• The Washington Redskins claimed Reuben Foster off waivers three days after theSan Francisco 49ers released him following his second arrest of 2018 related to allegations of domestic violence.
• Washington swiftly received criticism across the NFL world after making the move.
• In a statement, the team said that Foster "will have to go through numerous steps including the full legal process" before playing for the team. 

The Washington Redskins claimed former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers on Tuesday.

Foster had been let go by the 49ers after being arrested Saturday on a charge of domestic violence, his second such arrest of the year.

The move was met with criticism from across the NFL world, who recognized Washington's decision to pick up Foster's contract as hypocritical to the league's stance against domestic violence.

Other critics brought up the league's response to Ray Rice's incidents of domestic violence as a way of framing Washington's decision to bring in Foster.

There were also those that highlighted that in today's NFL, teams still refuse to give Colin Kaepernick a shot, but bringing in a player who was arrested twice is apparently a move teams are willing to make.

Redskins Senior V.P. of Player Personnel Doug Williams released a statement regarding their decision to claim Foster, saying that they "fully understand the severity of the recent allegations made against Reuben," adding that if they are true, "you can be sure these allegations are nothing our organization would ever condone."

The statement continued:

"Let me be clear, Reuben will have to go through numerous steps including the full legal process, an investigation and potential discipline from the NFL, as well as meetings with counselors associated with the team before he will ever have the opportunity to wear the Burgundy and Gold as a player."

"That being said, we decided to investigate the situation with Reuben further by claiming his rights after candid conversations with a number of his ex-Alabama teammates and current Redskins players who were overwhelmingly supportive of us taking this chance."

This statement was also quickly met with criticism.

While the Redskins statement seems to say that the team has no plans on playing him in the near future, it's not yet clear whether he'd even be allowed if the team wanted to get him into the lineup. Foster is likely facing a suspension from the NFL for his latest arrest.

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NOW WATCH: Inside an intense training session where aspiring WWE wrestlers learn how to fight

• President Donald Trump suggested the US military's presence in the Middle East is tied to the region's oil in an interview with The Washington Post published on Tuesday.
• The idea, which he repeated on several occasions, reportedly earned him a rebuke from his national security advisers.
• Trump has teased the idea of allied nations compensating the US for its military presence.

In an exclusive interview with The Washington Post, President Donald Trump suggested the US military's presence in the Middle East is tied to the region's oil, an assessment that reportedly earned him a strong rebuke from his national security advisers last year when he mentioned it on a different occasion.

In a lengthy interview with the newspaper, Trump indicated the continued presence of US troops in the Middle East would depend on movement in the price of oil.

"Now, are we going to stay in that part of the world," Trump asked. "One reason to is Israel. Oil is becoming less and less of a reason because we're producing more oil now than we've ever produced."

"So, you know, all of a sudden it gets to a point where you don't have to stay there," Trump added.

The US became the world's largest producer of oil this year after rolling back drilling regulations and rebuilding its oil-producing infrastructure since 2011. Texas leads this charge and may soon produce more oil than Iraq or Iran, shrinking the US's reliance on foreign oil.

Goldman Sachs predicts the US will become energy independent — exporting more than it imports — by 2019, and oil independent in 2021, according to CNBC, which also reported that progress toward energy independence had slowed under Trump, following a decade-long sprint that began during the Obama administration.

Trump has reportedly associated US military presence in the Middle East to oil on numerous occasions. During a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in 2017, multiple source confirmed that Trump raised the idea of having Iraq reimburse the US for its war efforts.

Read more: South Korean officials seek clarification after reports suggested Trump was considering pulling US troops out of the country

"It was a very run-of-the-mill, low-key, meeting in general," a source familiar with the call said in an Axios report. "And then right at the end, Trump says something to the effect of, he gets a little smirk on his face and he says, 'So what are we going to do about the oil.'"

"What do you mean," al-Abadi asked, according to Axios' source.

"And Trump's like, 'Well, we did a lot, we did a lot over there, we spent trillions over there, and a lot of people have been talking about the oil," the source added.

After another phone call with al-Abadi in which Trump repeated his request, then-national security adviser H.R. McMaster rebuked Trump for tarnishing the US' reputation: "We can't do this and you shouldn't talk about it. Because talking about it is just bad," McMaster said, according to a source.

Trump's interest in the Middle East's oil had also reportedly vexed his defense secretary, James Mattis, who reportedly asserted it would be physically impossible, violate international law, and demoralize allies.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has publicly teased the idea of allied nations compensating the US for its military presence. However, in closed-door meetings, Trump reportedly cited inadequate trade deals and was seriously mulling the idea of drastic withdrawal of US troops from countries like Germany and South Korea.

"We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them," Trump said in March, referring to South Korea. "So we lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military."

"We have right now 32,000 soldiers on the border between North and South Korea," Trump added. "Let's see what happens."

SEE ALSO: H.R. McMaster reportedly called Trump out for asking about taking Iraq's oil

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NOW WATCH: What serving in the military taught beauty YouTuber Jackie Aina

• Starting in 2019, new original content on YouTube will be available for free with advertisements, rather than being available exclusively through the company's subscription service, YouTube Premium. 
• The goal behind the streaming platform's decision to move its original content outside of its subscription service is to expand its audience and "meet the growing demand of a more global fanbase," YouTube said. 
• But the move raises serious questions about the future of YouTube's $12-a-month Premium subscription service and underscores a longstanding tension within YouTube's business.

It's been less than eight months since YouTube launched its $12-a-month "Premium" subscription service — and there's already reason to wonder whether its days are numbered. 

YouTube said on Tuesday that its original video programs, including sci-fi dramas and reality shows, will no longer be reserved for Premium subscribers starting in 2019. Instead, YouTube's Originals will be available on the site for free, with ads, to everyone. 

A YouTube spokesperson told Business Insider in a statement that the decision to move its original content outside of its subscription service was in order to expand its audience and "meet the growing demand of a more global fanbase."

But the move raises serious questions about the future of YouTube Premium. 

Access to the Originals was one of the key selling points of YouTube Premium. The subscription product — which combines YouTube Music Premium and YouTube Originals — was launched just this May. For $11.99 per month, users get access to a Spotify-like music-streaming service, plus a slate of over 100 Originals, including "Cobra Kai," inspired by "Karate Kid," and the sci-fi drama "Origin." 

With those Originals now available for free with ads, why would anyone pay $12-a-month for YouTube Premium? If you really hate ads, perhaps it's worth it for the ad-free version of the Originals. But a lot of people will probably decide they can live with ads on videos and opt for the cheaper $10-a-month, music-only YouTube Music Premium service instead.

The YouTube spokesperson would not directly respond to Business Insider's query on whether it planned to eventually kill off YouTube Premium.

"YouTube Premium's value proposition remains the same. Those users who want offline, all of YouTube ads-free and a great ads free music experience will continue to sign up for YouTube Premium. That includes watching YouTube Originals ads-free," the spokesperson said.

Read more:YouTube's new music-subscription service takes on Apple Music and Spotify

The decision is part of a new strategy, YouTube said, where YouTube Originals can be accessed by all audiences —  those who are willing to pay for an ad-free experience and those who are not. The company notes that Premium subscribers will continue to get exclusive access to Originals like "Cobra Kai" that have already been produced (it's just that all the new original content will be available for free in 2019). 

