• Goldman Sachs looked at the options market and pinpointed the areas of the market that are the most likely to surge higher in 2019.
• The firm also looked at the market segments that will be the most volatile next year.

As we head into the grand finale of 2018, experts across Wall Street are making all sorts of recommendations for the year ahead.

Their prognostications factor in everything from expected macroeconomic developments to geopolitical headwinds. The most diligent forecasters even build complex models to pick out the best possible opportunities.

But the derivatives team at Goldman Sachs has gone through the unique step of looking at options trading, which offers a direct reflection of investor positioning.

Specifically, they've looked at the asset moves being implied by the options market and identified the segments of the market most likely to surge in 2019.

They've arrived at those areas by looking at the five-year percentile rank of one-year skew, which captures hedging activity on an asset — in this case, on a series of exchange-traded funds. As a general rule of thumb, the lower this number is, the less skeptical traders are. And that ultimately implies bullishness.

As you can see in the chart below, ETFs tracking the Dow Jones industrial average, the oil services industry, consumer discretionary stocks, and gold miners are signaling the least adversarial road ahead.

But Goldman didn't stop there. The firm also assessed which areas of the market will be the most volatile in 2019.

Before we reveal them, it's important to note that possessing this type of information is a double-edged sword. Elevated price swings may result in outsized gains, but they can also lead to deep losses. As such, knowing which assets will be most volatile is just one piece of a bigger equation.

With that said, the chart below outlines the ETFs for which the options market is signaling the biggest increase in one-year forward implied volatility, relative to one-year realized price swings. You'll note that asset classes listed include: high-yield bonds, investment-grade bonds, 7- to 10-year Treasurys, and crude oil.

SEE ALSO: Investors are staring at the bleakest future since the Great Depression — here's why one market bear thinks a crash could wipe 60% from stocks

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• Karre Mastanamma found fame on the "Country Foods" YouTube cooking channel, aged 105.
• The great-grandmother died on Sunday, at the age of 107, her family announced on the channel. 
• A video of her cooking chicken inside a hollowed-out watermelon has over 12 million views, and helped the channel to 1.2 million subscribers. 
• The channel focuses on fresh, local cooked outdoors, and was run by her great-grandson, Laxman.

A 107-year-old YouTube famous Indian great-grandma died on Sunday, after launching a career as a YouTuber at the age of 105.

Karre Mastanamma starred in dozens of viral cooking videos, and racked up 12 million views for cooking a chicken inside a watermelon.

The "Country Foods" channel, which hosted Mastanamma's videos, announced on Sunday that she had died.

The channel is run by her grandson Karre Laxman, and owes much of its success to a video with 12 million views, titled "WATERMELON CHICKEN BY MY GRANNY."

Here's the video, where the 107-year-old cooks chicken chunks mixed with spices, herbs, and vegetables, inside a hollowed-out watermelon over an open fire. 

Mastanamma doesn't star in all the videos on the channel, but those in which she appears are the most popular. 

She grew up in a rural south Indian village in the state of Andhra Pradesh, The New York Times reported.

She married when she was 11 years old, and, according to The Times, was widowed at the age of 22, when the year would have been 1933.

They reported that she had no education and was left to care for their five children alone, while working as a laborer carrying rice sacks.

Read more:The oldest people in the world who are still working

Other famous recipes starring Mastanamma showcased on the channel include an "emu egg fry,""egg fried rice," and "tasty egg dosa." 

The channel was set up in 2016 and now has 1.2 million subscribers. The most recent videos are of her funeral, and emotional tributes to the chef and mother.

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NOW WATCH: The true story behind the name 'Black Friday' is much darker than you may have thought

• Former British spy chief Robert Hannigan has said Facebook could threaten democracy unless it is controlled.
• Hannigan was previously chief of the UK's domestic intelligence agency, GCHQ.
• He told the BBC that Facebook wasn't a "fluffy charity" and squeezes profit from users' data.
• External regulation is required to curtail its power, he said.

The former head of Britain's domestic intelligence agency GCHQ has said Facebook poses a threat to democracy unless it is "controlled and regulated."

In an interview with the BBC's "Today" programme, Robert Hannigan said Facebook's primary goal was to squeeze every drop of profit from its users' data.

He said: "This isn't a kind of fluffy charity providing free services. It's is a very hard-headed international business and these big tech companies are essentially the world's biggest global advertisers, that's where they make their billions.

Read more: Internal emails show Mark Zuckerberg saying what's good for the world is not necessarily what's good for Facebook

"So in return for the service that you find useful they take your data... and squeeze every drop of profit out of it."

He added that Facebook was "potentially" a threat to democracy if "it isn't controlled and regulated."

"But these big companies, particularly where there are monopolies, can't frankly reform themselves. It will have to come from outside," he said.

Hannigan was head of GCHQ until January 2017. He has since been critical about Silicon Valley firms and their approach to tackling extremism on their networks.

The idea that Facebook is a threat to democracy is an emerging, troubling narrative for the social network, which generally tries to portray itself as a force for good and downplays its role as a powerful media platform.

Politicians have woken up to the concept that Facebook, with its population of more than 2 billion users, may be as powerful as governments, and that false information spread on its platform has the potential to sway elections or bring disaster. The UN said earlier this year that fake news spread on Facebook had a "determining role" in fuelling hatred against the persecuted Rohingya minority in Myanmar.

Molly Scott Cato, a European politician who helped fellow lawmakers grill Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a Brussels hearing in May, told Business Insider at the time: "He's totally out of his depth — he talks about setting Facebook up in college with this homey story and I'm, like, 'Christ, this guy has the fate of European democracy in his hands and he doesn't know what to do.'"

Hannigan's criticism was prompted by the release of a cache of internal Facebook documents by UK Parliament on Wednesday, which appeared to show the internal deliberations of Facebook around the value of user data, discussions about violating their privacy on Android, and squashing competitors. The documents are part of a legal case against Facebook brought by developer Six4Three in the US.

But Facebook said the documents are misleading without context. A spokesman said on Wednesday: "As we've said many times, the documents Six4Three gathered for their baseless case are only part of the story and are presented in a way that is very misleading without additional context."

You can read more about the cache of Facebook documents here.

SEE ALSO: The 7 biggest revelations from the huge trove of Facebook emails that just leaked

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• Friday December 7 will reveal new information on the Russia probe as Special Council Robert Mueller faces deadlines to publish new documents from his investigation.
• Mueller is expected to submit important filings about former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
• Former FBI Director James Comey will also testify today about the FBI's handling of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
• Comey, seen as a key witness into whether Trump attempted to obstruct the probe, has negotiated a deal that lets him speak publicly about the interview straight away.

