• The graphic content in the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" raised concerns among teachers.
• A controversial school assignment asked students to list "positive aspects" of slavery.
• School dress code rules continue to punish girls for "distracting" boys in the classroom.

Dress codes, students' freedom of expression, and teaching sensitive subjects are just a few issues that proved controversial in schools this year.

Here's a look back at the biggest school controversies of 2018 that got students, teachers, and parents talking.

A New Jersey school superintendent pleaded guilty to pooping on school grounds.

In March, New Jersey school superintendent Thomas Tramaglini was arrested on charges of lewdness, littering, and defecating in public for pooping on the grounds of Holmdel High School in Monmouth County, New Jersey. At the time, high school staff said that the track team found poop nearby "on a daily basis" for months.

Tramaglini pleaded guilty to public defecation in October, but said that he only did it once due to a "medical emergency." According to his lawyer Matthew Adams, Tramaglini experienced a condition called Runner's Diarrhea that causes loose bowel movements during physical exercise.

He was fined $500 for the non-criminal municipal offense and paid an additional $33 to cover court costs.

A school assignment asked students to list "positive aspects" of slavery.

In April, an eighth grade American history teacher at Great Hearts Monte Vista in San Antonio, Texas, assigned a worksheet entitled "The Life of Slaves: A Balanced View" in which students were asked to list both "positive aspects" and "negative aspects" of slavery.

A parent posted a photo of the assignment on Facebook, and other parents and community members began sharing it. It caught the attention of Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, who called it "absolutely unacceptable" on Twitter.

The school issued an apology in a statement on Facebook.

"To be clear, there is no debate about slavery. It is immoral and a crime against humanity," the statement reads. "It was a clear mistake and we sincerely apologize for the insensitive nature of this offense."

However, current and former students argued that the lesson was being misconstrued.

"I had to do this assignment once, but before he handed us this EXACT assignment we had a good discussion of how in the end there was really no 'pro' side to slavery," a former student wrote on Instagram. "Mr. Thomas never put any student to fight in the position of the 'pro' side of slavery. THE POINT OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO SHOW WHY PEOPLE ALLOWED FOR SLAVERY TO GO ON FOR SO LONG, NOT TO APPROVE OF SLAVERY."

A federal appeals court ruled that schools can allow transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identities.

Boyertown Area School District in Pennsylvania's bathroom policy allowed students to use the bathroom and locker room that matched their gender identity.

A student filed a lawsuit alleging that the policy violated his right to privacy, according to NBC News. Five other students joined the lawsuit and were aided by the conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom. In May, a federal appeals court upheld the lower court's decision to keep Boyertown's bathroom policy in place.

Per NBC, Ria Mar, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, praised the rule, saying that, "Choosing to use that individual space and being required to use it because of who you are — that your very presence is unacceptable to others — is a very different thing."

• Beto O'Rourke of Texas and Andrew Gillum of Florida, both rising Democratic stars and potential 2020 candidates, recently met with former President Barack Obama in his Washington offices. 
• Obama endorsed Gillum during his gubernatorial bid this year and praised O'Rourke last month, saying the former senate candidate reminds him of himself.
• Both O'Rourke and Gillum, who ran strong, but unsuccessful races for Senate and governor, have declined to say whether they'll run for president in 2020. 

Beto O'Rourke of Texas and Andrew Gillum of Florida, both rising stars in the Democratic Party from purple and red states, met with former President Barack Obama in his Washington offices in recent days, stoking speculation that the two will launch 2020 presidential bids. 

The three-term El Paso congressman — who nearly unseated GOP Sen. Ted Cruz last month — met with Obama on Nov. 16, the Washington Post reported, while the Florida mayor who narrowly lost his state's gubernatorial race met with the former president on Tuesday, according to multiple news outlets. 

O'Rourke, 46, was by far the best-funded and most competitive Democrat to run statewide in Texas in years, and he would have been the first elected statewide in nearly a quarter of a century. His campaign, which attracted huge national attention and raised more money than any other senate bid in US history, sparked widespread hope among Democrats that he'll channel his popularity into a presidential ticket.

Obama publicly praised O'Rourke last month, telling his former top adviser David Axelrod that the Texas politician reminded him of himself and inspired voters because he's authentic in his convictions. 

"What I liked most about his race was that it didn’t feel constantly poll-tested," Obama said during a podcast discussion with Axelrod. "It felt as if he based his statements and his positions on what he believed. And that, you’d like to think, is normally how things work. Sadly it's not."

Read more: 'I'm so f---ing proud of you guys': Star Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke concedes defeat to Ted Cruz in impassioned speech after his devastating loss

O'Rourke, who said last week that he's considering a 2020 bid despite repeatedly saying otherwise on the campaign trail, reportedly declined Obama's offers to record robo-calls and stump with O'Rourke and decided against using a video Obama recorded endorsing him during the senate campaign.