Is YouTube's ad business too powerful to leave room for a subscription business?

YouTube's shift in strategy comes as Apple plans to launch its own original-content streaming service as early as March 2019. Apple's service will include a combination of original content and licensing deals with production companies and is rumored to be free for anyone accessing it through an iPhone or iPad.

But the move also underscores the long-running tension between YouTube's ad-supported business (which generates billions of dollars in revenue every year) and the fledgling subscription business. The potential to reap ad revenue from the Originals video content is so strong that YouTube can't afford not to capitalize on it — even if doing so means jeopardizing the potential of the subscription business. 

YouTube does not disclose the number of subscribers for its Premium or Music Premium services. 

It's a dilemma that YouTube has been wrestling with for years, and according to some industry insiders, it's the reason why YouTube has struggled to create a successful for-pay subscription service. And to judge by Tuesday's move to bring Originals outside of the subscription paywall, it looks like the ad side of the business has won again. 

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk said 'nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week' — and he couldn't be more wrong

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NOW WATCH: 7 places you can't find on Google Maps

• The College Football Playoff committee released its final ranking before the playoff teams will be announced on Sunday.
• The big winner was Oklahoma, who is ranked fifth, ahead of Ohio State and in position to move into the top four if Georgia loses to Alabama, as expected.
• In all, eight teams are still alive for a spot in the playoff, including Michigan and UCF.

The penultimate College Football Playoff ranking is out and the Oklahoma Sooners are the big winners.

With one week to go before the committee chooses the four teams for the playoff, Oklahoma moved up to the all-important fifth spot over Ohio State. The Sooners are still not guaranteed a spot in the playoff with a win in the Big 12 championship game, but if it were to come down to OU and Ohio State, the Sooners would have the edge.

In all, eight teams still have a path to the playoff. Below, we ranked the remaining contenders based on who has the best chances to make the playoff.

8. UCF

Record: 11-0

Last week's result: Beat USF, 38-10

Playoff ranking: 8

Key games remaining: Unranked Memphis in The Atlantic championship game.

One thing to know: It is clear the committee does not take UCF's undefeated record seriously. Michigan is still ahead of the Knights and is done with its schedule. UCF adding a win over Memphis is unlikely to impress the committee enough to jump the Wolverines. That means UCF needs at least three teams ahead of them to lose. And then there is the season-ending injury to quarterback McKenzie Milton. It is just another excuse for the committee to leave UCF out if they want one.

7. Michigan

Record: 10-2

Last week's result: Lost to Ohio State, 62-39

Playoff ranking: 7

Key games remaining: none

One thing to know: Michigan is the big surprise this week as they still have a path to the playoff despite an ugly loss to Ohio State. The Wolverines' best hope is for Clemson, Oklahoma, and Ohio State to lose their conference title games. There would then be a chaos debate over the fourth spot with 1-loss Clemson, 2-loss Ohio State, 2-loss Michigan, and undefeated UCF all with a strong argument to join Alabama, Notre Dame, and Georgia. But would the committee take Michigan over Ohio State despite the head-to-head result? Michigan would have "stronger" losses.

6. Ohio State

Record: 11-1

Last week's result: Beat Michigan, 62-39

Playoff ranking: 6

Key games remaining: No. 21 Northwestern in the Big Ten title game.

One thing to know: Ohio State needs a lot of help. An Oklahoma loss in the Big 12 title game would be the biggest boost. But that might not be enough if Clemson and Georgia win or if the Bulldogs play a close game with Alabama.

• Climate scientists are responding to President Donald Trump's comments on the fourth National Climate Assessment — a publicly reviewed, congressionally mandated climate assessment put together by 13 government agencies and a team of 300 experts.
• On Monday, Trump was asked by reporters about the assessment — specifically the economic impact — to which he replied, "I don't believe it." Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also dismissed the report during Tuesday's press briefing.
• Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist, who helped author the report, responded to the Trump administration via Twitter.
• "The warming oceans, melting ice sheets, rising sea level, worsening droughts, floods, superstorms, and wildfires—they don’t care what Trump thinks," climate scientist Michael Mann told INSIDER. "And we are increasingly endangered — as a civilization — by this one man’s apathy, ignorance and malice."

Climate scientists are responding to President Donald Trump's comments on the fourth National Climate Assessment — a congressionally-mandated climate assessment put together by 13 government agencies and a team of 300 experts. The most recent assessment was released on Friday, November 23, and what it portends is dire: a potential economic cost of hundreds of billions of dollars, sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and insect-borne disease.

On Monday, Trump was asked by reporters about the assessment — specifically the economic impact — to which he replied, "I don't believe it." He also stated that it was "important" to him to have clean air and water.

He repeated these claims in a wide-ranging interview with the The Washington Post published on Tuesday.

"One of the problems that a lot of people like myself, we have very high levels of intelligence but we’re not necessarily such believers," Trump told The Post about the report. "You look at our air and our water, and it’s right now at a record clean."

"As to whether or not it’s man-made and whether or not the effects that you’re talking about are there," he continued, "I don’t see it."

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also dismissed the report during Tuesday's press briefing.

"We think that this is the most extreme version and it’s not based on facts," Sanders said in response to a reporter's question about the report. "It’s not data driven. We’d like to see something that is more data driven. It’s based on modeling, which is extremely hard to do when you’re talking about the climate."

She also reiterated Trump's talking points on clean air and water: "The president’s certainly leading on what matters most in this process, and that’s on having clean air, clean water."

Read more:12 scary takeaways from the climate report the Trump administration dropped on Black Friday — and one reason for hope

Climate scientists strongly disagree with Trump's comments

Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist, who helped author the report, responded to the Trump administration via Twitter. Hayhoe is a professor of political science, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, and a part of the Department of Interior's South-Central Climate Science Center, 

"The Fourth US National Climate Assessment was released on Friday," Hayhoe tweeted on Tuesday. "Since then, a number of politicians + pundits have made statements about it that are not accurate. As an author, I'm here to set the record straight. Here we go!"

First, Hayhoe responded to Sanders's, "most extreme version" comment.

"No: the report considered a very broad range of scenarios, from one where carbon emissions go negative to one where they continue to grow," Hayhoe tweeted citing chapter two of the report. She also goes on to point out where the report made an effort to show what the different scenarios would mean in the future.

Hayhoe also states that the report was "publicly reviewed" and that "authors were required to respond to each comment individually." Both comments and responses are available for the public to read, and she stated that there are full citations and documentation in the report.

She does concede that Sanders is right on one count. Sanders told the press that "modeling the climate is an extremely complicated science that is never exact."

"That is absolutely true," Hayhoe says. "And that’s why, in the chapter I wrote with [climate and sea-level scientist Bob Kopp] called 'Potential Surprises,' this conclusion is so worrisome."

It's actually possible that the climate models will "underestimate temperature change during warm paleoclimates" suggesting that "climate models are more likely to underestimate than overestimate the amount of long term future change."

Hayhoe also responded to President Trump's comments that he does not believe the report.

"But climate science isn't a religion: it's real, whether we believe it or not," she writes. "If our decisions are not based in reality, we are the ones who will suffer the consequences." (You can read her full thread here.)