Friday could prove a huge day for the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, as deadlines arrive for Special Council Robert Mueller to drops more documents on two former Trump allies.

At the same time, former FBI Director James Comey is scheduled to testify in front of Congress in a closed-door interview he has nonetheless secured permission to speak about in public, and Mueller 

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May 2017, is at the center of investigations into whether Trump attempted to obstruct the special counsel investigation, and Mueller is said to be investigating whether Trump was obstructing justice by firing Comey as he oversaw the Russian probe. 

Special counsel Robert Mueller is expected to submit several important filings related to the Russia probe to meet a deadline on Friday December 7.

The documents detail the cooperation of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and what his team describes as lies told to them by former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, which led to the collapse of his plea deal.

Mueller is expected to submit his sentencing recommendation for Cohen, who pleaded guilty in November to financial crimes and lying to Congress about a Russian real estate project Trump pursued during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump maintains that Cohen is lying.

Read More:Trump fires off late-night tweetstorm on the eve of a landmark moment in the Russia investigation

The team will also disclose what they say are the "crimes and lies" of Manafort. They claim he lied to the FBI and Mueller's office, which led to the cancellation of his plea deal.

Mueller has not yet disclosed what Manafort allegedly lied about, but said in November that he lied "on a variety of subject matters" and would provide further information in a later filing.

The Wall Street Journal reported in November that Mueller believes Manafort lied about his lobbying income and meeting with a Russian-Ukrainian political operative

It is possible, however, that Mueller's filings will be heavily redacted, as was the case with Mueller's sentencing memo for former national security adviser Michael Flynn released on Tuesday.

Read More: Mueller filing reveals Michael Flynn interviewed with investigators 19 times, recommends no jail time

As well as the Mueller filing, more information may come out against Trump on Friday as Comey testifies to the House Judiciary Committee. The testimony will take place in private, but, under a deal struck with the committee, Comey will be free to speak about the questioning after the interview. A transcript will also be released. 

Comey is discussing the FBI's handling of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, as well as the FBI’s investigations into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

Trump has said on national television that "this Russia thing" had been a factor in his decision for firing Comey.

Trump tweeted on Friday morning that "Robert Mueller and Leakin’ Lyin’ James Comey are Best Friends" and claimed it was a "conflict of interest" for Mueller. 

Comey has previously described attempts by the president and his circle to draw him into his confidence as like a mob boss, and said that Trump was known for "lying about all things" and had a need for "complete control."

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

Here is what you need to know.

1. Here comes the jobs report. The US economy is expected to have added 198,000 jobs in November, with the unemployment rate holding at 3.7%, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.
2. The Fed could tweak its approach to future rate hikes. Federal Reserve officials are considering a "wait-and-see approach" to future interest-rate hikes as they want to assess the strength of the US economy, according to The Wall Street Journal's Nick Timiraos.
3. Bitcoin hits a fresh 15-month low. The largest cryptocurrency by market cap fell as much as 8.26% to $3,300 a coin late Thursday, hitting its lowest level since September 2017.
4. The biggest IPO in biotech history just priced. Moderna Therapeutics, which develops medical treatments based on messenger RNA, priced its initial public offering at $23 a share, giving it a valuation of about $7.5 billion.
5. A formerly dominant and often overlooked sector is at the epicenter of the stock-market meltdown. The Philadelphia Semiconductor had gained 118% since the start of 2016 but has now fallen 18% from its March highs, with the former stock-market darlings AMD and Nvidia seeing much bigger losses.
6. Bank stocks briefly enter bear-market territory. The KBW Bank Index briefly entered bear-market territory on Thursday — down 20% from its March peak — as trade tensions and a flattening yield curve weighed.
7. Tesla is reportedly planning to pay off its next chunk of convertible debt in an odd way. The electric-car maker will pay holders of convertible notes with a 50-50 mix of equity and cash, Bloomberg reports.
8. Stock markets around the world are mixed. Japan's Nikkei (+0.82%) led the gains in Asia, and Britain's FTSE (+1.61%) is out front in Europe. The S&P 500 is set to open down 0.58% near 2,680.
9. Earnings reports trickle out. Big Lots and Vail Resorts report ahead of the opening bell.
10. US economic data keeps coming. Aside from the jobs report, both wholesale inventories and University of Michigan consumer confidence will be released at 10 a.m. ET and consumer credit will cross the wires at 3 p.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is down 1 basis point at 2.89%.

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NOW WATCH: Why Harvard scientists think this interstellar object might be an alien spacecraft

• Prominent Arsenal soccer players, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, have been captured on CCTV footage partying and inhaling balloons.
• The video, obtained by The Sun newspaper, was filmed at the exclusive Tape club in London’s West End in August — not long before the Premier League season kicked off.
• Sucking on balloons is a common way to inhale the legal high nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. It can give a short-lived sensation of euphoria.
• Arsenal said the club will talk to the players involved to remind them "of their responsibilities as representatives of the club."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, two of Arsenal's best-known soccer players, have been captured on CCTV footage inhaling balloons at a private party in London.

With 10 goals and two assists, Aubameyang is currently the top scorer in the English Premier League. But before the 2018-2019 season kicked off, the Gunners striker reportedly attended an exclusive party that included a number of teammates, balloons, and an expensive bar tab, according to The Sun.

In video footage obtained by the British tabloid, Aubameyang, Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Matteo Guendouzi, and Sead Kolasinac appear to be sucking on balloons — a common way of inhaling legal high nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or hippie crack.

At the start of the video, Ozil is seen leaning back on a leather sofa and inhaling a balloon next to Kolasinac. His teammate Shkodran Mustafi can then be seen dancing into the frame with what appears to be an empty balloon dangling from his mouth.

Later in the clip, Lacazette leans back with a balloon in his mouth, Gendouzi appears to collapse into the sofa, and canisters can be seen on a table in front of the players.

The Sun reports that 70 women were invited to the London party at the Tape nightclub in August, and the bar bill — reportedly including bottles of scotch, vodka, and champagne — cost between £25,000 ($32,000) and £30,000 ($38,000).

Arsenal is yet to respond to Business Insider's request for comment. A spokesman told The Times: "The players will be spoken to about this and reminded of their responsibilities as representatives of the club."

Soccer players in England have been seen inhaling balloons before. Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, his teammate Kyle Walker, and the Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish have previously attracted headlines for inhaling nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide is an "anaesthetic gas with pain-relieving properties,"according to Drug Science, an independent scientific committee on drugs.

