looks like one year after the devastating fires.




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