The congressman has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of endorsements from politicians outside of his home state and rarely utilized surrogates on the campaign trail, but he did receive a series of high-profile endorsements from celebrities, including Beyonce, LeBron James, and Ellen DeGeneres. 

Gillum, 39, also attracted national attention when he stunned the state by beating out an array of wealthy primary opponents and waged an aggressive and deeply progressive campaign for governor against the Trump-endorsed Rep. Ron DeSantis. 

It's unclear what Gillum and the former president discussed in DC this week, and Gillum has declined to elaborate on his thoughts about a presidential run. 

"I plan on being married to my wife. That is all I am planning," Gillum said in response to questions about 2020 during an event at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Washington this week. "What I am committed to doing between now and 2020 is doing everything I can to make the state of Florida available and winnable for the democratic nominee for president."

Obama has also reportedly met with other potential 2020 candidates, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu. 

SEE ALSO: 'I'm so f---ing proud of you guys': Star Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke concedes defeat to Ted Cruz in impassioned speech after his devastating loss

Join the conversation about this story »

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

• 2018 was a great year for cinema. Releases like "Black Panther"and "Crazy Rich Asians"proved the importance of diversity on the big screen.
• Audiences turned out for films like "Avengers: Infinity War"and "A Star Is Born," shattering box office records.
• Critics have weighed in on the top films released this year, and there are a few surprises at the top.

The year 2018 saw some of the most honest, diverse, and groundbreaking stories played out on the big screen. At the box office, "Black Panther,""Avengers: Infinity War," and "Incredibles 2" lead the pack – along with movies like "Crazy Rich Asians" and "A Star Is Born"following close behind.

We used Rotten Tomatoes data to find the most-loved movies of the year, according to critics. Although these big-budget movies were popular with audiences, there are also so many movies that have been singled out by critics as the year’s diamonds in the rough.

These are the top 50 movies of 2018, according to critics.

50. "Blindspotting": 93%

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%.

8/10

"Gripping, authentic, tense, uproarious and strong, 'Blindspotting' is a superb achievement." -Matt Hudson, What I Watched Tonight

49. "Wildlife": 93%

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

7.7/10

"An excellent directing debut by Paul Dano. A subtle, yet powerful family drama, that includes a career-best performance by Carey Mulligan." -Fico Cangiano, CineXpress

48. "First Reformed": 93%

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

8.3/10

"This is a movie about faith tested, and people trying to reconcile hope with a world that can feel hopeless. It's a film to be seen in a dark theater with an audience hushed in reverence of the power of cinema." -Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

• The Jeep Cherokee is one of the most iconic names in the automotive industry.
• The original Jeep Cherokee SUV debuted back in 1974 while current fifth-generation model debuted in 2013. 
• For 2019, the Cherokee received a new front-end design and some technology updates. 
• The Jeep is available with two four-cylinder and one six-cylinder engine options. 
• The 2019 Jeep Cherokee starts at $24,195 while our well-optioned Cherokee Limited 4X4 started at $33,620. With options and fees included our as-tested price came to $40,040. 
• We were impressed by the Cherokee's powerful V6, well-designed cabin, and solid infotainment system. However, we weren't quite enamored with its ponderous 9-speed automatic transmission and uncomfortable driving position.

These days, crossovers and SUVs are ubiquitous. They can be found on every street in every town in America. However, the modern SUV as we know is a rather recent development in the automotive landscape.

According to Merriam-Webster, the term "sport-utility vehicle" wasn't used until 1969 and didn't appear in a car advertisement until 1974.

The SUV advertised in that ad was none other than the original SJ-series Jeep Cherokee. 

Over the years, the Cherokee has become one of the iconic nameplates in the automotive industry with its off-roading street cred recognized from the streets of Beijing to the canyons of Utah.

But the Cherokee of today bears little resemblance to its spiritual ancestor. What started out as a rough and tumble two-door off-road wagon is now a polished crossover built on an Italian passenger car platform. 

Read more: We drove a $42,000 and a $50,000 Toyota Highlander to see why it's one of the best family SUVs money can buy — here's what we discovered.

The current fifth-generation Cherokee debuted in 2013 and received a refreshed front fascia ahead for the 2019 model year. 

Recently, Business Insider had the chance to spend a week with a Billet Silver Metallic 2019 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4X4.

For 2019 Jeep Cherokee is available in six different trim levels ranging from the base front-wheel-drive Latitude, which starts at $24,195, to the four-wheel-drive Overland with a starting price of $37,775.

Our well-equipped six-cylinder Cherokee Limited 4X4 started at $33,620 with options and fees pushing the as-tested price to $40,040. 