Michael Mann, a professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, echoes this sentiment. 

"Climate change is real, human-caused — and increasingly dangerous — regardless of what one deeply ignorant and misguided individual might happen to think," Mann said in an email to INSIDER in response to Trump's comments. "The warming oceans, melting ice sheets, rising sea level, worsening droughts, floods, superstorms, and wildfires—they don’t care what Trump thinks. And we are increasingly endangered — as a civilization — by this one man’s apathy, ignorance and malice."

What Hayhoe recommends.

As Business Insider's Dana Varinsky reported last week, there is some hope when it comes to adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change — and the report has a chapter on each response.

For those wondering how one person can make an impact, or if it's too late to mitigate climate change, Hayhoe has a few recommendations:

INSIDER contacted Hayhoe for a deeper explanation on her tweets, and we'll update if we hear back.

SEE ALSO: The Trump administration released a dire new report on climate change that predicts hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses Its findings are dire.

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NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly in 2017: 'I regret a lot' of the controversial stuff I've said on live television

• Justice Department veterans are flummoxed that lawyers representing Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump's campaign, are still in touch with Trump's lawyers following Manafort's guilty plea.
• "It is absolutely not normal for a convicted felon and now cooperator to continue to loop in a potential target's attorneys on the relationship with the prosecutor," one former DOJ attorney said.
• There is no official guideline that bars lawyers for different sides of an investigation from communicating with one another, but such communications could severely undermine, or even tank, a cooperation deal.
• By staying in touch with Trump's team while cooperating, experts said Manafort could be trying to keep all his options open, including angling for a potential presidential pardon.

As Paul Manafort dominates headlines this week, DOJ veterans say there's one big question they want an answer to: Why is Manafort's legal team still communicating with lawyers representing President Donald Trump in the Russia investigation?

Manafort, the former chairman of the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy and obstruction charges and has since been cooperating with the special counsel.

Trump's lead defense lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told CNN on Tuesday that Manafort's lawyers had been in touch with him about their interactions with Mueller and said they were running into issues with the special counsel.

"We discuss things that are appropriate," Giuliani said. "[Manafort's team is] in control of it. I have no idea what else they're questioning them about. I don't want to know."

But later Tuesday, The New York Times reported that one of Manafort's lawyers, Kevin Downing, had repeatedly briefed Trump's team on what Mueller was asking Manafort about.

Giuliani also told The Times Downing had given him specifics on what prosecutors wanted to know — an apparent departure from his earlier statement to CNN that he had "no idea" what Manafort was questioned about and didn't "want to know."

Prosecutors reportedly learned of the communications between Manafort's and Trump's teams two months ago and tensions between the two sides have been on the rise since. They spilled out into the open on Monday, when Mueller's office said in a new court filing that Manafort had breached his plea deal by lying to investigators.

Read more:Paul Manafort's plea agreement with the feds is in jeopardy as Mueller accuses him of lying to investigators

Giuliani told INSIDER earlier this year that Manafort was in a joint defense agreement with Trump. But when a defendant flips and agrees to a plea deal, it requires that they pull out of any joint defense agreements they're party to.

"It is absolutely not normal for a convicted felon and now cooperator to continue to loop in a potential target's attorneys on the relationship with the prosecutor," said Jeffrey Cramer, a former federal prosecutor who spent 12 years at the DOJ.

"I doubt many prosecutors have had defendants who burn up the phone lines talking to an opposing counsel who may end up cross-examining him some day," he said.

'A pardon is still the holy grail for Manafort'

There is no technical or legal guideline that bars an attorney for one target of a criminal investigation from communicating with lawyers representing another target, whether or not a joint defense agreement exists.

But such communications could severely undermine, or even tank, a cooperation agreement if lawyers for one side revealed too much information to lawyers on the other side.

Since pleading guilty, Manafort has met with prosecutors nearly a dozen times, and though members of Mueller's team have been asking him about a wide range of topics, they're "not getting what they want," a source with knowledge of the discussions told ABC News.

The dispute between the two sides reportedly stemmed from suspicions that Manafort was not being entirely forthcoming about all the information he may know that's relevant to the Russia investigation.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told INSIDER on Tuesday that Manafort's plea deal with Mueller is still intact.

"If as a prosecutor I was dealing with Manafort's attorneys, I'd have made clear from day one that any communication with Trump's attorneys, or other attorneys for other subjects, would jeopardize the cooperation," Elie Honig, a former prosecutor from the Southern District of New York who specialized in organized-crime cases, told INSIDER.

Manafort's guilty plea came after a lengthy court battle, during which his lawyers put up an aggressive defense against Mueller by challenging his authority and arguing that he had overstepped the scope of his mandate when he charged Manafort with crimes unrelated to Russian collusion.

Legal experts said at the time that Manafort's refusal to flip could have been part of an effort to angle for a presidential pardon. His lawyers' unusual decision to stay in touch with Trump's team, even after pleading guilty, may point to the same strategy.

Read more:Trump rips Mueller for 'ruining lives' of people 'refusing to lie' after Jerome Corsi says he will reject Mueller's plea offer

"It does seem that Manafort is trying to keep all his options open for as long as possible," Cramer said. "He is a career fraudster so he is consistent, if nothing else. He was easily convicted and then decided to cooperate rather than go through another trial and more prison time being added to his sentence."

"But a pardon is still the holy grail for Manafort," he added.

Trump, for his part, appears to grow more heated with Mueller and the Russia probe every day.

The president has alternated between defending and distancing himself from Manafort. Giuliani told INSIDER earlier this year that Trump would not consider whether or not to pardon his former campaign chairman until after the Russia probe had concluded.

But even if Trump pardons Manafort, it doesn't mean he would be out of the woods.

"Manafort cannot count on a pardon, even if he were promised one," Ilene Jaroslaw, a former federal prosecutor from the Eastern District of New York, told INSIDER. "His assets are forever forfeited, and he remains vulnerable to prosecution for state offenses, such as tax evasion."

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NOW WATCH: Lindsey Graham once warned there would be 'holy hell to pay' if Trump fired Jeff Sessions

• Ukrainian servicemen captured during clashes between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday gave bizarre testimony broadcast on Russian state TV. 
• The men said they deliberately ignored warnings and were aware that the presence of their ships in the tense Sea of Azov was provocative. 
• Ukraine's Navy commander fired back and said the men were forced to give false statements under pressure.
• Russia confirmed that its ships attacked Ukrainian vessels off the coast of Crimea in a major escalation of tensions in the region on Sunday. 
• Ukraine will temporarily enforce martial law starting on Wednesday and has claimed that Russia may be planning a full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian servicemen captured during clashes with Russia on Sunday made bizarre video confessions broadcast on Russian state TV. 

On Sunday, Russia confirmed that its ships attacked Ukrainian vessels off the coast of Crimea in a major escalation of tensions in the region. 

Ukraine says Russia opened fire on its navy and seized three of its vessels, injuring at least six of its servicemen. Russia claims that the ships entered its waters illegally, and that it gave the Ukrainian crews warning to turn back.

Late Monday, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) released videos of three men it says were involved in the showdown at sea. Russian state media quickly circulated the bizarre messages that spoke of "deliberate" action and "provocation" against Russian forces. 