When the gas is inhaled, it rapidly hits the bloodstream, travels to the brain, and creates a short-lived euphoria. Drug Science says it is "one of the least risky drugs" but health risks can still include brain damage and death.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 27 most dominant soccer players in the world right now

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NOW WATCH: The legendary economist who predicted the housing crisis says the US will win the trade war

• Nausea is sometimes a symptom of pregnancy.
• But people feel sick in the morning for plenty of other reasons.
• For instance, it could be down to diet, lack of sleep, or anxiety.
• Mild nausea can be treated with small adjustments.
• But if it's a prolonged problem, you should see a doctor.

If you're a woman, feeling sick in the morning is known as one of the first signs you're pregnant. But it's not the only reason you might feel queasy when you wake up.

According to Daniela Jodorkovsky, a doctor interviewed by Refinery29, nausea isn't always a gastrointestinal issue.

In fact, the feeling of sickness can be linked to your sleep cycles, particularly if you've tossed and turned all night or had irregular sleep. Not getting enough sleep disrupts the body's circadian rhythms— or body clock — which has been linked to numerous disorders and problems, including Alzheimer's, weight gain, and mental health problems.

Read more: Disrupting your body clock could increase your risk of mood disorders like depression — here's why

Jodorkovsky said research has shown that your digestive system is linked with your circadian rhythms. All our hormones are in a delicate balance. Some make us sleepy, like melatonin, and some, like ghrelin, control our appetite. So eating or sleeping at irregular times can have more of a prolonged impact on our general health than we realise.

Morning nausea can also be caused by your diet. For example, eating a big meal right before bed might cause acid reflux. It could also be a sign your blood sugar is low. So Jodorkovsky recommends eating something, even if you don't feel like it.

"While it sounds counterintuitive, eating a light snack or breakfast when feeling nauseated in the morning can alleviate the symptoms altogether," she said.

Strangely, nasal congestion could also be a culprit. According to Healthline, a blocked nose or sinus congestion can put pressure on your inner ear, leading to an upset stomach and nausea.

Read more: The single most effective way to unclog your nose

Anxiety can cause nausea, especially if there is an event coming up, like an important meeting. These nerves can be channeled positively, but if anxiety is affecting your every day life and you're suffering frm panic attacks, it could be a sign of an anxiety disorder that needs to be checked by a professional.

Otherwise, the NHS suggests plenty of fresh air, peppermint or ginger tea, distractions like watching films, and smaller, frequent meals may help mild nausea.

"Of course, if you have concerning symptoms like vomiting, weight loss, severe headaches, or abdominal pain, see your doctor," said Jodorkovsky.

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

• US cannabis companies are racing for scale as more states continue to reform marijuana laws.
• Some operators, however, are taking a more deliberate approach.
• "Our lens is really built around scarcity of licenses," Josh Rosen, the CEO of 4Front, a Massachusetts-based cannabis retailer told Business Insider. "That's what we refer to as oligopoly states."

The race is on as cannabis companies compete for scale in what's set to be a $75 billion — or greater — market in the next decade in the US alone.

But for some US cannabis retailers like Massachusetts-based 4Front, growth at all costs isn't the priority.

"I refer to it as a game of Monopoly versus a game of Risk," Josh Rosen, the chairman and CEO of 4Front told Business Insider in a recent interview.

Monopoly is a game of unfettered capitalism. There's a lot of luck as to where you land on the board, but the strategy boils down to buying every piece of real estate you come across — if you have the money. And in Monopoly, if you're not a landlord, you're paying rent.

Read more: Marijuana companies are using a 'backdoor' strategy to tap the public markets — and it's fueling an M&A boom

To win a game of Risk, however, you have to be a bit more deliberate. While there is a fair amount of luck involved, players have to develop and execute a careful strategy to conquer territory at the right time.

The cannabis industry in the US is much more like a game of Risk. Rather than a cohesive federal market, the industry is a patchwork of 33 different state markets, each with their own local quirks and regulatory requirements. 

Rosen admits the board game metaphor is "a little simplistic," but it makes sense when you look at the firm's acquisition strategy.

In November, 4Front acquired Cannex Capital Holdings Inc, which owns an operates two large-scale cultivation facilities in Washington State.

Read more: 'My lips are wet, my mouth is watering to get a piece of that': A war is brewing between US and Canadian marijuana companies to claim a $75 billion market

Cannex trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange, a secondary exchange in Canada that has become the favored market for cannabis companies with US operations. It's emerged as a conduit between Canadian investors and the growing US market, as marijuana is still federally illegal in the US.

The deal, which valued the combined company at approximately $405 million Canadian dollars, ($300 million USD), gives 4Front immediate technical expertise in operating marijuana cultivation facilities and allows them to target the states they want to enter.

Why 4Front is targeting 'oligopoly states'

Marijuana stores recently opened for the first time in Massachusetts, making it the first state on the populous East Coast where adults can legally purchase the product.

Rosen said they plan to put that expertise to work in Massachusetts "immediately."

Next on the list for 4Front is Illinois, where the incoming Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, has made legalizing marijuana a priority for his first year in office.

States like Massachusetts have developed their marijuana retail policies so that there is only a limited amount of dispensary licenses available. For companies that win these licenses, they end up with a huge addressable market — and less competition. 

"Our lens is really built around scarcity of licenses," Rosen said. "That's what we refer to as oligopoly states." Hence, the Risk analogy.

In Massachusetts, for instance, only 192 cannabis license applications have so far been submitted to the state's Cannabis Control Commission.

The supply of marijuana retail stores, in other words, is limited. "You have more of a protective moat there around geography, particularly on the retail side," Rosen said. 

In California, on the other hand, the state has issued over 5,000 cannabis licenses. Though California obviously has a lot more people than Massachusetts, it's a much more crowded market. 

Read more: The CEO of the largest cannabis company in the US reveals who his biggest competition is — and pinpoints how he's fending off multibillion-dollar private equity funds

Rosen said 4Front isn't chasing after rest of their larger peers. He pointed to the example of Florida, which has a restrictive medical marijuana program.

"We know that Bay Street [Canada's financial center] and Wall Street particularly like Florida," Rosen said. "It seems like a lot of our peers felt compelled to go buy an asset in Florida."

But 4Front isn't.

"We're running our business for long-term returns, not to fill out a map," Rosen said. 

• Read more:
• Big asset managers like BlackRock are sitting on the sidelines of the $75 billion US marijuana industry because of one big pain point
• 'Everybody thinks they're going to make billions overnight': Mexico's former president says the cannabis industry isn't a gold rush
• Big law firms are building out specialized pot practices to chase down a red-hot market for weed deals

SEE ALSO: The CEO of the biggest cannabis company in the US reveals what's next following a $682 million acquisition

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• Priyanka Chopra has changed her name to Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Instagram.
• The Bollywood star updated her profile following her wedding to American singer Nick Jonas.
• Fans are expressing their excitement at the news.

The arrival of Instagram has brought about a whole host of new relationship milestones, from the first time your crush likes your photo to your first couple selfie.