Here's a closer look at the refreshed 2019 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4:

SEE ALSO: We drove a $64,000 BMW X5 and a $65,000 Audi Q7 to find out which one is a better luxury SUV — here's the verdict

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The original SJ series Jeep Cherokee debuted back in 1974 as a two-door variant of the brand's...

...Venerable Wagoneer.

The modern Cherokee as we know it arrived for the 1984 model year. The second-generation XJ Cherokee came in a variety of flavors including...

• The Peresvet combat laser, a weapon Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted about earlier this year, has entered experimental combat service with the Russian armed forces.
• The laser is said to be able to destroy targets "within fractions of a second," but Russia has been quiet about what the weapon actually does.

A new Russian laser weapon designed to instantly obliterate targets entered military service over the weekend, the Russian defense ministry revealed.

Russia's Peresvet laser system, named after the medieval warrior monk Alexander Peresvet, entered experimental combat duty on December 1, the Russian defense ministry’s official Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported Wednesday.

The military began taking possession of the first shipments last year as part of Russia's ongoing military modernization program, according to The Moscow Times, and there is speculation the lasers could shoot down incoming missiles and airplanes.

WATCH: Russia unveils Peresvet laser system

Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced the existence of this new laser weapon in March during his State of the Nation address, during which he briefly introduced the "Combat Laser Complex."

"We have achieved significant progress in laser weapons," he boasted, "It is not just a concept or a plan any more. It is not even in the early production stages. Since last year, our troops have been armed with laser weapons."

"We are one step ahead our rivals," Putin added without providing any evidence.

Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov offered a bit more information in an interview with Russian state media outlet TASS, explaining that the device could destroy targets "within fractions of a second."

"We can talk a lot about laser weapons and movies were made about them a long time ago and fantastic books have been written, and everyone knows about this," he introduced. "But, the fact that these systems have started entering service is indeed a today’s reality."

The Russian defense ministry posted a video of the weapon back in July, before it had officially entered service.

Not much is publicly known about the Peresvet combat laser system, as Sputnik, a Russian media outlet controlled by the government, noted. What exactly it does has been the subject of much speculation.

"It is expected to be an air-defense system that can track and shoot down hostile aircraft and missiles," Sputnik explained, adding, "Some suggest it will be tasked with 'blinding' sophisticated enemy systems, making them inoperable."

Other countries, like the US and China, are also developing directed energy platforms.

China unveiled the LW-30, a vehicle-based laser weapon built to quickly eliminate a variety of aerial targets, at Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai last month.

Experts speculated that the weapon designed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) could be deployed to the South China Sea.

SEE ALSO: Russia just released videos of its next generation of nuclear weapons — Here's what we know

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Navy SEALs explain the dangers of overplanning in both the military and business

• Facebook's move to tie groups opposed to the company with billionaire investor George Soros was "completely legitimate," its top public-relations official said Wednesday.
• Elliot Schrage characterized the move as in the interests of transparency and honesty in public debate.
• Schrage didn't address the effort's echoes to longstanding anti-Semitic smears about Soros.

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook's head of communications on Wednesday defended the company's decision to go after liberal financier George Soros, saying it was "completely legitimate."

The company's move to publicize Soros' ties to groups critical of Facebook represented an effort at transparency and honesty that's needed in public debate, said Elliot Schrage, the social-networking giant's outgoing vice president of communications and public policy, during a panel discussion at the Atlantic's Free Speech (Un)Limited conference here. Schrage didn't discuss the anti-Semitic overtones of the effort, which echoed longstanding far-right conspiracy theories that Soros is secretly funding a wide range of efforts to undermine American society.

"I think the principle that somebody who is a critic of yours, an investor who criticizes you in a public debate — if they're going to enter the public fray, I don't think it's at all illegitimate ... to transparently communicate about that," Schrage said.

He continued: "I think that's a completely legitimate thing to do."

Already under fire for a series of scandals and fiascos dating back to the 2016 election, Facebook has faced particularly harsh criticism since last month when The New York Times reported on its anti-Soros effort. The company has since acknowledged the substance of the report, that it hired a public relations firm named Definers Public Affairs and had it investigate Soros after he harshly criticized the company at the Davos conference earlier this year. Definers later encouraged reporters to write about his connections to anti-Facebook groups.

Read this: Facebook reportedly had its Republican-linked PR firm try to blame George Soros for the anti-Facebook movement

Facebook has sent mixed messages on its Soros effort

Soros' foundation has funded some of the groups involved in the Freedom From Facebook effort. But Soros, his foundation, and the anti-Facebook groups have denied that he directly funded their efforts against the social networking company.

