• A small group of Democrats are circulating a letter to oppose Nancy Pelosi's campaign to be the next speaker of the House when the new Congress forms in January.
• Pelosi has remained confident in public, telling reporters she has enough votes to be elected speaker.
• Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, who is opposed to Pelosi, is considering a bid to challenge for the speaker's gavel.

WASHINGTON — Nancy Pelosi's unopposed bid to serve as the next speaker of the House might not be totally assured after all, despite the longtime Democratic leader reiterating her confidence she will win back the coveted gavel.

A small but powerful contingent of Democratic members — partnering with a sizable chunk of incoming freshmen who unseated Republican incumbents — could upend the process by remaining opposed to Pelosi becoming speaker of the House.

The group, which contains longtime anti-Pelosi members like Reps. Seth Moulton, is circulating a letter opposing Pelosi. Comprised of a handful of current members and incoming freshmen who pledged not to support Pelosi, the letter currently has 17 signatures, according a Democratic source. But the group is looking to beef up the list of signatures to at least 20.

Read more: House Democratic leadership is dominated by coastal states, has a 'geographic diversity" problem

The group's main problem is that they still do not have anyone willing to actually challenge Pelosi. While Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge is mulling a run at speaker, no one has officially jumped in, leaving Pelosi unopposed.

Fudge acknowledged on Wednesday that her colleagues have encouraged her to run, but discussions are still ongoing.

"We're not going to allow the Republicans to have a speaker, so certainly there will be someone that will step up," she said. "And those discussions are going on now."

Fudge, who is one of the members who signed the letter opposing Pelosi, described her frustrations with Pelosi and the current leadership in a HuffPost interview.

A defiant Pelosi addressed the difficult path forward during a press conference on Thursday, telling reporters that she would handily win the speaker's gavel if the vote were held immediately, despite the math saying otherwise.

"I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House," Pelosi said. "And certainly we have many many people in our caucus who could serve in this capacity. I happen to think at this point, I am the best person for that." 

About rumors she could potentially rely upon Republicans to vote "present" instead of against, Pelosi laughed off the prospect and that she intends to "win the speakership with Democratic votes."

And she welcomed a challenge from Fudge or anyone else who thinks they are up to the task, saying, "Come on in. The water's warm."

And Pelosi has more to contend with than just the individuals who signed the letter. There is a fair amount of frustration from members who are not from the coastal states, which are primarily represented throughout the leadership team.

"I think it's critical that we send a message to Democrats all over this country that we're not leaving behind any group, any region, that rural America can be represented in our leadership," Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos told INSIDER.

"I think the leadership team matters," Bustos added. "I know the focus is everybody gets asked about the speaker's race, but the leadership team matters in all sorts of ways. And one of those is geographic diversity."

SEE ALSO: Mark Meadows doesn't 'anticipate' running for another term as chairman of powerful conservative Freedom Caucus

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NOW WATCH: Trump once won a lawsuit against the NFL — but the result was an embarrassment

Editorial note: Business Insider will name its 2018 Car of the Year on Monday, November 19. Each day this week, we're taking another look at the five vehicles that were runners-up that were selected from a pool of 15 finalists. Earlier this week, we featured the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, the 2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast, and the Jaguar I-PACE. Today, our featured runner-up is the 2019 Subaru Ascent. 

• The Subaru Ascent midsize crossover SUV is all new for 2019.
• The Ascent is Subaru's first attempt at a midsize SUV since the disappointing Tribeca was discontinued in 2014.
• Subaru's new SUV will take on industry leaders like the Toyota Highlander and the Ford Explorer. 
• The base 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995, while our top-of-the-line Ascent Touring starts at $44,695. With fees, our car carried an as-test price of $45,670.
• We were impressed by the Ascent's comfortable cabin, bountiful safety features, solid driving dynamics, and powerful turbocharged engine.
• The Ascent's somewhat anonymous styling, spongy brakes, and lethargic transmission, however, were a bit disappointing. 

Subaru has been on a roll in the US. The longtime purveyor of Japanese all-wheel-drive motors has reported nearly seven years' worth of consecutive month-over-month sales growth.

Its Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek crossovers have become a popular alternative to the more mainstream offerings from Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Nissan. 

Success in the midsize SUV segment, however, has eluded Subaru over the years. It tried in 2005 with the B9 Tribeca. Unfortunately, the Tribeca's odd styling, diminutive size, and tepid performance prevented it from gaining traction in the market. Even a 2008 facelift and the addition of a more powerful engine couldn't save the Tribeca, which soldiered on for nearly a decade before Subaru pulled the plug on the SUV in 2014.

Read More: One of these 15 finalists will become Business Insider's 2018 Car of the Year.

For 2019, Subaru is back with an all-new midsize SUV: the Ascent. The Ascent is larger than the Tribeca, with room for up to eight passengers, and is packed with a bevy of state-of-the-art tech features. 

The Ascent is meant to slot in above the Outback wagon in Subaru's lineup and will be its most expensive offering. 

Recently, Business Insider had the chance to spend a week with a new Magnetite Gray Metallic Subaru Ascent Touring.

The base 2019 Subaru Ascent starts at $31,995, while our top-of-the-line Ascent Touring starts at $44,695. With fees, our test car carried an as-test price of $45,670.

SEE ALSO: These are the 10 coolest new cars for under $20,000

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The Ascent is Subaru's first attempt to crack the midsize SUV market since the failed ...

... B9 Tribeca, which sold from 2005 to 2014.

At 196.8 inches long, the Ascent is nearly half a foot longer than the Tribeca.

An elf on the shelf watching you might be the least of your concerns this holiday season. 

With the increasing prevalence of smart-home tech, it's easy to get caught up in the novelty of it all. You can start your coffee maker from your phone! You can ask your speaker to order groceries! You can build a do-it-yourself surveillance state in your own home and record every corner of your house with wall-mounted cameras — and watch them on your phone!

You might be rushing to the shelves to get your loved ones one of these futuristic gadgets, but not surprisingly, it turns out internet-based tech isn't always so safe. In fact, it's often quite the opposite — internet-of-things gadgets leave you vulnerable to digital attacks. 

Mozilla, the creator of the popular web browser Firefox, created a 2018 holiday tech gift guide ranked solely by how creepy certain items are. Mozilla's team broke down each gadget's level of security — including whether it uses encryption, if it shares information with third parties, whether it can spy on you, and if its privacy policy is easily-understandable. 

Then, Mozilla asked users to rank each item on a scale of "not creepy" to "super creepy," and asked whether they were likely to buy the product. The results range from gadgets like game consoles, which users didn't think were very creepy and felt likely to buy, to a shady baby monitor with a default password of "123" that users thought was "super creepy" and weren't likely to buy. 

In no particular order, here are the top-10 creepiest internet-based gadgets on sale for the holiday season that you might want to avoid: 

10. Petzi Treat Cam

This camera lets users talk to their pets and give them treats when they aren't home. Mozilla said the device is pretty solid when it comes to basic security features like encryption and third-party sharing, but 36% of users felt it was "super creepy," and 74% said they were unlikely to buy it. 

9. Furbo Dog Camera

It seems like people really don't like cameras that constantly stream video of their pets. Mozilla's only knock on this product was the fact that it shares information with third parties for unexpected reasons.

Regardless, 44% of users found the device "super creepy' and 81% said they probably wouldn't buy it. 

8. DJI Spark Selfie Drone

At first, it might not seem like a drone could be that big of a security risk. However, DJI drones are so prone to attack that the US military banned them for military use. 

Mozilla says DJI's Spark Selfie Drone doesn't use encryption, has a privacy policy written at a grade 17 level, shares your information with third parties for unexpected reasons, doesn't require users to change the default password, and doesn't have parental controls. 