Perhaps the biggest sign of commitment to a partner that a person can make on the social network is changing their name, which is exactly what newlywed Priyanka Chopra has done.

Following her lavish wedding celebrations with new husband Nick Jonas, Chopra has changed her name to Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Instagram.

The Indian actress and singer, 36, hasn't amended her handle on the photo and video-sharing platform, nor her names on Twitter or Facebook.

And it appears the newlyweds are relishing their married status — Jonas, 26, commented on Chopra's Instagram post of her Vogue cover saying "wifey."

The Instagram update comes just weeks after Hailey Baldwin changed her name on Instagram to Hailey Bieber, following her marriage to Justin Bieber.

Read more: 2 reasons why celebrities are getting engaged so quickly — and the ideal amount of time you should wait before committing

Newlyweds Jonas and Chopra have not only had a busy week of wedding celebrations with the eyes of the world watching, but they've also had to cope with a viral article questioning their relationship.

In a now-deleted comment piece on The Cut, writer Mariah Smith called Chopra a "modern-day scam artist" and accused the bride of tricking Jonas into marrying her.

The Cut has now apologised for the article, and fans across the world have rallied together to Chopra's defence.

"The way Nick Jonas looks at Priyanka Chopra is the real definition of love," wrote one person.

Fans are equally impassioned about Chopra's name change.

"I never thought that I'd be this happy to watch someone who wasn't me marry Nick Jonas," wrote one person on Twitter.

"It's all too much to handle," wrote another.

And for others, the news was verging on fatal.

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NOW WATCH: Here's how easy it is for the US president to launch a nuclear weapon

• Amal Clooney said that President Donald Trump's rhetoric about the media "gave the green light" for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
• Clooney, a human rights lawyer who has represented detained journalists, said Trump "has given such regimes a green light and labeled the press in this country the enemy of the people."
• She linked this to the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.
• Trump has repeatedly referred to the press as the enemy of the people and has embraced chants against news outlets at his rallies.

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney said that President Donald Trump's campaign against the media "gave the green light" for the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Clooney, who has represented journalists detained in countries like Egypt and Azerbaijan, linked Trump's rhetoric about the media to the killing of the Washington Post journalist.

Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Leaked accounts of his murder say that the killing lasted seven minutes and he was suffocated. Turkish investigators reportedly believe that Khashoggi's remains may have been dissolved in acid.

Clooney attacked Trump while speaking at a UN Correspondents Association ceremony in New York on Wednesday, where she was given an award.

"The US president has given such regimes a green light and labeled the press in this country the enemy of the people," she said, according The Times of London.

"And of course two months ago a Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, walked into a consulate in Istanbul and was brutally tortured to death."

Trump has repeatedly referred to the press as the enemy of the people and has embraced chants against news outlets at his rallies.

CNN president Jeff Zucker also criticised the White House in October for "the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media" after more than a dozen bombs were sent to places including CNN's office in Manhattan.

Read More: Obama says Trump's calls for civility have no weight because he's spent years 'vilifying people, questioning their patriotism,' and calling them 'enemies of the people'

Clooney's recent clients have included Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were convicted and jailed for seven years in Myanmar for covering the killing of the Rohingya minority by government forces.

Trump has also been criticized over Khashoggi's killing for refusing do condemn Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman who many, including US senators and the CIA, believe orchestrated the killing. 

Read More:Senators are now confident that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was 'complicit' in Jamal Khashoggi's murder

Senators from both parties on Wednesday announced with a "high level of confidence" that Crown Prince Mohammed was "complicit" in the killing.

Trump has doubled down on his defense of the Saudi crown prince and said the US-Saudi relationship is "paramount" in his decision-making.

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

• President Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets on topics spanning the Russia investigation through border security on Thursday night.
• Trump's tweets come the night before the special counsel Robert Mueller is expected to submit several important filings related to the Russia probe.
• He sent more tweets on Friday morning, repeating his refrain that the investigation is a "witch hunt" and accusing Mueller of having conflicts of interest.
• Friday is the deadline for Mueller to submit documents outlining former campaign chairman Paul Manafort's "crimes and lies," which include his alleged violations of the plea deal with the special counsel.
• The special counsel is also expected to submit a sentencing recommendation for former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to financial crimes and lying to Congress.

President Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets on topics that ranged from the Russia investigation and border security on Thursday evening, the night before the special counsel Robert Mueller is expected to submit several important filings related to the Russia probe.

Trump fired off two tweets relating to a Fox Business segment with anchor Trish Regan, in which she sought to cast doubt on the FBI's justification for obtaining a FISA warrant to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Regan referenced the infamous Democratic-funded dossier, which was reportedly used as justification for the FISA warrant, and suggested "the FBI was weaponized in order to take down President Donald Trump."

"Is this really America," Trump tweeted, referring to Regan's comments questioning the FISA warrant's legitimacy. "Witch Hunt!"

In another tweet one minute later, Trump revived his go-to attack on the news media.

Trump went on to mention Arizona, which he claimed was "bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area."

Trump appeared to be referring to the Customs and Border Patrol's training exercise in Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday, where agents prepared "to deal with the potential of large crowds and assaultive behavior by caravan members, should a situation arise."

Trump also referenced minority leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, who railroaded Trump's plans for a $5 billion down payment on the controversial wall between the US-Mexico border.

"WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH," Trump tweeted. "Big danger. [Rep. Nancy Pelosi] and [Sen. Chuck Schumer] must approve Boarder Security and the Wall!"

Trump's rapid-fire tweets come the night before Mueller's deadline to submit documents outlining former campaign chairman Paul Manafort's "crimes and lies," which includes the alleged violations he made from his plea deal with the special counsel. Manafort pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and one count of conspiracy against the US in September.

He followed up with a series of five tweets on Friday morning (1,2,3,4,5), where he repeated his common refrain that the investigation is a "witch hunt" and accused Mueller of having multiple conflicts of interest, including being "Best Friends" with former FBI director James Comey, who is testifying to Congress on Friday.

The special counsel is also expected to submit its sentencing recommendation for former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to financial crimes and lying to Congress.

Mueller's recommendation follows a similar one filed for former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was found to have lied to federal investigators about his contacts with Russian officials.

Trump's tweets on Friday morning Trump targeted Andrew Weissman, a prosecutor on the special counsel Robert Mueller's team. Trump accused Weissman of having a "horrible and vicious prosecutorial past" and said he "wrongly destroyed people's lives"— referring to a conviction he made against an Enron auditor that was later overturned by the Supreme Court. 

Trump also accused the members of Mueller's team of having made donations to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and asked if it would be included in Mueller's own report. He also revived his typical talking points of alleged corruption in the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign.