WATCH: Video shows the exact moment a suspected Russian ship rams a Ukrainian boat during a tense naval clash

Volodymyr Lisovyi, pictured above, claimed in a video to be a commander of a military unit and said he carried out the mission to pass through the Kerch Strait — the only access point to the Sea of Azov, shared by both Ukraine and Russia. He also said he ignored requests by Russia to stop on purpose.

"I was aware that the presence of a group of Ukrainian Navy ships in the Kerch Strait was a provocation in its nature," he said. He added that there were machine guns and other arms on board. 

Andriy Drach, another serviceman, said in his testimony that he was operating on an order to travel from Odessa to Mariupol, which would require travel through the Kerch Strait. 

"We were warned by the border service of the Russian Federation that we were violating Russian law," he said. "They had repeatedly asked us to leave the territorial waters of the Russian Federation."

A third man gave similar testimony.

Ihor Voronchenko, Ukraine's Navy commander, said on Ukrainian TV that the men were forced to give false statements under pressure.

"I know those sailors from Nikopol," he said. "They have always been honest professionals in their jobs. And what they say now is not true."

Voronchenko said Sunday his crews and vessels placed near the Kerch Strait were on combat alert.

Tensions have significantly heightened in Crimea. Russia has been steadily increasing its control of the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, and Russia recently completed its construction of a massive 18-kilometer (11.2 mile) bridge linking the Crimea peninsula to mainland Russia.

Ukraine on Monday imposed martial law in parts of the country as President Petro Poroshenko warned of the "extremely serious" threat of invasion by Russian forces.

"Russia has been waging a hybrid war against our country for a fifth year. But with an attack on Ukrainian military boats it moved to a new stage of aggression," Poroshenko said.

SEE ALSO: Ukraine says Russia may be preparing to launch a large-scale ground invasion

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NOW WATCH: The true story behind Boston gangster Whitey Bulger

• Mississippi voters elected Cindy Hyde-Smith to a full Senate term on Tuesday, ending a closely watched runoff election again her Democratic challenger Mike Espy.
• Hyde-Smith had a lead of more than 68,000 votes over Espy as of 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday night. It is the last Senate election of the 2018 season.
• She has held the office since March when she was appointed after Sen. Thad Cochran resigned.
• Espy, a former congressman and Clinton administration alum, had sought to capitalize on Hyde-Smith’s missteps on the campaign trail, but ultimately fell short in the deep-red state.

Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith won a Senate runoff election in Mississippi on Tuesday night, beating her Democratic challenger Mike Espy in what had become a tumultuous contest in the state.

Hyde-Smith and Espy were vying for the seat in a deep-red state where President Donald Trump took nearly 58% of the vote in 2016.

Hyde-Smith, the state's former agriculture and commerce commissioner who was appointed to the Senate seat in March after Sen. Thad Cochran resigned, was favored to win, despite recent criticism she received after telling a supporter she would attend a "public hanging," if invited.

That remark conjured Mississippi's history of racism, lynchings, and Jim Crow laws — and caused a handful of companies to withdraw their support for Hyde-Smith's campaign. She has apologized for the comment.

Espy had sought to capitalize on the fallout from Hyde-Smith's missteps, as well as subsequent revelations that his Republican opponent attended a "segregation academy" and celebrated the Confederacy.

But he, too, faced significant headwinds on the road to Washington.

An assessment from FiveThirtyEight indicated that Espy would need an "unprecedented" swing in order to win Tuesday night.

Some Democrats held out hope for Espy citing a resemblance between the Mississippi runoff and the December 2017 special election in neighboring Alabama, where voters chose Democrat Doug Jones over the embattled Republican Roy Moore, whose campaign was crushed under the weight of a sexual-misconduct scandal.

The Alabama election gave the state its first Democratic senator in more than two decades, but that energy did not transfer to Mississippi, which has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1972.

SEE ALSO: Mississippi's Republican Senate candidate is feeling the heat after it's revealed that she attended a 'segregation academy' and celebrated the Confederacy

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NOW WATCH: Lindsey Graham once warned there would be 'holy hell to pay' if Trump fired Jeff Sessions

• The pilots of last month's doomed Lion Air Flight JT610 fought in a life-or-death tug-of-war with a malfunctioning automated flight system, data from the flight's black box reviewed by the New York Times show.
• That struggle to keep the plane from nosediving ended when the almost new Boeing 737 Max hit the Java Sea so hard some parts disintegrated on impact.
• The new insights seem to suggest the pilots were unaware how — or unable — to take the necessary steps to override the automatic system. 

The New York Times is reporting a harrowing breakthrough in the investigation into the crash of the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 that fell into the Java Sea in October, killing all 189 people on board.

Flight data taken from a recovered black box prepared by Indonesian air crash investigators for release on Wednesday, was reviewed by The New York Times.

The data reveal how hard the two pilots battled to stay in the air and the difficulties they faced in dealing with what may have been a rogue automated system. The data are also consistent with the investigator's main lead that the Boeing system installed on its latest generation of 737s to prevent the plane’s nose from getting too high and causing a stall actually forced the nose down because of incorrect data sent from sensors on the fuselage.

According to information gathered from the aircraft’s flight data recorder — the black box —  JT610 was repeatedly pushed into a dive position thought to be due to the automated system's malfunctioning sensors, a fault that began moments after take off.  

From the moment the wing flaps were retracted at 3,000 feet, the two pilots fell into a life-and-death tug-of-war against a new, automated anti-stall system that is reportedly not even referred to in the cockpit manual of the 737 Max 8.

With the readings on the 737 Max incorrect even as the packed jetliner taxied out, once JT610 Max 8 was airborne, the pilots control column began to shake as the precursor to an imminent stall. Over the next 13 minutes of the plane being airborn, a back-and-forth between the pilots and the system may have happened more than 24 times as the pilots sought to retake control before the Lion Air flight plummeted into the sea at 450 mph.

“The pilots fought continuously until the end of the flight,” said Capt. Nurcahyo Utomo, the head of the air accident subcommittee of the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee. Nurcahyo said that in the case of Lion Air Flight JT610, the stall-prevention system had been activated and is a central focus of the investigation, according to The Times.

"If the pilots of Lion Air 610 did in fact confront an emergency with this type of anti-stall system, they would have had to take a rapid series of complex steps to understand what was happening and keep the jetliner flying properly. These steps were not in the manual, and the pilots had not been trained in them," according to The Times.

Ahead of these latest revelations, we haven't learned that much about what happened aboard JT610 for those desperate 13 minutes. 

Fight for control

Already under investigators' heavy suspicion is the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system, or MCAS, Boeing's new anti-stall system

Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued directives earlier in November telling flight crews about the system, which is designed to provide extra protection against pilots losing control through lifting the nose and stalling the engine.

Boeing’s has since said that its safety bulletin was only meant to reinforce existing procedures.

According to the Allied Pilots Association, many aviators, unions, and flight-training departments have said that none of the documentation including pilot’s manuals for the Max 8 included an explanation of the system.

The MCAS is meant to stop pilots from angling the aircraft nose too high which can affect the plane’s speed and lift and cause a stall. It does this by automatically steering the nose of the plane downward if it senses a stall is possible. 