37% of users found this drone to be "super creepy," while 66% said they weren't likely to buy it. 

• Designer Jesse Kamm says that Madewell has ripped off her brand's signature wide-leg sailor pants.
• Kamm claims that the brand is not only copying her "trademark," but also using her name to market the pants via search engine optimization (SEO).
• People are not buying it.
• The pants likely showed up due to Google algorithms, not a use of Kamm's name as a marketing device.
• Kamm has since walked back her claims.

Trends come and go, but in the fashion industry, drama is truly evergreen.

Denim aficionados were in the thick of it earlier this week when Jesse Kamm, a Los Angeles-based designer, accused Madewell of ripping off her namesake brand's signature wide-leg pants.

Although wide-leg "sailor pants" have been around for some time, Kamm has been known for her take on the look since 2005.

In an open-ended Instagram post addressed to Madewell, Kamm accused the brand of ripping her off — and using her name to leverage sales.

"I am not sure why else you would need to use my name and my trademark. It feels very inauthentic. Please take my name out of your ads. I would appreciate it so very much," Kamm wrote alongside a screenshot of a Google search for "JESSE KAMM PANTS."

The search results showed items at Madewell and her own pants. Based on this, Kamm claimed that the brand was using her name to market the pants via "advertising."

"I see that you are using my name in your advertising. Not only is this weird, but I feel it is very confusing to the customer," Kamm wrote. "Friends: I have never contributed to, nor collaborated on any design with Madewell."

But that's not quite the case.

As many commenters pointed out, Madewell isn't using Kamm's name for advertising, marketing, SEO, or anything else. The reason similar pants showed up when Kamm, or any commenters, Googled "Jesse Kamm Pants" is because of Google shopping ad algorithms. The bar the Kamm had shared a screenshot of was sponsored shopping ads that retailers have paid for, as The Cut reported. What you see in that bar is based on search history, not marketing or SEO. 

In the comments section, people were quick to set the record straight.

"Wait up. You're getting mad at Google results?!" one person asked.

"Sweetie, they’re wide-leg, high-rise pants and the Google results are based on an algorithm. It’s time to grow up and get a publicist and a PR team OK," someone else said.

"Just Googled those same search words and Anthro’s wide-leg pants popped up along with reformation. It seems like everyone is getting different search results…. I think it’s most likely based on search history, *not* a SEO tactic," another person said

"I’m not quite understanding where Madewell is using your name... Google search is one thing — and its a wildly cryptic, massive thing. Another brand falsely advertising or leaching your product is entirely different," someone else wrote.

Others wanted to talk about Kamm's limited size range and high price point. For reference, Kamm's pants retail for $395 and comparable styles at Madewell go for $88 and $60 at American Eagle. Kamm's pants also come in a limited size range: 0-12, and tend to run small. Madewell, on the other hand, ranges in sizes from 23-37 with petite, regular, and tall inseams.

"What in the mayonnaise is going on here? Everyone and their mother is making this. The only difference? Your exclusive sizing and astronomical pricing," one commenter remarked.

"Out here selling $400 pants made famous by Popeye that only fit an Olive Oil a-- okay," someone else said.

"Your pants are too tiny and expensive for most people," one person succinctly summed it up.

Kamm has since walked back her comments. 

Later on Wednesday, Kamm walked back her initial claims in a second Instagram post. Along with a picture of a sunset, Kamm addressed eight points.

In her post, Kamm said she never claimed Madewell was unjustly using her designs, just her "trademark," which is her name.

"I do understand that Google allows keywords of any sort, and I still say boo when it is an individual’s name being used without express permission, even when it's behind the scenes in their marketing strategy," she wrote.

In her post, she also said that soon the sailor pants will be available in size 14, a plan that had been in motion for some time. Although she acknowledged the addition is not a cure-all.

"Even with that addition to our size run, we will still never be able to meet everyone’s needs in terms of sizing," she said. "I will never be able to make everyone happy, but I certainly do not aim to make anyone feel hurt."

In a statement to INSIDER, a representative for the brand said that "JESSE KAMM is not an expert in SEO issues, nor in the inner workings of Google’s search algorithms."

Also in the statement, the brand apologized to Madewell.

"The intention of Jesse’s comment to 'Please take my name out of your ads,' was for Madewell to stop using the words, JESSE KAMM (our legal trademark), as a keyword in their online marketing strategy," the statement said. "This could have initially been stated more clearly, and for that, we issue an apology."

Although it wasn't Kamm's intent to "police the entire internet," she felt compelled to speak out because she felt the trend fit into a larger pattern within the fashion industry, per the statement.

"The habit in fast fashion is for these large companies to watch what is working well for the independent designers, and then to make a version of that style for their own collection," she said. "There is no law against this." 

As Kamm noted, fast fashion retailers are notorious for being accused of copying little-known designers. In the summer of 2017, indie designer Hanifa accused ASOS of copying the design of one of its dresses. Forever 21 was also accused of ripping off one of Wild Fang's T-shirt designs.  

Kamm said she and other indie designers are fed up with the practice. "The problem we, as independent designers, have is when the large company uses the independent designers’ name as a keyword to drive customers to view their 'similar' product.  To us, this feels unethical."

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NOW WATCH: Here's why these pillows of bread are a New Mexican staple

Wildfires have been spreading through California for days, causing destruction and leading residents to evacuate their homes. Some celebrities, like Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, have lost their homes, while others have partially destroyed residences.

Amid efforts to rebuild areas affected by the raging wildfires, stars have made sizable donations, delivered supplies, and encouraged fans to help by any possible means. 

Keep reading to learn more about the celebrities who have contributed to relief efforts. 

Sandra Bullock donated $100,000 to the Humane Society of Ventura County.

The foundation is currently working to rescue and care for evacuated animals as long as necessary. 

"Sandra Bullock and her family have reached out to other nonprofit organizations both during this incident and in the past,"HSVC shared on their site. "However, this time she wanted to contribute to those on the front line rescuing animals in peril and hope others will choose to do the same."

Khloe Kardashian went to CVS and picked up supplies for firefighters.

"I know the brave men and women that are working so hard, tirelessly for all of us will greatly appreciate it," she said. "So please just do whatever you can, even if it's one bottle of water, one container of eye drops, one granola bar, anything. I know they would appreciate it." 

Kris Jenner also posted a list of useful products needed by first responders on Instagram. 

Lady Gaga delivered boxes of pizza, hot coffee, and gift cards to a shelter.

Gaga was one of many celebrities who had to evacuate their homes.

To celebrate World Kindness Day on Tuesday, the singer shared a series of videos and photos of the good deeds she was doing, from visiting a shelter to delivering food and beverages. She also thanked Red Cross "for all you are doing to provide shelter, love, and mental support to the people of California." 

Prior to that, Gaga also stopped by a makeshift Red Cross shelter at Pacific Palisades High School, according to TMZ.

"I extend my love to each and every one of you," she said during a speech. "I know we do not know each other, but I love you. This is an emergency, but you are not alone."

• A handful of recent studies are beginning to reveal the possible health effects of e-cigarette use, and they are not all positive.
• These findings and a reported uptick in teen vaping have spurred government regulators to act.
• Researchers have found evidence of toxic metals like lead in e-cig vapor. Evidence also suggests that vaping may be linked to an increased risk of heart attacks.
• Regulators and health experts are particularly concerned about a device called the Juul, which packs the same nicotine content per pod as a pack of cigarettes.

Smoking kills. No other habit has been so strongly tied to death.

In addition to inhaling burned tobacco and tar, smokers breathe in toxic metals like cadmium and beryllium, as well as metallic elements like nickel and chromium — all of which accumulate naturally in the leaves of the tobacco plant.