SEE ALSO: 'SPECIAL WHATEVER': Rudy Giuliani downplays Mueller's latest memo, calls it 'bupkis'

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NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• This photo (above) of a Hawaiian monk seal with an eel stuck up its nose has gone viral.
• Speaking to the press, researchers have revealed that it's actually become a common sighting in recent years.
• Charles Littnan, the lead scientist of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's Hawaiian monk seal research program theorized that it may occur when seals are rooting around coral reefs.
• So far, the seals, which are endangered, have not suffered any health issues once the eels are removed, however, the eels have perished.
• No one really knows why this bizarre phenomenon keeps happening, or why it's only been spotted in the last few years.

You may have seen the above photo circulating on social media in recent days.

The image was posted on Facebook by the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, a division of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based on Oahu.

In the days following, this hapless Hawaiian monk seal with an eel stuck in its nose captured the internet's heart as people wondered how and why such a thing might have occurred.

It also prompted a series of jokes at the seal's (and the eel's) expense.

"Look at his face," New York Daily News opinion editor Josh Greenman said in a tweet. "In the Hawaiian seal community, that's called "doing eel.'"

"It's just a fad the younger seals are into, it'll pass," Paul Gregoire added.

"Like when you sneeze while eating spaghetti?" Another asked.

Jokes aside, it turns out this bizarre and relatively comical phenomenon is not uncommon in the monk seal community.

"We've been intensively monitoring monk seals for four decades and in all of that time nothing like this has happened," Charles Littnan, the lead scientist at Noaa's Hawaiian monk seal research program, told The Guardian.

"Now it's happened three or four times and we have no idea why."

The research programme closely follows the movements of six main monk seal subpopulations with the aim of achieving an optimal and sustainable Hawaiian monk seal population.

Read more:The winner of this year's National Geographic Photo Contest is a picture of thousands of recalled cars sitting in a desert

In 2016, the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program took to Facebook when they first discovered a seal with an eel in its snout.

"It was definitely weird, as the eel was almost 2 feet long," researchers wrote in the post. "It was almost like those magician trick scarves that they just keep pulling out of the hat.

"We are pretty sure the complete animal was removed, as the skull was found, but some fins or spines may have come off the eel during the removal."

The phenomenon has since been spotted three or four times, according to Littnan, and it could cause the seals serious health complications either via infection or by disabling them from shutting their nostrils during deep dives.

"Having a rotten fish inside your nose is bound to cause some problems," Littnan summated.

No one is quite sure why the seals keep getting eels stuck up their noses, but it may be to do with their feeding practices, as seals often shove their snouts into coral reef crevices in search of food.

"Alternatively, it could be the seal had swallowed in eel and regurgitated it with the eel subsequently coming out the wrong way," Littnan theorized to Motherboard. "We might never know."

As for why humans are only just spotting this bizarre occurrence now, Littnan put it down to chance: "If you observe nature long enough, you'll see strange things," he told The Guardian.

Fortunately, the encounters so far have proved non-problematic for the seals, however, the eels were not so lucky.

Hawaiian monk seals are an endangered species endemic to the Hawaiian islands, which have seen numbers dwindle significantly since the 1950s due to fishing, entanglement in marine debris, and shoreline habitat loss.

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NOW WATCH: Here's how easy it is for the US president to launch a nuclear weapon

• There are certain emotions we think of as negative.
• For instance, shame, jealousy, and guilt.
• But these emotions can actually be useful.
• They highlight areas of our life where we need to make changes.
• Here are five emotions you can reframe to be beneficial.

Humans have a wide spectrum of emotion. But we don't always enjoy some of the things we feel.

Anxiety, shame, jealousy, and sadness aren't feelings we aspire to experience, so they have a pretty negative reputation for making us feel bad.

"We often feel like we’re going to get overwhelmed by our negative emotions," psychologist Perpetua Neo told INSIDER. "People with borderline personality disorder do have a hard time regulating their emotions, but for most of us, we can."

But the problem is we don't realise we can regulate ourselves, she said, and if our panic, anxiety or whatever feeling it is spikes all the way up, we can easily fall into catastrophe mode — letting our minds jump to the worst possible conclusions.

People often try to be over-rational, Neo added, because they don't want to allow their emotions to take over and be seen as someone who over-reacts or cries all the time.

"It’s this whole vicious cycle that happens when we oppress our feelings," she said. "The perspective shift would be working out how your emotions can play together with your rationality. That actually works much better."

Neo calls it playing a symphony. You're not going to enjoy every emotion, but it is possible to learn to reframe your mind and work with your feelings, rather than against them.

Here are five emotions we perceive as negative, and how we can actually learn to use them for good.

Anger

If you're angry, it's often because you're feeling a sense of injustice, said Neo. Younger people tend to have a lot of anger, and it's sometimes let out in protests and marches. But as you grow older, you may find you don't have as much of a drive to be outraged as you used to.

You'll still get mad, though, and it's just as important to channel it properly.

"Anger is a really great fuel for creating a sense of justice," said Neo. "So ask yourself, what is the injustice in this? If it's a real injustice what can I do about it?"

We all have our little demons and it's always worth understanding what the food source of this demon is, so you can starve it, she said.

Anxiety

Anxiety evolved in humans to teach us when to retreat from a situation where we're facing conflict. It used to be the body's natural reaction — the fight or flight response — warning us we're in danger, but the reaction has carried into modern life even though we don't have so many predators to face.

"Our bodies are not adapted to modern sources of anxiety," said Neo. "And we also tend to be super cerebral, so what happens is our brains just go into overdrive with anxiety... You have to ask yourself, what is this inviting me to change in my life? What is it in me that I need to walk away from, that is causing me to be distressed and scared?"

Often it's the thing you're obsessing about a lot, like a bad relationship. Essentially, it's your body telling you to get out of that situation.

"When you have your panic attacks, what is the first thought that comes into your head?" said Neo. "Because this thought is what your body is trying to tell you — I am not safe, I am trapped — it mirrors what's happening."

Anxiety, as long as it's not a disorder that takes over your whole life, can shine a light on what you need to change.

Jealousy

Jealousy is a complicated emotion, but it's basically an invitation to ask ourselves what you're unhappy about in a situation, Neo said.

"We tend to get more jealous of people who are more similar to us," she said. "So we are more jealous of, say, your friend you went to school with than Bill Gates, because maybe you're from the same background and you think you're supposed to be where they are."

Feeling jealous doesn't mean you're a bad person, but it can lead to resentment. The best way to reframe jealousy is through honesty — asking yourself "how can I get to where I want to be?"

"If I'm jealous of my friend based on her social media feed, can I be really objective without wishing him or her bad?" said Neo. "Maybe there are pieces of his or her life that aren't perfect too, and that's ok."