On this occasion, while JT610's captain responded to each nose-down movement by pulling the nose up again, the difficult question remains: why didn’t the pilots just switch off the flight-control system, which is thought to be exactly what the pilots on the previous day’s flight had done when they had encountered a similar problem?

According to a memo Boeing sent to pilots and customers a week after the crash, the system can suddenly push the nose so far down that pilots cannot lift it back up. 

The manufacturer has vehemently denied withholding relevant information about the system following the crash, but Boeing has come under criticism for its lack of training and preparation on the subject. 

The system, it said, would kick in even if cockpit crews are flying a plane manually and wouldn’t be anticipating a computerized system to take over.

Earlier this month, Lion Air’s operational director Zwingli Silalahi, said the manual failed to sufficiently inform pilots of the MACS behaviors.

"We don’t have that in the manual of the Boeing 737 Max 8," Zwingli said Wednesday.

Boeing has said that the proper steps for pulling out of an incorrect activation of the system were already in flight manuals, so there was no need to detail this specific system in the new 737 jet. In a statement to the Times on Tuesday, the plane manufacturer said it couldn’t discuss the matter due to the ongoing crash investigation, but "the appropriate flight crew response to uncommanded trim, regardless of cause, is contained in existing procedures."

The fact is, while the findings detailed for the Indonesian Parliament is more than what was known before, much remains unknown about the doomed flight, including why a plane with apparently problematic sensors was even allowed off the tarmac.

Investigators have yet to recover the cockpit voice recorder, which could explain what steps if any the duo took to regain control of the plane and why, moments before the final dive, the captain handed control to the co-pilot.

A complete account of faults with the sensors on the fuselage, referred to as "angle-of-attack sensors," is now thought to be part of the full report by Indonesian investigators.

One of those sensors was replaced before the plane’s next-to-last flight after the jet experienced malfunctioning data readings, investigators say.

Indonesian officials have questioned the role of faulty airspeed indicators as they investigate the deadly Lion Air crash, but safety experts say pilots should be able to deal with those faults.

Indonesia's transport ministry, earlier this month, issued a 120-day suspension to Lion Air's maintenance and engineering directors, its fleet maintenance manager, and the engineer who gave the jet permission to fly.

SEE ALSO: Passengers on the previous Lion Air Flight said the plane was climbing and falling so wildly that people on board threw up

SEE ALSO: A previous Lion Air flight crashed into the ocean in 2013 but with far deadlier results

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• President Donald Trump reportedly believed former Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen was too short to be reappointed to lead the Fed.
• Trump reportedly asked aides whether they thought Yellen was tall enough, at 5-foot-3 inches, to be reappointed.
• Based on other reports, Trump has commented on the physical appearance of other senior officials numerous times.

President Donald Trump reportedly believed former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen was too short to be reappointed to lead the Fed, according to current and former officials cited in a Washington Post report.

Trump reportedly asked aides whether they thought Yellen, a former economics professor who earned her doctorate at Yale University, was tall enough at 5 foot 3 inches to be reappointed, sources said to The Post.

Despite an impressive interview with Yellen, according to the sources, Trump ultimately sided with advisers who suggested he choose another candidate. Trump appointed Jerome Powell, a former member of the Fed's board of governors, to lead the Fed in November 2017.

Read more: 'If he's so good, why is this happening': Trump reportedly blames Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for recommending Jerome Powell as Fed chair

Trump appears to have soured on his nominee, who has mirrored Yellen's steady interest rate hikes since his appointment. Interest rates were raised three times this year, and some analysts have predicted another upcoming hike in December.

Trump has blamed the stock market's volatility and recent layoffs at General Motors on the rate hikes, which he described as "a mistake" and "crazy."

"They're making a mistake because I have a gut, and my gut tells me more sometimes than anybody else's brain can ever tell me," Trump said in an interview with The Post.

"So far, I'm not even a little bit happy with my selection of [Powell]. Not even a little bit," Trump added. "And I'm not blaming anybody, but I'm just telling you I think that the Fed is way off-base with what they're doing."

Based on other reports, Trump has commented on the physical appearance of other senior officials numerous times. The president was rumored to have been dissatisfied with national security adviser John Bolton's mustache, and commented that H.R. McMaster, Bolton's predecessor, "looks like a beer salesman" in a suit.

INSIDER contacted the White House for comment on the Yellen claims.

SEE ALSO: 'If he's so good, why is this happening': Trump reportedly blames Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for recommending Jerome Powell as Fed chair

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• After slogging to a league-worst 25-45-12 record last year, the Buffalo Sabres have taken the NHL by storm to start this season.
• After a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night, the Sabres pulled ahead with the best record in the NHL and tied a franchise record by winning 10 straight games.
• Buffalo defender Rasmus Ristolainen set the pace for the evening by going between-the-legs to embarrass San Jose's Brent Burns.
• He followed up the goal with a creative celebration that had fans debating whether it was the best or worst of the season.

The Buffalo Sabres are no longer the joke of the NHL.

With a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night, the Sabres capped a 10-game winning streak to tie a franchise record previously set in January 1984 and October 2006. They also lead the NHL with a 17-6-2 record and have taken everyone by surprise with their recent success.

Perhaps even more enthralling than Buffalo's rapid rise to the top is the flair with which its top players are doing so. Sabres left wing Jeff Skinner currently sits in a three-way tie to lead the league with 19 goals on the season, 18 of which he has scored in Buffalo's last 18 games.

Skinner scored the game-winner with 1:41 left in overtime Tuesday night, but it was the Sabres' Rasmus Ristolainen who stole the show with a Sports Center top-10 finish.

Nearly 15 minutes into the second period, teammate Tage Thompson connected with the Finnish defender across the ice on the left wing. Ristolainen maneuvered the puck between his legs and blew past Sharks defender Brent Burns en route to the first goal of the game and his third of the season.

The goal landed at No. 1 on Sports Center's Top-10 plays of the day, but it was Ristolainen's stick celebration that got fans buzzing on social media.

Despite his silly celebration, Ristolainen got serious for a moment during his postgame comments. The NHL dedicated the night to fighting cancer and raising awareness, so the crafty defender dedicated his goal to his late grandfather who passed away last year.

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• President Trump mistakenly thought his top military officer makes $5 million per year, according to the Washington Post.
• The newspaper reported that the president was surprised to find out the general makes less than $200,000 in base salary.
• Trump is more familiar with a corporate model for compensation, in which CEOs typically make over 300 times the salary of their average employee when all compensation is factored in.
• All military personnel receive the same pay raise regardless of rank.  

According to a report by The Washington Post, the commander in chief was way off when he thought his top military officer made millions.

The Post marked it as an example of how out-of-touch the president is with federal spending and the military that when prompted by his chief of staff, who is a retired general, the president guessed that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford earns $5 million.

Trump was surprised, sources told the Post, to find that Dunford's base salary is less than $200,000.

That may be because Trump is more familiar with a corporate model for compensation, which notoriously overpays chief executives via high salaries, lucrative bonuses and stock options. CEOs also typically receive pay raises at a much higher percentage than their employees; a study from the Economic Policy Institute showed that in 2017, the average CEO salary increased by nearly 18% while employee pay increased by as little as 0.3%.