It's no surprise, then, that much of the available evidence suggests that vaping, which involves puffing on vaporized liquid nicotine instead of inhaling burned tobacco, is at least somewhat healthier. Some limited studies have suggested that reaching for a vape pen instead of a conventional cigarette may also help people quit smoking regular cigarettes, but hard evidence of that remains elusive.

Very few studies, however, look at how vaping affects the body and brain. Even fewer specifically examine the Juul, a popular device that packs as much nicotine in each of its pods as a standard pack of cigarettes.

But a handful of studies published in the past few months have begun to illuminate some of the potential health effects tied to vaping. They are troubling.

With that in mind, the Food and Drug Administration outlined a new policy on Thursday morning designed to eventually curb the sale of e-cigs and reign in their appeal to young people.

Most recently, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine surveyed young people who vaped and found that those who said they used Juuls vaped more frequently than those who used other brands. The participants appeared to be insufficiently aware of how addictive the devices could be.

Most e-cigs contain toxic metals, and using them may increase the risk of a heart attack

Researchers took a look at the compounds in several popular brands of e-cigs (not the Juul) this spring and found some of the same toxic metals (such as lead) inside the device that they would normally find in conventional cigarettes. For another study published around the same time, researchers concluded that at least some of those toxins appeared to be making their way through vapers' bodies, as evidenced by a urine analysis they ran on nearly 100 study participants.

In another study published this summer, scientists concluded that there was substantial evidence tying daily e-cig use to an increased risk of heart attack. And this week, a small study in rats suggested that vaping could have a negative effect on wound healing that's similar to the effect of regular cigarettes.

In addition to these findings, of course, is a well-established body of evidence about the harms of nicotine. The highly addictive substance can have dramatic impacts on the developing brains of young adults.

Brain-imaging studies of adolescents who begin smoking traditional cigarettes (not e-cigs) at a young age suggest that those people have markedly reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex and perform less well on tasks related to memory and attention, compared with people who don't smoke. Those consequences are believed to be a result of the nicotine in the cigarettes rather than other ingredients.

Nicholas Chadi, a clinical pediatrics fellow at Boston Children's Hospital, spoke about the Juul at the American Society of Addiction Medicine's annual conference this spring. He said these observed brain changes were also linked to increased sensitivity to other drugs as well as greater impulsivity. He described some anecdotal effects of nicotine vaping that he'd seen among teens in and around his hospital.

"After only a few months of using nicotine," Chadi said, the teens "describe cravings, sometimes intense ones." He continued: "Sometimes they also lose their hopes of being able to quit. And interestingly, they show less severe symptoms of withdrawal than adults, but they start to show them earlier on. After only a few hundred cigarettes — or whatever the equivalent amount of vaping pods — some start showing irritability or shakiness when they stop."

A new survey suggests that teens who use Juul e-cigs aren't aware of these risks

The Juul, which is made by the Silicon Valley startup Juul Labs, has captured more than 80% of the e-cig market and was recently valued at $15 billion. But the company is facing a growing backlash from the FDA and scientists who say the company intentionally marketed to teens.

On Tuesday, the company responded to some of these concerns — first by announcing that they'd be temporarily banning the sale of their flavored products at retailers and by deleting their social media accounts, which some research suggests has allured more young customers.

Read more: $15 billion startup Juul used 'relaxation, freedom, and sex appeal' to market its creme-brulee-flavored e-cigs on Twitter and Instagram — but its success has come at a big cost

Yet very little research about e-cigs has homed in on the Juul specifically.

So for a study published this week, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine surveyed young people who vaped and asked them whether they used the Juul or another e-cigarette.

Their results can be found in a widely accessible version of the Journal of the American Medical Association called JAMA Open. Based on a sample of 445 high-school students whose average age was 19, the researchers observed that teens who used the Juul tended to say they vaped more frequently than those who used other devices. Juul users also appeared to be less aware of how addictive the devices could be compared with teens who vaped other e-cigs.

"I was surprised and concerned that so many youths were using Juul more frequently than other products," Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a professor of pediatrics who was a lead author of the study, said in a statement.

"We need to help them understand the risks of addiction," she added. "This is not a combustible cigarette, but it still contains an enormous amount of nicotine — at least as much as a pack of cigarettes."

SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley e-cig startup Juul 'threw a really great party' to launch its devices, which experts say deliberately targeted youth

DON'T MISS: Vaping instead of smoking still exposes you to toxic metals like lead — here's how worried you should be

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NOW WATCH: E-cigarette explodes in man's pocket leaving him with second-degree burns

• Saudi officials on Thursday claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was innocent in the death of Jamal Khashoggi, and said it requested the death penalty of five people over the killing.
• Experts — from government officials, country experts, and Khashoggi's editor — rebuked those claims of innocence.
• But Saudi Arabia's exoneration might work anyway, as the kingdom has deep business ties that few seem to want to break over Khashoggi's killings.

Top Saudi officials attempted to clear their crown prince from journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing on Thursday by claiming that he had no knowledge of it.

Experts called the claims "ludicrous," but Riyadh's exoneration will probably help to turn the page on the Khashoggi crisis, keep Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in power, and keep investments rolling in anyway.

Saudi officials: Our absolute monarch is absolutely innocent

The Saudi Public Prosecutor's office on Thursday said it indicted 11 suspects over Khashoggi's killing and requested the death penalty for five of them, who were charged with "ordering and committing the crime."

It added that Saudi agents originally wanted to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia alive, but killed him after "negotiations" for the journalist's return failed.

Read more: Saudi prosecutor claims Crown Prince Mohammed innocent, seeks death for 5 others in Khashoggi killing

A spokesman for the prosecutor added that Crown Prince Mohammed had no knowledge of the killing, according to Agence France-Presse.

Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, echoed that claim, telling a separate press conference on Thursday: "Absolutely, his royal highness the crown prince has nothing to do with this issue."

He added that "sometimes people exceed their authority," suggesting that the people who killed Khashoggi acted without the crown prince's approval.

Crown Prince Mohammed functions as an absolute monarch in Saudi Arabia with control over courts and legislation. Saudi courts likely did not have free reign to examine increasing evidence that suggested people with close ties to the crown prince were involved in Khashoggi's death.

Read more:US intelligence reportedly thinks Khashoggi's killers informed Saudi's crown prince once the 'deed' was done

"So ludicrous I don't even know where to start"

Numerous experts — including government officials, country experts, and Khashoggi's editor — sharply rebuked Saudi's latest claims.

Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said that the Saudi prosecutor's Thursday statement was not "satisfactory" and called for "the real perpetrators need to be revealed"— suggesting that the suspects indicted in the case were acting on someone else's orders.

Turkey conducted the only investigation of the consulate not controlled by the Saudi monarchy.

Earlier this month Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan accused the "highest levels" of the Saudi leadership of being behind the killing — heavily pointing fingers at, but without naming, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Robert Jordan, the former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, also doubted Riyadh's claims that the kingdom's agents only wanted to negotiate with Khashoggi, telling CNN: "You don't bring a bone saw to a negotiation."

Ali Soufan, a former FBI special agent and terrorism expert, tweeted: "The aim of this Saudi 'investigation' is to protect MBS — the real subject — by finding sacrificial lambs to blame."

Karen Attiah, Khashoggi's editor at The Washington Post, refuted the Saudi exonerations of the crown prince. The CIA intercepted Saudi officials discussing a plan ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed himself to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him there, she tweeted, citing a Washington Post article that published last month.