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

Edge computing solutions are key tools that help companies grapple with rising data volumes across industries. These types of solutions are critical in allowing companies to gain more control over the data their IoT devices create and in reducing their reliance on (and the costs of) cloud computing.

These systems are becoming more sought-after — 40% of companies that provide IoT solutions reported that edge computing came up more in discussion with customers in 2017 than the year before, according to Business Insider Intelligence’s 2017 Global IoT Executive Survey. But companies need to know whether they should look into edge computing solutions, and what in particular they can hope to gain from shifting data processing and analysis from the cloud to the edge.

There are three particular types of problems that edge computing solutions are helping to combat across industries:

• Security issues. Edge computing can limit the exposure of critical data by minimizing how often it’s transmitted. Further, they pre-process data, so there’s less data to secure overall.
• Access issues. These systems help to provide live insights regardless of whether there’s a network connection available, greatly expanding where companies and organizations can use connected devices and the data they generate.
• Transmission efficiency. Edge computing solutions process data where it’s created so less needs to be sent to the cloud, leading to lower cloud storage requirements and reduced transmission cost.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines how edge computing is reducing companies' reliance on cloud computing in three key industries: healthcare, telecommunications, and the automotive space. We explore how these systems mitigate issues in each sector by helping to efficiently process growing troves of data, expanding the potential realms of IoT solutions a company can offer, and bringing enhanced computing capability to remote and mobile platforms.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• In healthcare, companies and organizations are using edge computing to improve telemedicine and remote monitoring capabilities.
• For telecommunications companies, edge computing is helping to reduce network congestion and enabling a shift toward the IoT platform market.
• And in the automotive space, edge computing systems are enabling companies to increase the capabilities of connected cars and trucks and approach autonomy.

In full, the report:

• Explores the key advantages edge computing solutions can provide.
• Highlights the circumstances when companies should look into edge systems.
• Identifies key vendors and partners in specific industries while showcasing case studies of successful edge computing programs.

  Subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

  	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

We've all been there — a holiday or event starts creeping closer and closer, your schedule starts getting more chaotic, and suddenly it hits you. "I forgot to find a gift!"

Whether it just slipped your mind to prepare ahead or time or you received a last-minute invite to an event for which you should probably have a present, we've got you covered. 

This list proves that last-minute gifts can still be thoughtful and unique — from clever subscriptions to useful gift cards and everything in between (all of which can be e-mailed to the recipient just in time). 

Check out our picks for last-minute gifts they'll think you pored over:

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: 22 unique gift ideas for everyone in the family — all from Amazon

An Amazon Prime membership to make their lives easier

Amazon Prime membership, $39 for three months or $119 for a year

The gift of Amazon Prime is always one that'll be met with extreme appreciation given that it is both practical and actually thoughtful. If the recipient already has a membership, the money will convert into a gift card that they can use on anything they want from the site. 

A Birchbox subscription for beauty and skincare lovers of any gender

Birchbox subscription, from three months for $30

There's a reason Birchbox is so popular — it's a super affordable way to find and learn about new beauty, skincare, and grooming products for men or women without the risk of spending too much on full-sized options you might not like. For $30, you'll be able to gift three months worth of boxes right to their door. For a more substantial option, you can gift six months for $60, or 12 months for $110.  

A box from Fanchest filled with their favorite team's gear

Fanchest team boxes, starting at $59

Chances are, if the person you're gifting is a serious fan, they'll love anything you get them with their team's logo emblazoned on it. Fanchest delivers boxes full of licensed memorabilia for NHL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and NFL teams at a great value, and even has an option for babies. They also offer overnight and two-day shipping. 

• In a sentencing memo released on Friday, federal prosecutors said Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, "acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1"— Donald Trump.
• The Southern District of New York recommended Cohen face 3 1/2 years of prison time and a $100,000 fine.
• On the same day, the special counsel Robert Mueller's office released its sentencing memo, which recommended prison time concurrent with that recommended by federal prosecutors.
• Mueller's sentencing memo also detailed contact with a Russian national who wanted to arrange a meeting between Trump and the president of Russia, and offered the campaign "political synergy." Cohen did not follow up on this request, the memo stated.
• Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12.

Two sentencing memos related to Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney and fixer for President Donald Trump, dropped on Friday.

In August, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts of tax fraud, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations in a case brought by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. On November 29, he pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in relation to the Mueller investigation.

Each sentencing memo revealed something new about the charges against Cohen being investigated by federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the special counsel Robert Mueller's office.

Among the revelations in the 40-page sentencing document from federal prosecutors was that Cohen "acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1."

Individual-1 is widely believed to be President Donald Trump. This coordination relates to the payment of two women who said they had affairs with Trump.

"With respect to both payments, Cohen acted with the intent to influence the 2016 presidential election," the memo states. "Cohen coordinated his actions with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments."

"In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1," the document continues. "As a result of Cohen’s actions, neither woman spoke to the press prior to the election."

In the sentencing memo submitted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to Judge William H. Pauley III, federal prosecutors rejected Cohen's attorney's call for no prison time, saying that "Cohen, an attorney and businessman, committed four distinct federal crimes over a period of several years."

"He was motivated to do so by personal greed, and repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive ends," the memorandum continues.

It acknowledged that Cohen cooperated with the special counsel's office, but says that his "extensive, deliberate, and serious criminal conduct" warrant 3 1/2 years of prison time.

The surprising revelation from Mueller's memo included the words 'synergy' in regard to contact with a Russian national.

"In or around November 2015, Cohen received the contact information for, and spoke with, a Russian national who claimed to be a 'trusted person' in the Russian Federation who could offer the campaign 'political synergy' and 'synergy on a government level,'" the Mueller memo claims. "The defendant recalled that this person repeatedly proposed a meeting between Individual 1 and the President of Russia."

Said person allegedly told Cohen that contact could have a 'phenomenal' impact 'not only in political but in a business dimension as well,' which was allegedly a reference to the "Moscow Project"— or Trump's attempts to build a luxury tower in Moscow. Cohen did not follow up on this offer, the memo says.

Due to Cohen's "substantial and significant efforts to remediate his misconduct accept responsibility for his actions, and assist the SCO's investigation,"Mueller's office recommended to let Cohen "serve any sentence imposed in this case concurrently with any sentence imposed in United States v. Cohen."

The White House responded to the Cohen memos.

"The government's filings in Mr. Cohen's case tell us nothing of value that wasn't already known," press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "Mr. Cohen has repeatedly lied and as the prosecution has pointed out to the court, Mr. Cohen is no hero."

Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12.