Read more:A new study found CEOs at America's biggest companies raked in $19 million on average last year, while workers' pay barely budged

Military pay, by comparison, is strictly regulated. Salaries are limited by US Code and overseen by the same entity that manages all government compensation. 

In terms of base pay, military personnel are compensated based on rank and time in service. Typically, troops advance to the next bracket when promoted, and every two years of additional experience, though there are some exceptions. 

An E-5, for example, who has six years of experience receives just over $2,850 per month in base pay, according to 2017 pay tables. Her battalion commander, an O-5 with 15 years of service, made nearly three times that amount. These figures do not include the housing allowance, which takes into account the price of housing in the area and whether the person has children.

Pay raises are also regulated. Regardless of rank, base pay is increased by the same percentage, calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and finalized by the president. So, when the E-5 saw her monthly salary increase by 2.6% at the start of the 2019 fiscal year, her battalion commander's pay increased by the same 2.6%.    

Gen. Dunford made roughly five-and-a-half times the E-5's salary last year — a striking comparison to the average CEO, who made 312 times her employees' salaries. 

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• Instacart is quietly slashing its prices. The company has cut its annual Instacart Express membership fee from $149 to $99. Non-Express delivery charges have been slashed from $5.99 to $3.99.
• It has also removed the 5% service fee for its Express members, a charge that caused much controversy among customers in the past. 
• Instacart is now a more affordable delivery option than Amazon when it comes to shopping at Whole Foods. 

Instacart is slashing prices as the war against Amazon heats up. 

Instacart, an online grocery delivery service that pairs customers with personal shoppers to deliver groceries to their homes, has quietly reduced the price of its annual Express membership and non-membership delivery fees, a spokesperson for the company confirmed to Business Insider on Wednesday. 

Customers now pay $99 a year rather than $149 for the Express membership, which offers free delivery on orders over $35. Non-Express delivery fee charges have been cut from $5.99 to $3.99.

Instacart has also removed the 5% service fee for its Express members, a charge that caused much controversy among customers in the past. 

A spokesperson for the company told Business Insider that these changes were rolled out on November 14. 

Instacart partners with 300 different chains across the US, including Amazon-owned Whole Foods. The new changes make Instacart more competitive on price and allow it to better compete with Amazon, which it battles with directly at Whole Foods. 

Read more: We compared Whole Foods' grocery delivery from Amazon Prime Now and Instacart, and it was clear which service does it better

An Amazon Prime membership, which enables customers to use its Prime Now delivery service for Whole Foods groceries, costs $119 a year or $12.99 a month. Two-hour delivery is free for any orders over $35 and costs at least $4.99 for orders under that. 

Until Amazon announced that it would be buying Whole Foods in June 2017, Instacart had been the only carrier to offer the Whole Foods delivery service. 

The announcement sent shockwaves through the market and put Instacart, which had exclusive rights to Whole Foods' delivery at the time, in a sticky situation. Experts speculated that it wouldn't be long before it was muscled out.

These price cuts address a key issue that shoppers have had — why would they pay more for an Instacart membership when an Amazon Prime membership not only costs less, but has more perks? By undercutting Amazon on price, Instacart may now become a more appealing option, at least for Whole Foods delivery. 

SEE ALSO: Instacart's CEO describes the moment he discovered Amazon was stealing its Whole Foods business

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• LeBron James reportedly spends seven figures a year on body care, but the most crucial element may be his sleep.
• James and Mike Mancias, his trainer, were recently on Tim Ferriss' podcast and discussed how James tries to get eight to 10 hours of sleep a day as part of his "never-ending" recovery.
• James does everything from controlling the temperature to using a sleep app to make sure he gets the shut-eye necessary to heal his body.

In his 16th season, approaching 34 years old, LeBron James is still going strong, outlasting nearly all of his contemporaries.

James reportedly spends seven figures on his body care, from diet to exercise to advanced recovery methods. But the most crucial element of his recovery routine may be the most straightforward: sleep.

James and Mike Mancias, his trainer, recently joined Tim Ferriss on his podcast to talk about James' lifestyle, habits, and more. Mancias said that a key to James' longevity is his "never-ending" recovery and that sleep is a crucial component.

James said Mancias is always on his case, asking if James got at least eight to nine hours of sleep.

Mancias explained why sleep is so important and what can help facilitate good sleep.

"The body does recover, and it heals itself while we're asleep, while we reach our REM sleep and our deep sleep," Mancias said.

Mancias said James optimizes his sleep by making sure the temperature of the room is just right and staying off his devices, though James said he used a sleep app called Calm and turns on the "rain on leaves" sound effect to fall asleep.

"Create an environment," Mancias said. "For us, for LeBron, it's always in his hotel room, making sure the temperature is set at a particular — probably 68 to 70 degrees is probably optimal. Making sure the room is completely dark. You have no distractions. Trying to turn off all your electronics, your televisions, your phones, etc. Just turn everything off probably a half hour to 45 minutes before you actually want to go to sleep. And just really committing yourself to that."

James also discussed how important sleep is to his mental and emotional health.

"That's the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100% as possible," James said.

"Now, will you wake up and feel 100%? There's some days you don't. Some days you feel better than others. But the more and more and more time that you get those eight — if you can get nine, that's amazing. Sometimes I even get 10 hours of sleep," he added.

"I just think that's just the best way to recover," James continued. "I mean, I can do all the training, I can do all the ice bags and the NormaTecs and everything that we do that we have as far as our recovery package while I'm up, but when you get that good sleep, you just wake up and you feel fresh. You don't need no alarm clock. You just feel like 'OK, I can tackle this day at the highest level.'"

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

Trucking is set to transform radically in the coming years, with innovative technologies enabling trucks to take over more and more driving responsibilities, saving time and money for operators and businesses that rely on shipping.

Autonomous trucks are being tested on roads around the world, and systems from startups like Peloton and Embark could make their way into commercial trucks as soon as next year. Fleets will be able to leverage autonomous technologies to cut costs and gain a critical edge over competitors.

But to start planning for, and to eventually implement, those technologies, companies need to know what sorts of systems will be ready and when, and what regulatory hurdles will need to be overcome to get autonomous trucks on the road. 

In a new report from BI Intelligence, we provide an early glimpse into the emerging autonomous trucking market. First, we look at the trucking market as it stands today, offering a basic profile of the industry and highlighting a number of the challenges and issues it faces. Then, we go through the three waves of autonomous technology that are set to upend the industry — platooning, semi-autonomous systems, and fully autonomous trucks — looking at who is making strides in each of these areas, when the technology can be expected to start making an impact, and what companies can do to get ahead of the curve.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Advanced and autonomous technology will enable operators and shipping firms to eradicate some of the challenges that have long plagued them. Trucks will take over more and more driving responsibilities, saving time and money for operators and businesses that rely on shipping.
• The impact of autonomous technologies on the trucking industry will come in three major waves: platooning or fuel-saving vehicle convoys, semi-autonomous highway control systems, and fully autonomous trucks.
• Change to the trucking industry will be gradual but inexorable. Companies with foresight can start to make long-term plans to account for the ways that autonomous technologies will change how goods and products move from place to place.