Iyad el-Baghdadi, the president of the Kawaakibi Foundation think tank, described Saudi Arabia's claims that Crown Prince Mohammed didn't know anything about the killing as "ludicrous."

He tweeted: "The very suggestion that a hand-picked team of Saudi killers could be put together, given resources, then a kill plan devised and implemented to kill the most prominent non-royal Saudi on the planet, all without MBS's knowledge = so ludicrous I don't even know where to start."

Read more: How the Saudi government's story on Khashoggi has shifted over time

Why "ludicrous" might be good enough

The kingdom likely issued the indictments to give off an impression to the international community that it still cared about the case, and to encourage international businesses to continue investing in Saudi Arabia, said HA Hellyer, a senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Royal United Services Institute in London.

"The attention of the international community cannot be held forever by this case, and Riyadh is obviously trying to ensure that the perception accountability for Khashoggi's murder is being pursued," Hellyer told Business Insider.

"That's important to give cover to those in the international community — especially in the business community — to continue to engage on a financial level with Riyadh," he added.

Multiple businesses have come under pressure to cut ties with the kingdom, but few have taken proper action.

Saudi Arabia has lucrative deals around the world, particularly in US tech and military. President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted a $110 billion arms deal he negotiated with the kingdom last year, and refused to cancel those contracts over Khashoggi's killing.

Uber's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, said on Wednesday he was "anxious" for more details about Khashoggi's death, but said the kingdom still deserved a seat on its board until "we get the facts and understand exactly what happens."

The tech company has taken $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and its biggest shareholder is SoftBank, whose Vision Fund is also backed by Saudi Arabia.

Within the kingdom, where Crown Prince Mohammed developed multiple social and economic reforms — named "Vision 2030"— Khashoggi's death is "less of an issue," Hellyer said, as "it seems clear the king wants to keep the crown prince in place, and that's what matters."

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that people in Saudi Arabia' rural areas described Khashoggi's death as a tragedy, but far from their daily lives. Many of those who had heard about the case refused to believe the crown prince was involved.

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NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

• The FAA's International Air Safety Assessment (IASA) program determines whether a country and its airlines will be allowed to fly into the United States.
• IASA inspectors determine whether entire countries, rather than specific airlines, meet the international standards set by the United Nations. 
• Airlines from countries that fail to pass inspections will not be allowed to launch new flights into the US. 

Commercial aviation is booming. More than four billion people traveled by air last year. According to data from the International Air Transport Association, global passenger traffic grew by 8.1% during 2017. During the first half of 2018, air travel grew 7%. 

However, as interconnected as global air travel may be, countries around the world still have differing standards in terms of their safety, technical, and regulatory frameworks. 

As a result, the US and the European Union have instituted screening programs to determine whether a nation and their airlines meet international standards.

In fact, the EU publishes a list of airlines banned from its airspace due to their failure to satisfy regulators. The US, one the other hand, does not evaluate individual airlines, but rather a country's ability to follow international standards set by the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization or ICAO. 

Read more: The 20 safest airlines in the world.

A team of lawyers and inspectors from the US Federal Aviation Administration screen each nation that operates flights to the US as part of the International Air Safety Assessment (IASA) program. 

Each country is evaluated by the FAA on eight "critical elements" including its primary aviation legislation, specific operating regulations, state civil aviation system and safety oversight functions, technical personnel qualification and training, and resolution of safety concerns. 

Countries deemed by the FAA to have failed to comply with ICAO standards will not be allowed to launch new service into the US. Failing countries with existing service will be allowed to continue its US flights but under heightened FAA surveillance. In addition, any expansion or alterations to their US operations will not be permitted.

One workaround available to airlines from countries that have failed the FAA inspection is wet-lease aircraft from countries permitted to fly into the US. In a wet lease, the lessor provides the aircraft complete with crew, maintenance, and insurance. As a result, the airline or leasing company from the country that complies with standards maintains operational control of the flight. 

Here's a look at all of the countries that meet and fail to meet FAA standards: 

SEE ALSO: The 10 best airlines in the world for 2019

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

• Federal regulators on Thursday proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes and a move to place flavored e-cigarettes like the Juul behind a stronger regulatory fence.
• The move is less severe than what some expected to see: an immediate ban on flavored e-cigs being sold at convenience stores and gas stations.
• Menthol and mint e-cigarettes aren't affected by the government's proposal.
• Earlier this week, the Silicon Valley e-cig startup Juul announced it would temporarily stop selling its flavored e-cigarettes in stores — a move it probably made in anticipation of the government's latest statement.

Instead of announcing what was expected to be a sweeping and immediate ban on flavored e-cigarettes like the Juul, government regulators on Thursday proposed banning regular menthol cigarettes and revisiting a year-old policy designed to put new e-cig products behind a stronger regulatory fence.

Food and Drug Administration's commissioner Scott Gottlieb said his agency would revisit its policy as it applied to all flavored e-cigs except for tobacco, mint, and menthol varieties. The FDA didn't provide a timeline for the changes in its statement. 

The changes Gottlieb aims to see, he said, would protect teens and minors by ensuring those products are sold only in locations that cater exclusively to adults. Online sales would also be allowed "under heightened practices for age verification," he said.

The move may surprise Juul Labs, the Silicon Valley startup that has 80% of the e-cig market.

Earlier this week, the company announced its own immediate (albeit temporary) ban on flavored e-cigs at all retail stores.

"As of this morning, we stopped accepting retail orders for our Mango, Fruit, Creme, and Cucumber Juul pods to the over 90,000 retail stores that sell our product, including traditional tobacco retailers and specialty vape shops," Juul CEO Kevin Burns said in a statement on Tuesday.

Read more: Juul will soon stop selling flavored e-cigarette packs in retail stores, but a workaround could make the ban pointless

Juul's move was most likely made in anticipation of an expected similar action from the FDA, experts say. Last week, The Washington Post reported that the agency would ban "most flavored e-cigarettes in tens of thousands of convenience stores and gas stations across the country."

But the FDA didn't ban flavored e-cigs on Thursday.

A ban on menthol cigarettes and a plan to eventually put e-cigs behind a stronger regulatory fence

Instead of banning flavored e-cigarettes, the FDA on Thursday proposed barring the sale of menthol cigarettes, which Gottlieb said he believed "represent one of the most common and pernicious routes by which kids initiate on combustible cigarettes." FDA also plans to propose a ban on flavored cigars.

He also outlined plans to eventually regulate e-cigs more strictly using a policy he initially proposed last year and then waived.

Thanks to that policy, any e-cig introduced before August 2016 was essentially grandfathered in to the market, meaning its makers did not have to seek FDA approval to sell their products until at least 2022.

That waived policy has been the door through which e-cig companies like Juul were able to aggressively market and sell their products.

Read more: $15 billion startup Juul used 'relaxation, freedom, and sex appeal' to market its creme-brulee-flavored e-cigs on Twitter and Instagram — but its success has come at a big cost

Gottlieb said he hoped that revisiting that policy would place e-cigs back behind a regulatory fence and ensure that they are marketed and sold in a responsible manner that doesn't target youth.

The government is also publishing new data that suggests a troubling increase in e-cig use among teens. From 2017 to 2018, Gottlieb said, there was a 78% rise in e-cig use among high-school students and a 48% increase among middle-school students.

"These data shock my conscience," Gottlieb said in the statement.

"The bottom line is this: I will not allow a generation of children to become addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes," he added.

'Most scientists believe flavorings are used to target teenagers'

Flavors have been at the epicenter of much of the debate around young people and e-cigarettes. 

Experts say e-cig varieties like Apple Pie, Watermelon, and even Hot Sauce are designed intentionally to hook teens on nicotine, a highly addictive substance that's especially influential on a developing brain.