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

• Uber has confidentially filed paperwork to hold its long-awaited IPO next year, reports the Wall Street Journal.
• This comes a day after word got out that Lyft, the company's perennial rival in car-hailing services, made its own IPO filing. 
• Uber was last privately valued at $76 billion, and the Journal reports that it could go public with a market cap of $120 billion.

Uber has confidentially filed an S-1 document in preparation to hold its long-awaited IPO, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Uber has previously been valued privately at as much as $76 billion, and its advisers reportedly say it may go public with a market cap of as much as $120 billion. According to the Journal, Uber might go public "as soon as the first quarter." Internally, Uber is referring to the IPO  planning process as "Project Liberty." 

A spokesperson for Uber declined to comment.

The report comes one day after Uber's arch-rival, Lyft, announced that it had filed its initial paperwork to go public, and the two are now racing to be the first to float on the public markets in 2019. 

The Uber IPO has been long-awaited, as investors and employees await liquidity, after the company raised $24.2 billion in debt and equity funding since its founding in 2009. Uber investors include Toyota, Softbank, Microsoft, Jeff Bezos, Jay Z, Morgan Stanley, and Axel Springer (the parent company of Business Insider), though some may have already sold their stakes through various share sales along the way. 

Uber lost nearly $1 billion in the third quarter of 2018, according to its self-reported financial results, while it saw quarterly revenue of $2.95 billion. Recently, Uber has expanded into new lines of business beyond its flagship car-hailing service, including bikes and scooters, even as it invests in its Uber Eats food delivery business. 

In August, Uber hired former Merrill Lynch CFO Nelson Chai as its new CFO, as it geared up to go public. The move comes as Uber attempts to move on from successive scandals throughout 2017, which culminated in the ousting of founder and CEO Travis Kalanick, who was replaced by Dara Khosrowshahi, formerly the chief executive of Expedia.

2019 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for tech IPOs. As well as Uber and Lyft, work messaging app Slack also plans to go public next year, among others. 

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NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos on regulating giant tech companies: 'I expect us to be scrutinized'

• Michael Cohen's sentencing memo from the special counsel's office on Friday brings the spotlight back to Ivanka Trump's contacts with a Russian athlete who pitched a Trump-Putin meeting during the election
• Ivanka Trump pushed Michael Cohen to work with a Russian athlete to secure a deal for a Trump Tower in Moscow, BuzzFeed reported. This was in 2015, during the height of her father's US presidential campaign.
• The former Olympic weightlifter, Dmitry Klokov, is said to have told Cohen, a longtime lawyer for President Donald Trump, that he could set up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting would clear the way for the real-estate deal.
• Cohen reportedly declined the offer, frustrating Ivanka Trump.
• The report says congressional and FBI investigators have reviewed emails detailing the interactions of Cohen, Ivanka Trump, and Klokov and asked witnesses about them.

Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates here. 

Michael Cohen's sentencing memo, released by special counsel Robert Muller's office on Friday, brings the spotlight back to Ivanka Trump's contacts with a Russian athlete who pitched a Trump-Putin meeting during the 2016 election campaign.

The memo, which recommends that he serve a prison sentence concurrent with one recommended by federal prosecutors related to different charges, also revealed further contact between Cohen and a "Russian national"  around November 2015.

This person mentioned in Mueller's memo "claimed to be a 'trusted person' in the Russian Federation who could offer the campaign 'political synergy' and 'synergy on a government level.'"

The memo also claims the person "repeatedly" proposed a meeting between "Individual 1" (thought to be Donald Trump) and "the President of Russia" (President Vladimir Putin). Cohen, the memo claims, did not follow through with the offer.

The special counsel's mention of this Russian national is leading to speculation that the dates line up with previous BuzzFeed news reporting about Ivanka Trump, Cohen, and a Russian athlete named Dmitry Klokov.

Ivanka Trump connected Michael Cohen with a Russian athlete, who offered to introduce Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin, BuzzFeed News reported in June of 2018. The goal of the proposed meeting was to help pave the way for a Trump Tower in Moscow, according to emails and four sources BuzzFeed spoke with.

Ivanka Trump, the president's eldest daughter, told Cohen in November 2015 to talk to the athlete, the former Olympic weightlifter Dmitry Klokov, and Cohen had at least one subsequent phone conversation with Klokov, the report says.

BuzzFeed reported that Cohen and Klokov also exchanged several emails, in one of which Klokov told Cohen he could set up a meeting between Putin and Donald Trump, a presidential candidate at the time, to clear the way for a Trump Tower in Moscow.

But Cohen reportedly emailed Klokov to decline his offer and say the Trump Organization already had a deal to pursue the project.

The Russian athlete copied Ivanka Trump in his reply and questioned Cohen's authority to make decisions for the Trump Organization, at which point Trump asked Cohen why he did not want to pursue the deal through Klokov, the report says.

BuzzFeed said Klokov told the outlet he did not "send any emails" to Cohen but stopped responding when the publication told him it had learned that he had sent at least two emails to Cohen and had at least one phone call with him at Trump's request. 

Both congressional and FBI investigators are said to be looking into the events and working out the details of how the first daughter knows Klokov, including by reviewing emails and questioning witnesses.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Business Insider that the special counsel Robert Mueller's office had not contacted the White House with any document or interview requests related to Ivanka Trump.

Other efforts to build a Trump Tower Moscow were already in the works

Cohen's rejection of Klokov's request may have to do, at least in part, with the fact that by that time, he and his longtime associate, the Russian-born businessman Felix Sater, had been collaborating for weeks to secure financing for the deal.

Sater first sent a letter of intent to Cohen outlining the terms of the "Trump World Tower Moscow" deal on October 13, 2015. Andrey Rozov, a Russian investor, had already signed it by the time Sater forwarded it to Cohen for Trump's signature.

"Lets make this happen and build a Trump Moscow," Sater wrote in a note attached to the letter and shared by The New York Times' Maggie Haberman. "And possibly fix relations between the countries by showing everyone that commerce & business are much better and more practical than politics. That should be Putins message as well, and we will help him agree on that message. Help world peace and make a lot of money, I would say that's a great lifetime goal for us to go after."

In November — the same month Ivanka Trump told Cohen to contact Klokov — Cohen and Sater exchanged a series of emails gearing up to celebrate the Trump Tower Moscow deal. In the emails, obtained by The Times, Sater bragged about his relationship with Putin and told Cohen he would "get all of Putins team to buy in" on the deal.

He also wrote that he "arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putins private chair at his desk and office in the Kremlin."

Of Donald Trump, Sater wrote: "Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it."

Cohen was advocating the project as late as January 2016, when he contacted Dmitry Peskov, a top aide to Putin, about pushing the Trump Tower Moscow deal through.