In full, the report:

• Analyzes the development of autonomous trucking technology.
• Explains the waves in which advanced and autonomous technologies will start to impact the trucking industry, providing detailed explanations of how a company can take advantage of the disruptive technology transforming logistics at each stage.
• Profiles the efforts of the companies that are at the forefront of new technology in trucking, looking at what they're working on and when their efforts could start to impact the market.

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

1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >>Learn More Now
2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now

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• Few childhood experiences match the joys of playing in the snow. But that joy is predicated on your kid being warm and cozy thanks to proper winter attire and a great pair of snow boots.

• The Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boots are our top pick because they're warm, waterproof, and built to the same exacting standards as gear designed for adults.

Apparel waterproofing technology has come a long way in the past few decades, as has the commitment of many companies to producing high-quality gear for children. As a kid, I remember a part of the pre-snow play suit up process involved putting on a pair of socks, slipping plastic bags over my feet, then putting on more socks to hold the bags in place, and then finally putting on my snow boots.

It wasn't that my family couldn't afford decent boots, it was simply taken for granted that kids' snow boots of the late 1980s were going to soak through if I spent enough time out there sledding, slinging snow balls, and generally stomping around.

Today the market is saturated with options for great winter boots for kids, many of which are waterproof, windproof, fit securely, are well insulated, and have great traction on the outsoles. In other words, they're much like the boots I wear myself when on a winter mountain trek, they're just smaller.

If the glut of kids' winter boots overwhelms you, don't worry — I'm here to help.

My son has helped my wife and I do kids' boot research by reliably growing out of his winter boots each and every season, prompting us to buy multiple pairs over the years. Each time, we've tried new brands with different features, and in the process, I've come to know multiple great snow boot options. As you read through the list, make sure you consider the conditions in which your kid will wear the boots, factoring in temperature, average snowfall, and they types of activities your kid undertakes in the winter.

And keep in mind that, if you have multiple kids or think you might have another later, you should pick boots with staying power. On the other hand, if you're shopping for the youngest in the family, I can tell you that counting on more than a single season from a pair of kids' boots is folly, so don't overbuy!

Here are the best kids' snow boots you can buy:

• Best kids' snow boots overall: Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boots
• Best stylish kids' snow boots: Kamik Takodav Boots
• Best kids' snow boots for extreme cold: Stonz Cold Weather Snow Boots
• Best affordable kids' snow boots: Cat & Jack Bastien Winter Boots
• Best easy-on kids' snow boots: Crocs LodgePoint Snow Boots

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best kids' snow boots overall

Why you'll love them: The Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boots have an adjustable hook and loop strap to ensure a secure, comfortable fit and a draw cord at the collar that helps keep out snow.

When you were a kid playing in the snow, how many times did you suddenly feel one of your feet soaked and frigid, only to look down to find that one of your boots had slipped off? I can recall multiple such incidents where I lost a snow boot in deep snow or during a fast-paced race down a sledding hill. It was simply a fact of winter life.

With the Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boots, however, that's not a fact your kids will have to face. These warm boots will stay firmly in place, thanks to the adjustable strap that wraps in front of the ankle, creating a snug but comfortable fit.

Even in deep snow or rain, a kid's foot will stay dry in these boots thanks to the adjustable drawstring that cinches the collar shut, wrapping your child's lower leg in a warm, waterproof cuff that meets a one-piece injection molded rubber shell. The tread pattern is aggressive enough for good traction on snow or ice, and the Powderbug Plus II's insulation is rated to keep small feet warm in temperatures down to -25º Fahrenheit.

Some 93% of customers who have bought the Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boot for their kids say they would recommend the boots, with a mom from Idaho calling them "warm and dry" and loving how well "they stay on" a child's foot even in deep snow. Several parents did note that the boots run about a size too small, for the record.

In a video review, a product tester from Peter Glenn called these boots a "great boot" that's "super lightweight" and will keep kid's feet "dry and comfortable all day long."

Pros: Snug and secure fit, collar keeps out snow and water, warm removable insulation

Cons: Sizes run small

Buy a pair of Columbia Powderbug Plus II Snow Boots from Columbia for $55

The best stylish kids' snow boots

Why you'll love them: The Kamik Takodav Boots are warm, waterproof, and have good traction in rough conditions, but it's OK to admit you're buying them because they don't actually look like snow boots at all.

Within the past half a year or so, my son has begun to care about his outfits. He couldn't care less what's in style in the larger fashion world, of course, and he loves his Donald Duck sweatshirt and Super Mario tee as much as any other five-year-old, but he has started expressing an occasional interest in what I can only call being well dressed.

He'll ask for a button down to match "my brown pants" or a sweater to go with the red ones, for example. And he has often prefers shoes that look more like a pair I would wear than a traditional kids' sneakers (like his Florsheim Kearny Jr. shoes, of which I'm actually jealous).

Thus I was glad that this year we got him a pair of Kamik Takodav Boots, which if they came in an adult size 12, I'd as gladly wear while grabbing a drink with friends as I would shoveling the drive or sledding with the kids. These boots are waterproof, warm, and have a tread pattern sure to give plenty of grip, yet they manage to be stylish and refined despite their rugged construction.

As with any genuine leather boot, prolonged exposure to snow or rain will eventually change the look of the boot (change meaning damage...), so these boots are better used for winter strolls or as footwear for school than for hours playing in the snow, but if used as regular ol' snow boots, they'll stay warm and dry, just without the looks lasting. Also, be sure to allow for a little but of a break-in period, which is also to be expected with a genuine leather boot.

Pros: Stylish, sealed seams enhance waterproofing, rugged outsole

Cons: Expensive

Buy a pair of Kamik Takodav Boots from Nordstrom for $69.95

The best kids' snow boots for extreme cold

Why you'll love them: If your kid faces weather conditions of Arctic proportions, then their feet belong in an extra warm pair of Stonz Cold Weather Snow Boots.

Stonz footwear is designed in Canada, a place where people know a thing or 10 about the cold. Like ... serious cold. Like these boots have an industry leading rating for use in temperatures down to 58 degrees below zero. Which happens to be -50º Celsius, in case you were wondering. What's that you say, your area doesn't get that cold? No problem, the proprietary Radiantex lining, which reflects body heat back at the legs and feet, is removable. Which is also handy for occasional washing.

If you worry about boots that warm being too heavy, Stonz has you covered there, too. Each Stonz Cold Weather Snow Boot weighs about the same as a smartphone, so they will hardly slow down or fatigue your child during winter play. The boots feature a drawstring collar atop the tall upper shaft, a large velcro patch that keeps the cuff closed, and an adjustable buckle that cinches them tight around the ankle. In other words, they're not likely to let snow in or to fall off.

With dozens of reviews posted on Amazon, the Stonz Cold Weather Snow Boot enjoys a fine 4.6-star overall rating. One mom who reports having bought four pairs of Stonz boots over the years calls said her kids find them warm and comfortable, adding that "they are extremely light weight, which is a major bonus because it allows [her] kids to actually run around and have fun with out tiring out too fast from having to clomp around in heavy boots."

A writer from Potty Adventures called Stonz boots "completely waterproof" and loved how well they "keep little legs and feet warm."