"Most scientists believe flavorings are used to target teenagers into becoming users,"Ana Rule, a professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins University who was an author of a recent study on e-cigs and teens, told Business Insider this summer.

"There are of course many other factors such as marketing and peer-pressure, but when you look at the flavoring names, one has to wonder."

In Juul's statement announcing its own temporary halt on flavored e-cigs, the company acknowledged that its flavored varieties might appeal to youth.

Other regulators have taken action on flavors as well. 

Over the summer, San Francisco residents voted to pass a sweeping tobacco-flavor ban that barred the sale of flavored e-cigs as well as menthol cigarettes. Several big names including former Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York came out in support of the ban, suggesting at the time that it could spur similar moves in other cities.

"This vote should embolden other cities and states to act, because it demonstrates the public will not allow tobacco companies to stand in the way of policies that are proven to reduce smoking and save lives," he said in a statement.

Read more:San Francisco has passed a sweeping ban that should scare the $23 billion vaping industry

With these moves and the Washington Post story in mind, many experts believed the FDA would crack down immediately on both flavored e-cigs and menthol cigarettes today. But while the menthol cigarette ban is directly outlined in the new policy, no such ban is outlined with regard to flavored e-cigarettes.

Instead, flavored e-cigs will still be widely available — so long as the locations they are sold in follow age-restriction protocols.

"The changes I seek would protect kids by having all flavored [e-cig] products ... sold in age-restricted, in-person locations and, if sold online, under heightened practices for age verification," Gottlieb said in the statement.

SEE ALSO: The FDA is preparing to crack down on e-cigs like the Juul — here’s why vaping is so dangerous

DON'T MISS: $15 billion startup Juul used 'relaxation, freedom, and sex appeal' to market its creme-brulee-flavored e-cigs on Twitter and Instagram — but its success has come at a big cost

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This 13-year-old scientist invented a safer way to treat pancreatic cancer, and he hasn't even started high school yet

• Clothing brand Ororo sells heated apparel for men and women on Amazon.
• Its heated soft shell jackets ($139.99) are getting rave reviews from customers.
• The jacket features heating elements across the chest and mid-back areas, which are powered by a battery pack in the left pocket.
• People are calling it a "must have," though some pointed out issues with the sizing and weight of the battery pack. 

Winter is fast approaching, which means it's crunch time in the search for the perfect cold-weather gear. While celebrities are making puffer jackets one of the must-have items of the season, it looks like heated clothing might also become a literally hot item. 

Clothing brand Ororo sells a variety of heated clothing items ranging from vests to windbreakers, and its heated soft shell jackets are getting some rave reviews from Amazon customers.  

The $139.99 jacket — which we first spotted on Marie Claire— features built-in heating elements across the chest and mid-back areas with three heating levels to choose from.

It's powered by a rechargeable battery pack that sits in the jacket's left inside pocket. The brand claims the battery pack will last for up to eight hours of use, and can also be used as a portable smartphone charger. 

Both the men's and women's jackets are getting mostly positive reviews on Amazon, with people calling them "a must have" for the winter. Others wrote that the heating elements work "super quickly" and that "the battery works like a champ." 

Some people pointed out a few flaws, with some writing that it "runs small" and pointing out that they found the size of the battery "bulky."

The jacket isn't the only heated item on the market. Jimmy Choo recently released a pair of heated boots as well.

Read more:Jimmy Choo is selling heated boots for $1,795 that will keep your feet warm all winter

Find out more about Ororo's line of heated apparel on its website and on Amazon here.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, where are the best places to buy ornaments to decorate you so beautifully?

• It might not inspire you to burst into song, but if you want a great selection of holiday ornaments to suit just about any style, it’s hard to go wrong with Cost Plus World Market's selection of ornaments.

Whether you go all-out decorating for the holidays, prefer to keep things low key, or live somewhere in the middle, there’s always something magical about the sight of a Christmas tree loaded with twinkling lights and beautiful ornaments, a lovely tree skirt spread underneath, and a heaping of colorfully wrapped gifts arranged under the branches.

And while some of the most meaningful ornaments are those you or your children made by hand, it’s still undeniably true that the majority of tree décor in most people’s holiday stash is purchased.

Although you’ll find Christmas ornaments for sale just about everywhere within days of Halloween, that doesn’t mean those ornaments are, well, nice. That’s why we decided to do some of the heavy lifting for you this holiday season, and round up some of the very best places to buy Christmas ornaments.

Here are the best places to buy ornaments for your tree:

• Best ornaments overall: Cost Plus World Market
• Best personalized and collectible ornaments: Bed, Bath & Beyond
• Best ornaments if you’re just starting out: Target
• Best handmade ornaments: Etsy
• Best funny or themed Christmas ornaments: Amazon

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks. Also, if you're doing holiday gift shopping, you can check out all of our 2018 gift guides on Insider Picks.

The best ornaments overall

Why you'll love it: Whether you’re looking to add some dazzle, tradition, or fun to your Christmas tree, Cost Plus World Market has you covered.

As you might expect, Cost Plus World Market has lots of ornaments that celebrate travel, from a passport to hang on your tree and the Union Jack, to felted Mexican Day of the Dead skulls. But that’s not all you’ll find. Cost Plus World Market offers a wide range of ornaments in lots of different styles.

Looking for a felted wool canine Christmas caroler? You found him. How about a glittery winter wonderland inside a glass cloche? They have that, too. Or maybe your tastes run more towards the culinary. In that case, you’ll love the set of a hand-blown glass hotdog and hamburger.

Of course, if you prefer something more traditional, there are plenty of pinecones, glass balls, gingerbread men, and snowmen ornaments to choose from.

Because the prices are quite reasonable, you could easily cover an entire tree with one trip to the store, but plan on taking your time deciding on your purchases. There are so many wonderful ornaments here, it’s going to be hard to choose.

Retro pinecone elves? Why not? Glass cloche with the Eiffel Tower inside? You got it. How about my personal favorite, felted wool hugging sloths? Whether you’re shopping for your own holiday tree or looking for gifts to give family, friends, or coworkers, it’s hard to beat Cost Plus World Market on the holiday front.

Pros: Huge selection of reasonably priced ornaments with many unusual themes as well as traditional and handmade designs

Cons: If you’re just looking for a big container of basic shatterproof ball ornaments, this isn’t your store

Buy ornaments at Cost Plus World Market for $4 to $50

The best personalized and collectible ornaments

Why you'll love it: Bed, Bath & Beyond is one of the best places to stock up on popular high-end collectible Christmas ornaments, as well as personalized ornaments. 

If you’ve ever wondered what comes “beyond” the bed and the bath at Bed, Bath & Beyond, I’ve got your answer: Christmas ornaments. Because the popular destination for all things related to the home has a great selection.

You might think Bed, Bath & Beyond is just a great place to buy sheets and bath towels. And you mostly would be right, but remember the “beyond” in the name. That means all sorts of great stuff for the home, including a fantastic selection of Christmas ornaments.

One of the best things at the shop is the large selection of personalized-for-free offerings, including simple circles, hearts, and my favorite, bears. Personalized ornaments make it easy to commemorate all of the good things that happened during the year, and are always a popular gift, as well.

Or maybe you’re looking for an ornament to give your favorite graduate, doctor, or golfing enthusiast. You’ll find lots of other hobby or profession-specific ideas, and just about all of them can be personalized if you’d like.

But where Bed, Bath & Beyond really shines on the ornament front is in the great selection of high-end collectible ornaments from companies like Waterford, Lenox, Swarovski, and Spode. You’ll find the yearly collections of these popular brands, as well as old favorites, and all at reasonable prices.