"Over the past few months I have been working with a company based in Russia regarding the development of a Trump Tower-Moscow project in Moscow City," Cohen wrote to Peskov, according to The Washington Post, which cited a person familiar with the email. "Without getting into lengthy specifics, the communication between our two sides has stalled."

Cohen continued: "As this project is too important, I am hereby requesting your assistance. I respectfully request someone, preferably you, contact me so that I might discuss the specifics as well as arranging meetings with the appropriate individuals. I thank you in advance for your assistance and look forward to hearing from you soon."

Cohen told Vanity Fair last year that the proposal from Sater was "business as usual and nothing more," describing it as "just another project, another licensing deal." He added that he had "really wanted to see this building go up, because the economics were fantastic."

Adding another layer to the story, Sater told the MSNBC host Chris Hayes in March that the Trump Organization was negotiating with a sanctioned Russian bank to secure financing for the building during the campaign.

The Trump Tower Moscow deal is among several events connected to Cohen that Mueller is known to be looking into as part of his investigation into Russia's election meddling.

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NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former attorney, likened the extent of his financial crimes to that of rapper Earl Simmons, otherwise known as DMX.
• Cohen's attorneys argued that their client's sentencing should be similar to that of notable celebrities charged with tax evasion, including actors John Travolta and Chris Tucker, musician Willie Nelson, and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
• Attorneys for Cohen pushed for a sentencing of time served, which would drastically reduce his sentence to "a matter of hours," prosecutors said.
• If Cohen's attorneys are successful and manage to obtain a sentence of time served, the result would equate to a 99.5% lower sentence than the recommendation from the US Sentencing Commission.
• Prosecutors called the request "meritless" and advised the court to view it with "great skepticism."

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former attorney, likened the extent of his financial crimes to that of rapper Earl Simmons, otherwise known as DMX, to federal prosecutors amid his guilty plea.

Attorneys for Cohen, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of financial crimes and campaign violations, pushed for a sentencing of time served, which would drastically reduce his sentence to "a matter of hours," prosecutors said. The result would equate to a sentence 99.5% lower than the recommendation from the US Sentencing Commission.

Cohen's attorneys pointed to a "disparity in treatment" and claimed their client "may have been selected for criminal prosecution to set an example." The attorneys compared Cohen's circumstance to that of Simmons, who received a sentence of just one year, rather than the recommended guideline of four to five years.

In the 2018 tax evasion case US v. Earl Simmons, Judge Jed Rakoff stressed that imposing prison terms in tax evasion cases, "regardless of complexity," posed as a general deterrent for potential criminals.

"People who are considering tax evasion ... greatly exaggerate their chances of getting away with it ... That is why prison is important," Judge Jed Rakoff said at the time, according to the Southern District of New York prosecutors.

Simmons was sentenced to one year in prison, after he was charged with evading income taxes and attempting to obstruct the Internal Revenue Service. Prosecutors in Simmons' case argued he owed $1.7 million to the government between 2002 and 2005, and had failed to file taxes from 2010 to 2015.

Cohen's attorneys argued their client's sentencing should be similar to that of notable celebrities charged with tax evasion, including actors John Travolta and Chris Tucker, musician Willie Nelson, and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The attorneys defended their assertion by claiming Cohen was "a prominent American and attorney" and also "a well-known public figure."

SDNY prosecutors called the request "meritless" and advised the court to view it with "great skepticism." Prosecutors agreed that although Simmons' tax evasion scheme was "more complex" than Cohen's, both defendants had "made the calculated decision that they could get away with not paying taxes."

Prosecutors also noted that tax evasion was just one of Cohen's crimes, in addition to campaign finance violations and bank fraud.

Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, a crime that typically faces around six months in jail, as part of a plea deal with the special counsel. In a separate sentencing recommendation, Mueller suggested Cohen serve a concurrent sentence to that of the SDNY's recommendation of a 3.5 year sentence.

SEE ALSO: Trump fires off late-night tweetstorm on the eve of a landmark moment in the Russia investigation

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

• Attorney Michael Avenatti took a victory lap following the release of sentencing recommendations for Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney.
• "We are happy to see Michael Cohen is in a lot of trouble [regarding] sentencing," Avenatti said on Twitter on Friday.
• Avenatti represents adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump and was paid $130,000 by Cohen to keep silent about it ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
• Cohen admitted to making the payment "in coordination with and at the direction of" Trump, making his testimony a corroboration of Daniels' claim, and providing evidence that Trump may have violated campaign finance laws.
• Avenatti also had a terse message for Trump.

Attorney Michael Avenatti took a victory lap following the release of the special counsel Robert Mueller's and the Southern District of New York's sentencing recommendations for Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, on Friday.

"Over the weeks and months that followed our early March filing, we endured death threats, insults, and numerous attacks on our character, which have continued to this day," Avenatti said in a statement. "We sat and listened while many 'expert pundits' criticized our approach, including our constant media push, failing to recognize that we were playing the 'long game' and had a strategy."

"Today is yet more evidence that our efforts have brought us closer toward realizing our goal," Avenatti said. "But we are not done. To our supporters — THANK YOU! To the others — better luck next time."

Avenatti represents adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump and was paid $130,000 by Cohen to keep silent. Cohen initially admitted he personally made the payment to Daniels with his own money, but denied that Trump or his campaign was involved in the transaction.

The payment was made a month before the 2016 presidential election and raised suspicions that it served as a hush-money payment.

Read more: Trump says he's 'totally' cleared after bombshell court filings related to Michael Cohen and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort

But Cohen's previous statements contradicted his testimony to prosecutors, according to the sentencing memo for his numerous financial crimes and lies to Congress.

In the court filing, Cohen was said to have "played a central role in two similar schemes to purchase the rights to stories" from two women who claimed to have had an affair with Trump. The two women are suspected to be Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Cohen admitted to making the payments "in coordination with and at the direction of" Trump, making his testimony a corroboration of Daniels' claim and providing evidence that Trump may have violated campaign finance laws. Cohen's actions, which was described as an "intent to influence the 2016 presidential election," was "coordinated ... with one or more members of the campaign," prosecutors added.

Avenatti took a shot at Cohen, who prosecutors said should receive a "substantial" sentence for his crimes.

"We are happy to see Michael Cohen is in a lot of trouble [regarding] sentencing," Avenatti said in a tweet. "We agree with the [government] that he should serve a substantial term of imprisonment. He lied to my client, the American people and investigators for years. He is a thug and deserves to be severely punished."

Avenatti also had a terse message for Trump, who is referred to as "Individual-1" in the court filings.

"I have to give you credit where credit is due," Avenatti tweeted. "You always have said you were No.1."

SEE ALSO: Trump claims he's 'totally' cleared after bombshell court filings related to Michael Cohen and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort

Join the conversation about this story »

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