Pros: Amazingly warm, multiple closure mechanisms, lightweight

Cons: Boots run narrow

Buy a pair of Stonz Cold Weather Snow Boots on Amazon for $59.95

• McDonald's has brought back its colorful holiday pies for a limited time.
• The pies are covered in a sugary glaze and rainbow sprinkles, with a vanilla custard filling.
• McDonald's says that the pies will only be available at participating locations, and that there's no nationwide release date.

McDonald's has found a new tradition in bringing holiday-themed pies to its menus in the last couple of years, with 2018's festive season being no exception.

McDonald's holiday pies are made in a similar way to its ever-popular apple pies, but, rather than a fruit filling, they come with vanilla custard inside and a sugar-glazed shell on the outside, covered in rainbow sprinkles.

Read more: McDonald's just brought back its pumpkin pie, and people are divided about the seasonal release 

McDonald's enthusiasts took to social media to rejoice over the pie's comeback, after the fast-food chain confirmed the release on Twitter.

McDonald's also noted on Twitter that the pie doesn't have an official nationwide release date and availability will be up to local franchise owners, meaning the pies might not be found at all McDonald's locations.

Chew Boom reports that the holiday pies may also be substituted with pumpkin and creme pies when supply of the holiday pies runs out.

A representative for McDonald's did not immediately reply to INSIDER's request for comment.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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• Bank of England has released an apocalyptic no deal Brexit scenario.
• Under a “disorderly” Brexit scenario, the UK economy could shrink 8% in a single year, its worst recession since at least the Second World War.
• The pound could also fall 25% to the lowest level against the dollar in history.
• Unemployment and inflation would also surge, with unemployment hitting 7.5%, almost double its current rate.

The Bank of England on Wednesday warned that a “disorderly” no deal Brexit could push the UK into the deepest recession seen since the Second World War, and shrink the pound to the lowest level in its history.

An assessment of a variety of Brexit scenarios published by the central on Wednesday afternoon showed that UK GDP could shrink as much as 8% in a single year under the worst case scenario, far eclipsing the slump seen in the UK during the 2008 financial crisis. That slump was around 6.25%.

Alongside tumbling GDP, the UK could see the pound drop 25% and fall below parity against the dollar for the first time in history.

House prices would fall 30%, while inflation would climb above 6%, and policymakers would be forced to increase interest rates to 5.5%. Unemployment would rise to 7.5%, leaving hundreds of thousands of people out of work.

Under the “disorderly” scenario, the Bank of England sees the UK losing “existing trade arrangements that it currently has with non-EU countries through membership of the EU.”

“The UK’s border infrastructure is assumed to be unable to cope smoothly with customs requirements. There is a pronounced increase in the return investors demand for holding sterling assets. There are spillovers across asset classes,” it added.

The Bank of England was clear that none of the scenarios published today are forecasts of what it thinks will happen, rather they reflect what could happen.

“Our analysis includes scenarios not forecasts. They illustrate what could happen not necessarily what is most likely to happen,” it said.

"Our job is not to hope for the best but to prepare for the worst," BoE Governor Mark Carney said in a press conference after the scenarios were released.

There was one small glimmer of hope in the Bank of England’s worst case scenario, with the central bank’s latest stress test showing that all major banks would be able to withstand such a downturn.

“The UK banking system is strong enough to continue to serve UK households and businesses even in the event of a disorderly Brexit,” the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street said.

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• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said in a speech Tuesday at The Economic Club of New York that rates are "just below" a neutral level.
• He said there is "a great deal to like" about the US economy, and added that the outlook remains solid.
• Powell flagged rising corporate debt levels as a potential risk in the future.

Corporate credit levels and quality are top risks to the economy but the outlook remains solid and rates are "just below" a neutral level, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

A Federal Reserve report out earlier Wednesday showed some American businesses have the most debt in two decades. Still, officials "see no major asset class where valuations appear far in excess of standard benchmarks," Powell said in his speech at the Economic Club of New York.

The Federal Open Market Committee is forecasting continued growth, low unemployment, and inflation near 2%, he said, adding there is "a great deal to like" about the outlook.

Market watchers were closely monitoring the speech for signs of whether recent turbulence in equity markets or ongoing trade tensions could influence the Federal Reserve’s rate path.

“Chairman Powell describing rates as 'just below' neutral is a welcome change from the ‘long way’ from neutral he conveyed in October,” said Adam Ozimek, an economist at Moody’s. “While this change in rhetoric is relatively minor, it reinforces what other FOMC members have been saying recently. These comments tilt the odds just slightly in favor of fewer hikes in 2019.”

The Fed is expected to increase its benchmark interest rate at a December meeting, but the outlook for next year is up in the air. Officials have hiked three times this year, bringing the target range to between 2% and 2.25% in September, and eight times since 2015.

Stocks have suffered a bruising couple of months, with the three major US indexes wiping out their 2018 gains in November. Perhaps most troubling, high-flying technology stocks that led the latest bull run have been at the center of recent sell-offs. Meanwhile, ongoing trade tensions have cast uncertainty on the outlook for economic growth.

President Donald Trump has directly blamed the Fed for trouble on Wall Street, calling increasing rates "ridiculous." There is a consensus among economists and bipartisan lawmakers, however, that increasing the cost of borrowing can be necessary to avoid high levels of inflation.

On Tuesday, Richard Clarida, the Fed’s second in command, said it's "especially important" to pay attention to new economic data as monetary policy approaches a neutral stance. The central bank is set to release meeting minutes from its latest policy meeting on Thursday.

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• Michael B. Jordan said on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" that he was depressed after playing the villain Killmonger in "Black Panther."
• "Once I got finished wrapping the movie, it took me some time to talk through how I was feeling," Jordan said.
• Jordan said he saw a therapist after filming the movie, and it took him a month to get through it.

Michael B. Jordan's performance as the villain Erik Killmonger in this year's Marvel blockbuster, "Black Panther," has received widespread acclaim. The character was so compelling that it even inspired a viral hashtag, #KillmongerWasRight, after the movie's release.

But on a recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Jordan opened up about the mental state playing Killmonger left him in.

In the episode, Bill Simmons recalled having dinner with Jordan about a year ago, after Jordan had just finished shooting "Black Panther," and said he remembered Jordan was "messed up from it."

"That character you played, you went to a dark place for it, and you were having trouble coming out of it," Simmons said to Jordan.

"It was one of those things were I didn't know what was going on," Jordan said. "I was never in a character for that long of a period of time that was that dark and that lonely, that painful. Coming out of it, I thought, 'business as usual, I can just go home, cut my hair off, and everything will go back to normal.'"

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Jordan went on to explain why that wasn't the case.

"I found myself kind of in the routine of being isolated and I went out of my way to make sure I was by myself, and didn't say too much more than the usual," he continued. "Once I got finished wrapping the movie, it took me some time to talk through how I was feeling and why I was feeling so sad and, you know, depressed."

Jordan said he talked to a therapist a few times, and that it took him a month to get past what he was feeling by "getting back to doing regular things," like being with his friends and family.

"And being present, not just being in the room, but being present and engaging," he said. "And just talking things out that I never really talked through."

Jordan said that he "didn't know" if there was any other way to play Killmonger without getting lost in the character because there was "no blueprint."

"I was just doing what I felt was right," he said. "Whatever got me emotionally to the place I needed to be, that's what I did."

Listen to the full "Bill Simmons Podcast" interview with Jordan here.

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