Pros: Excellent selection of collectible and personalized ornaments

Cons: Not a huge selection of quirky, untraditional, or “fun” ornaments

Buy ornaments at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $2.99 to $251.99

The best ornaments if you’re just starting out

Why you'll love it: Target has a wide selection of affordable ornaments that will help you deck out your first tree if you're starting from scratch.

Maybe it’s your first Christmas in your very own place, or maybe you like changing up your ornament selection periodically. Whatever the reason, if you need to decorate your tree from scratch, head to Target. You can cover your entire tree with the great assortment of ornaments, and you’ll still have money left for your Christmas gift list.

You’ll find a nice assortment of individually sold ornaments at Target, but if you need to cover an entire tree on a fairly small budget — or you just want to fill in the gaps — skip the singles and head straight to the collections. Target carries quite a few wonderful four-packs.

You’ll find adorable rustic snowmen, knit cactus plants, and even a set of colorful reindeer and llamas — you can bet these are going to grace my tree this year. Mix-and-match your four-packs, and you’ll soon cover your tree with your favorite themes. Most of the four-packs are $12.

If you want to simplify things, you’ll find a rainbow of shatterproof balls and other shapes in packs of eight to 50. Go for a riot of color, stick with an elegant metallic theme, or mix your favorite two colors — The options are nearly endless. Prices range from $5 to $20 depending on the size of the collection.

Pros: Low prices for large collections of ornaments, lots of color choices

Cons: Some of the plastic ornaments are a bit cheap looking

Buy ornaments at Target for $3 to $20

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday via Twitter that Tesla customers now have until November 30 to guarantee delivery by the end of the year.
• Deliveries taken before the end of this year are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, which will be cut in half for Tesla customers starting January 1.
• When asked how Tesla had gained access to new trucking capacity, Musk said the automaker had bought multiple trucking companies and signed contracts with others.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday via Twitter that Tesla customers now have until November 30 to guarantee delivery by the end of the year after the automaker purchased trucking companies and signed contracts with others. Deliveries taken before the end of this year are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, which will be cut in half for Tesla customers starting January 1.

Tesla had previously set an October 15 deadline for customers to guarantee delivery before the end of 2018.

"Tesla just acquired trucking capacity to ensure Model 3 can be delivered in US by Dec 31 if ordered by Nov 30," Musk said.

When asked how Tesla had gained access to new trucking capacity, Musk said the automaker had bought multiple trucking companies and signed contracts with others.

"We bought some trucking companies & secured contracts with major haulers to avoid trucking shortage mistake of last quarter," he said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on which companies Tesla acquired and how much the acquisitions cost.

Read more: Tesla is getting rid of a perk new Model S and Model X customers loved

The US government gives people who buy electric vehicles a tax credit between $2,500 and $7,500, depending on the vehicle's size and battery capacity. As Tesla wrote in an annual report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in February, its customers get the full $7,500. But two calendar quarters after a company sells its 200,000th electric vehicle in the US, the tax credit begins to phase out. Tesla confirmed to Business Insider in July that it had passed the 200,000-vehicle threshold.

Tesla customers who take delivery between January 1 and June 30, 2019, will receive a $3,750 tax credit, and those who take delivery between July 1 and December 31, 2019, will receive $1,875. Customers who take delivery beginning in 2020 will not receive a federal tax credit.

Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: Another senior Tesla employee has left the company — here are all the key names who have departed this year

Join the conversation about this story »

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• JCPenney CEO Jill Soltau said during a call with investors on Thursday that resolving the retailer's high inventory levels was one of her most immediate priorities. 
• The department store reported its third-quarter earnings results on Thursday. Inventory levels were down 5.4% versus the same time the year before. 

• On a recent visit to a JCPenney store in New York, we were overwhelmed by the massive amount of inventory on display. 

In a call with investors on Thursday morning, JCPenney's new CEO, Jill Soltau, was asked by an analyst what she felt should be improved in its stores based on her early experiences. 

Soltau, who was appointed to the position just over a month ago, was reticent to make any solid commitments just yet, save one: inventory management. 

"I do see us as over assorted, and certainly we have had high inventory levels," she said. 

Reducing inventory levels is now front and center of Soltau's strategy for the future. On Thursday, the retailer reported that inventory levels at the end of the third quarter were $3.22 billion, down 5.4% versus this time last year. Same-store sales numbers were also down 5.4%. 

"In spite of our overall sales results, I am encouraged by the recent underlying trends in key businesses such as women's apparel, active, special sizes and fine jewelry. We are making progress and taking the necessary steps to right-size our inventory positions to better support the brands and categories that are demonstrating profitable sales growth," Soltau said in a press release on Thursday. 

During a visit to one of JCPenney's New York stores in May, Business Insider was overwhelmed by the amount of inventory on display. Each department was brimming with racks of clothing, swimwear, toys, and accessories that were so tightly packed together that it made it impossible for any brand to really stand out. 

Read more:We visited JCPenney a day after its CEO resigned abruptly and were overwhelmed by what we found

These sentiments have been echoed by analysts, who say its bloated and confusing assortment is turning off shoppers. 

"Clothing at JCPenney has become a hotchpotch of randomness brought about by a constantly shifting view of who the chain should target," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. "This has left customers both confused and unimpressed. Satisfaction scores for apparel shopping have plummeted over recent years and customers have defected as a result."

And now, according to Saunders, some of JCPenney's better brands are being lost in the mayhem.

"In our view, Peyton and Parker is nicely designed and curated, but the effect is lost in most stores and on JCPenney's website where the label gets completely drowned in a sea of merchandise and general clutter," Saunders wrote.

SEE ALSO: Retail experts warn that JCPenney's new CEO may not be able to fix the company's massive problems

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Alibaba turned a fake holiday into a $25 billion shopping extravaganza that's bigger than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined

• I've driven many electric cars — and every vehicle Tesla sells. I've also endured some mishaps and adventures when it comes to charging.
• Tesla has an extensive network of Superchargers, but if you don't trust the vehicle to guide you to them and calibrate charging times, you can still get into trouble.
• This requires a adjustment, if you're used to traveling in gas-powered cars and refueling at plentiful gas stations.

I've driven a lot of electric cars, and for a few years, I always tried to test one during my summer sojourns to my kids' sleepaway camp. I've had to change that pattern of late because I typically need a big SUV or pickup truck to transport up to four kids, two adults, and their gear. But for a couple of years, the roughly 240-mile round trip was a perfect EV test.

Of course, when driving electric, one must be mindful of how much juice is in the battery — and where the nearest charging options might be. This continues to be a work in progress. Even Tesla, with its widespread Supercharger network, can't cover every, single eventuality.

As I learned the hard way several years ago, when I drove to camp in a Model S P90D with Ludicrous Mode — then the baddest, fastest, coolest Tesla in all the land. (At least until the P100D arrived in early 2017.) The idea was to see if this four-door luxury "family car" with supercar-beating acceleration — zero to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, claimed — could handle a journey of decent length, with maxed-out passengers and cargo. Quite a test, eh? And with a few scheduled stops to dine, take in the sights, and recharge the battery.

Our adventure began on a pleasant Sunday in July, and all initially went according to plan. Until it didn't. Read on to learn all about our most excellent misadventure with the world's most famous electric car. And what I learned from it!

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The pearl-white Tesla, equipped with everything, landed in the driveway of our suburban New Jersey test car HQ.

My Prius was intimidated.

Our Tesla was the Model S sedan ...

This is Business Insider's politics live-blog charting the latest developments as May's Brexit deal continues to unravel. Refresh the page for updates.

LONDON — Theresa May is facing the biggest test of her premiership after a chaotic day in Westminster saw multiple ministers including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work & Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resign in protest at her Brexit plans.

McVey and Raab's resignations followed a gruelling five-hour Cabinet meeting on Wednesday in which the prime minister tried to persuade sceptical ministers to support the deal she has negotiated the European Union.

While a majority of her Cabinet has agreed to stay in their position and support the draft agreement, May has dozens of government resignations, and MPs from all sides of the House of Commons have lined up to criticise the draft deal.

Pro-Brexit Conservative MPs loathe the deal because it means the UK will be in a customs union with the EU for years after Brexit, unable to sign meaningful trade deals with other countries, without the unilateral right to leave. 

PRESS CONFERENCE SNAP VERDICT: Unfazed May is 'only delaying the inevitable reckoning she faces

What does May's press conference mean for her leadership prospects?

Here the snap verdict from Business Insider's UK political editor Adam Bienkov, who was in the room.

"There were a few seconds at the start of Theresa May's press conference this afternoon when it appeared that she may be about to resign. Her opening comments were pitched in such a way that the assembled press pack in the room took a collective intake of breath. However, it soon became clear that nothing had changed and she was in fact merely confirming that she is pushing ahead with her existing plans.

"And as holding statements go, this was a pretty effective one. The prime minister seemed relatively relaxed and unfazed by questions on her future, even managing to crack a couple of jokes. In thepast, May has publicly cracked under extreme pressure — most notably during her 2017 Conservative conference speech — but she did not crack today. Her enemies may be circling, but there was little sign from today's press conference that she is willing to go down without a fight.

"The problem for May is that unfazed as she appears today, the reality of her position remains a bleak one. The events of the past 24 hours have made it abundantly clear that she does not have the numbers to get her deal through parliament and may even be forced to stand down before she has a chance to put it to the test. By continuing to refuse to face up to that reality she is only delaying the inevitable reckoning she faces."

18:03: Is Michael Gove about to resign?

The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg is reporting that Environment Secretary Michael Gove could be about to resign. He has reportedly held a meeting with the prime minister which likely means one of two things. He's either accepted the vacant Brexit secretary job, or he's resigned. It's more likely to be the latter.

17:41: May stays quiet on Gove reports

Responding to reports that Michael Gove rejected the newly vacant role of Brexit secretary, May kept quiet.

She said: "Michael has been doing an excellent job at Defra … I haven’t appointed a new DxEU secretary and I will of course be making new appointments to the government in due course."

TheInsider Picksteam writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Since you don't have all day to scour the web for noteworthy sales and discounts, we rounded up the best bargains for you to shop in one convenient place.

1. Save up to 40% on Dell PCs and electronics

Dell is getting a head start on Black Friday by starting the deals early. Right now, you can save up to 50% on laptops, PC, tablets, monitors, smart home gadgets, audio equipment, and a lot more. Discounts are taken off automatically, so there's no need for a promo code.

Shop the Dell Black Friday sale now.

2. Save up to 53% on Thanksgiving Dinner combos at Omaha Steaks

Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. If you're hosting dinner this year and need a little help preparing a well-rounded menu, Omaha Steaks has everything you'll need — from turkeys and hams, to sides and desserts. For a limited time, you can save up to 53% and get free shipping on combos.

Shop all Thanksgiving Dinner Combos at Omaha Steaks now.

3. Save $30 on the Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition Bundle

The Echo Dot Kids Edition uses the power of Alexa to act as a kid-friendly DJ, comedian, and storyteller. When you purchase this bundle, you'll also receive a year of FreeTime Unlimited, which gives your kids access to hundreds of hours of fun and educational content, audio books, ad-free radio stations, and more. The Kids Edition smart speaker comes with a protective case and a 2-year worry-free guarantee, so if they manage to break it, you'll get a replacement.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition 2-Pack, $109.98 (Originally $149.98)[You save $30]

4. Save 30% on everything at Cole Haan

Cole Haan is having its annual Grand Giving Event with huge discounts sitewide. Now through November 27, you can automatically save 30% on everything. Whether you're looking for winter boots, comfortable dress shoes, warm jackets, or a casual pair of sneakers, you'll be able to find it here.

Shop the Cole Haan sale now.

5. Save 25% on jeans, hoodies, and sweatshirts at Topman

Topman is a British menswear brand that focuses on affordable and on-trend clothing. To make the prices even better, the brand is having a sale of 25% off casual staples like jeans, hoodies, and sweatshirts. The discount is taken off automatically, so there's no need for a promo code.

Shop the Topman sale now.

6. Save up to 70% on holiday decor and furniture at Wayfair

With the holiday season coming up, you're going to need festive accents in and around your home and Wayfair has it all. Right now you can save up to 70% on everything you could possibly need to decorate and furnish your space. Whether you're shopping for Thanksgiving or Christmas, you can get your design planning done in one place while saving big.

Shop the Wayfair sale now.

7. Save up to 40% on select Samsung TVs

TVs are always one of the most-purchased tech items on Black Friday, so Samsung is having an early sale to help you avoid the post-Thanksgiving frenzy. Right now, you can save up to 40% on select Ultra HD Smart TVs at most, that amounts to up to a $1,500 savings without any hassle.

Shop the Samsung Black Friday sale now.

8. Save up to 30% on outdoor gear and apparel at REI

REI is the one-stop shop for all outdoor camping and hiking gear, and right now is the best time to save big. Now through November 19, you can save up to 30% on a huge selection of products. The sale includes clothing, outerwear, footwear, essential camping gear, and more. Check out some of the best items on sale here.

Shop the REI sale now.

9. Save up to $225 on a Leesa mattress

This Black Friday, popular mattress startup Leesa Sleep is having one of its biggest sales ever. For a very limited time, you can save $150 on the Leesa Mattress or $225 on the Sapira Mattress, plus get a free Leesa pillow — a $75 offer. If buying a mattress online concerns you, know that you can try it out for 100 nights free of risk. If it's not the best sleep you've ever had, you can return it hassle-free.

Shop the Leesa Sleep Black Friday sale now.

Join the conversation about this story »

• The Pittsburgh Penguins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night.
• Tampa Bay center Brayden Point pulled his team out of the rut at lightning speed, recording his first career hat trick in just 91 seconds.
• The 22-year-old's scoring barrage accounted for the second-quickest natural hat trick since the NHL's 1967-68 expansion and helped the Lightning to a 4-3 win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made light work of Tampa Bay early in Tuesday night's game, jumping out to a quick lead thanks to two first-period goals in a three-minute span.

But then Lightning struck in the form of their 22-year-old center.

Brayden Point scored three goals in a 91-second span to record the second-quickest natural hat trick since the NHL's 1967-68 expansion and pull Tampa Bay out of the early rut.

A natural hat trick requires a player to score three consecutive goals without any other player on either team scoring in between. Hall of Famer Billy Mosienko still holds the record for the fastest hat trick in NHL history after scoring three times in 21 seconds back in 1952.

Point began his scoring barrage with just 2.7 seconds left in the first period, taking advantage of the Lightning's two-man advantage and ricochetting the puck off of the post and into the net.

His next goal — a close-range slap shot off of a Steven Stamkos pass — came less than a minute into the following period.

Finally, the Calgary, Canada native slipped a quick shot past Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray from right in front of the net 47 seconds later to cap off the onslaught and claim the lead.

For his part, Point didn't even know that his third goal put his hat trick among the fastest in the history of the league.

"That's a first for me," Point said, per the Associated Press' Dan Scifo. "They told me after the game, so it's pretty cool. Guys made good plays and I was able to score."

Point's hat trick — the first of his career — threw the momentum back to the Lightning and helped them take the lead permanently later in the game.

"We needed to get at least one,"Stamkos said, per Diana Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times. "It's a huge momentum swing."

The Penguins managed to recover and even the score three minutes later, but Tampa Bay reclaimed the lead for good on a powerplay goal from center Yanni Gourde. Head coach Jon Cooper had a lot to be proud of after walking away from PPG Paints Arena with the 4-3 victory.

"The boys this year have really made an effort to make sure they shoot and they make their plays on scrambles and rebounds," he told Nearhos. "It's been fun to watch."

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Ezra Miller posed for the latest issue of Playboy in bunny ears.
• People are freaking out because they think it's a huge milestone for  LGBTQ representation.
• Miller identifies as polyamorous and queer, which he sees as "an umbrella of non-identification," he told Playboy.
• See the pictures below.

In case you missed it, Ezra Miller is in the latest issue of Playboy. In the article, the actor spoke about his experience in Hollywood, addressed working with Johnny Depp in "Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald," and his sexuality.

Miller told the outlet that he identifies as polyamorous and queer, which he sees as "an umbrella of non-identification."

Instead of searching for a monogamous partner, Miller said he is in a "polycule," like a group that functions as a polyamorous molecule. 

"I’m trying to find queer beings who understand me as a queer being off the bat, who I make almost a familial connection with, and I feel like I’m married to them 25 lifetimes ago from the moment we meet," he said. "And then they are in the squad — the polycule. And I know they’re going to love everyone else in the polycule because we’re in the polycule, and we love each other so much."

Online, people are freaking out over Miller's interview — and the corresponding photo shoot in which Miller posed in the brand's signature bunny ears.

People are thrilled for what it means for LGBTQ representation.

Online, people are freaking out over the pictures and what it means for representation.

Others, to put it simply, are just freaking out.

Of course, this week's meme cycle made an appearance.

Although this considered a milestone for the magazine, it's not the first time the brand has profiled an LGBTQ+ actor. This summer, for example, the magazine ran a profile of Stephanie Beatriz, who identifies as bisexual, and plays a bisexual character on "Brooklyn 99." In its November 2017 issue, Playboy featured its first-ever transgender centerfold Playmate model, Ines Rau.

For all of Playboy's shortcomings in its treatment and objectification of women over the years, the brand was an early champion of gay rights when it was helmed by Hugh Hefner. In 1955, the magazine ran a short story entitled "The Crooked Man” by Charles Beaumont. Per Vox, the story "depicted a dystopian future where homosexuality was the norm, heterosexuality was outlawed and angry anti-straight mobs marched through the street chanting ‘make our city clean again!’" At the time, Esquire considered the story too controversial and wouldn't run it, according to Vox.

In a 1994 interview with Hefner published by LGBT magazine The Advocate, Hefner spoke about his commitment to human rights.  "If the pursuit of happiness has any meaning at all as it is written in the Constitution, the government’s intruding into one’s bedroom, into personal sexual behaviors, is as unconstitutional as anything can be," Hefner said.

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• President Donald Trump has weighed on Amazon's second headquarters project, known as HQ2.
• "I think they’re paying a very big price. I think that it was a competition. I know all about those competitions, I’ve been in those competitions, you know, and it’s a lot of people, a lot of cities who are competing for it," Trump said. "They took the best deals."
• Amazon has been criticized by other politicians.

Amazon has chosen its HQ2 locations, and President Donald Trump has weighed in.

"I think they’re paying a very big price,"Trump told the Daily Caller during an interview. "I think that it was a competition. I know all about those competitions, I’ve been in those competitions, you know, and it’s a lot of people, a lot of cities who are competing for it."

Ultimately, Amazon "took the best deals," Trump said, alluding to his position that it was smart of Amazon to do so.

Trump wasn't so confident in the future of Amazon, however, and predicted the company could face resistance in its core e-commerce business

"Only time will tell" if Amazon has made a smart decision with building its new offices in New York and Virginia, Trump said.

"Maybe Amazon will have massive competition and they won’t be the same company in five years, in which case it will be a big mistake," he continued.

Also read:Trump just made a case that Amazon is not a monopoly

Trump then pivoted to talk about Amazon's place in the e-commerce market, citing notable competitors like Walmart, which has been beefing up its online offerings.

"You know, Amazon could have — I see Walmart is doing very well and others are building sites. I think that's going to be a very competitive business someday, Amazon. And I'm not sure that size necessarily helps," Trump said before being interrupted by Daily Caller's interviewers to move on to a completely different topic.

While Walmart has been making progress, hitting major milestones along the way, it still has a much smaller market share in terms of revenue online, according to Emarketer.

Trump has taken a much less harsh tone to Amazon's new headquarters than other politicians, including Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"Amazon is a billion-dollar company," she tweeted. "The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here."

Other voices, like editorials in the Wall Street Journaland New York Times, have criticized Amazon's HQ2 project, as well as the ultimate outcomes.

SEE ALSO: Amazon is starting Black Friday a week early

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• The US Navy has been checking China's growing military dominance in the Pacific with aircraft carriers, but a new US government report says they could be sitting ducks for Chinese missiles. 
• The report highlights "China’s anti-access/area-denial capabilities," or Beijing's ability to use long-range missiles to keep US systems, like aircraft carriers, out of the combat zone.
• China has purpose-built missiles to destroy US aircraft carriers, and lots of them. The US government called for swift action to address the issue — or the US could lose its next war. 

The US Navy just released an impressive video of two of its aircraft carriers exercising in the Philippine Sea, but a new report from the US government said these massive floating air bases could be sitting ducks for Chinese missiles. 

The USS Ronald Reagan and the USS John C. Stennis carrier strike groups conducted "high-end dual carrier operations" during the training in November, a US Navy statement said. 

The two carrier strike groups include guided missile destroyers, meant to protect the carriers and other important assets, which trained with the carrier's complex air, surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, according to the Navy. 

The Navy said the exercise was dedicated to preserving a "free and open Indo-Pacific," which has become code for countering Beijing's growing dominance in the South China Sea. 

But even with two massive carriers, eight other ships, and about 150 aircraft flying overhead, the US government itself strains to believe it can stop China from locking down the region. 

"If the United States had to fight Russia in a Baltic contingency or China in a war over Taiwan, Americans could face a decisive military defeat," a report from the National Defense Strategy Commission — a bipartisan panel of experts handpicked by Congress to evaluate the 2018 National Defense Strategy — explained.

The report specifically points to "China’s anti-access/area-denial capabilities," or Beijing's ability to use long-range missiles to keep US systems, like aircraft carriers, out of the combat zone.

Theses area-denial capabilities have taken aim at the US's most expensive, most powerful, and most vulnerable systems: Aircraft carriers.

Read more: Beijing says it's 'very rude' 15 countries and the UN to ask them about detaining 1 million Muslims

China's DF-21D "carrier killer" missile was specifically built to destroy aircraft carriers. While the carriers sail with guided-missile destroyers meant to protect them from incoming missile fires, there's no guarantee they could block the carrier killers. Even if the destroyers could knock them down, China has a massive fleet of these missiles and could simply overwhelm the ships' defensive arsenals.

The DF-21D has a range of about 800 miles, and with the max range of US Navy carrier aircraft tapping out at about 550 miles, China can force the US to either back down from a fight or risk losing a carrier.

"Detailed, rigorous operational concepts for solving these problems and defending U.S. interests are badly needed, but do not appear to exist," the report wrote of the area-denial missiles and other threats to the US.

"Put bluntly, the US military could lose the next state-versus-state war it fights," the report concludes.

Here's the video of the carriers training in the Philippine Sea:

SEE ALSO: Former F-35 pilot explains how the US Marine Corps' version makes China's 'carrier killer' missiles irrelevant

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