After the news broke about the effort, company CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg first denied knowing about it, but defended the effort to investigate Soros. Schrage previously apologized for not apparently being aware of the anti-Soros effort, saying he was sorry for letting down his team but not being on top of it. Sandberg, meanwhile, has said the company didn't intend "to play into an anti-Semitic narrative against Mr. Soros."

Despite her initial denial of knowledge about Definers and its efforts, Sandberg has since acknowledged that she was alerted via emails about the company's work with Definers. Meanwhile, in a separate article, The Times reported that she herself ordered Facebook's communications department to investigate Soros' potential financial motivations to attack the company after his Davos speech.

In the wake of the report, many commentators have called on Sandberg and even Zuckerberg to resign or be fired. In response to a question at the conference, Schrage defended Zuckerberg, saying the latter has been "an extraordinary leader." He also reiterated that he, not Zuckerberg or Sandberg, was responsible for the hiring of Definers and the anti-Soros effort.

"My teams were responsible for what happened," he said. "I accept responsibility for what happened."

Facebook quickly cut ties with Definers following the first Times report. Sandberg has tried to reach out to Soros since the Times report, but he hasn't taken her or returned her calls, BuzzFeed News reported Wednesday.

Schrage's appearance at the conference followed the release by the British Parliament earlier on Wednesday of documents Facebook attempted to keep secret about how it managed developers' access to its users' data. He wasn't asked and didn't discuss those documents or what they revealed. 

• Read about Facebook's attack on Soros:
• Facebook's board needs to get a spine and fire Mark Zuckerberg, marketing guru Scott Galloway said
• Sheryl Sandberg is on the hot seat at Facebook — but ousting her alone wouldn't solve its problems
• Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg isn't accountable to anyone, so it's time Congress took away the source of his power
• Heads ought to roll at Facebook over the Soros smear — starting with Zuck's

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg once suggested that a Facebook user's data was worth ten cents a year

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How to train the last days before a marathon

• Rapper 2 Milly said he will sue the creators of "Fortnite" for allegedly copying his dance the "Milly Rock" and selling it in the game.
• While 2 Milly has been the most vocal about the similarities of a "Fortnite" dance to existing work, several artists have accused the game's creators of taking their dances without permission or pay.
• "Fortnite: Battle Royale" is the world's most popular game, making more than $200 million a month selling emotes and other cosmetic items for use in game.

Brooklyn rapper 2 Milly plans to sue "Fortnite" creator Epic Games for allegedly copying and profiting off of a dance he created, the "Milly Rock." 

2 Milly has been vocal about his distaste for the game's monetization of popular dances in interviews with Insider and CBS News. The "Milly Rock" dance originally arose in 2014 from the video for 2 Milly's song of the same name, "Milly Rock."

"Fortnite" added a dancing emote called "Swipe It" to the game in July 2018 that appears to be clearly inspired by the Milly Rock. For a time, players could unlock the dance through playing or by paying cash to level up the game's Season 5 Battle Pass, but Swipe It can no longer be acquired in-game. Players who unlocked it before can still use it though.

"Fortnite: Battle Royale" is the world's most popular game and has a massive audience that most artists can only dream of. While the game is free-to-play, the majority of its earnings come from the sale of emotes and other cosmetic items in-game. The game is currently generating more than $200 million a month in revenue and those emotes are available to more than 200 million registered players around the world, with no mention of the artists who inspired them.

Read more:Forget about paying to get better at 'Fortnite' — some kids are paying for 'Fortnite' dance lessons

2 Milly isn't the only artist claiming that the game turned their original dance into emotes for purchase in "Fortnite" without permission or pay. Rapper BlocBoy JB criticized the use of his "Shoot" dance in "Fortnite" and actor Donald Faison claimed that "Fortnite" lifted a dance he performed for the TV show "Scrubs" as the game's default dance.

On Twitter, Chance the Rapper also suggested that Epic Games should find a way to compensate the creators behind the dances.

2 Milly's case isn't the only pending lawsuit Piece Bainbridge is bringing against Epic Games. The firm also claims that Epic used the likeness of former NFL player Len "Skip" Hamilton to create the character Cole Train for the Gears of War video game series. Pierce Bainbridge partner David L. Hecht claims that in both cases, Epic Games "misappropriated the likeness of African-American talent."

Experts have been skeptical of whether artists can claim ownership over a dance, compared to the clear copyright laws that protect music and song lyrics, but it seems that won't stop 2 Milly from pursuing his day in court.

SEE ALSO: Forget about paying to get better at 'Fortnite' — some kids are paying for 'Fortnite' dance lessons

SEE ALSO: How big is 'Fortnite'? With more than 200 million players, it's now equal to nearly two-thirds the US population

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: After using Samsung Galaxy phones for 5 years, I made the switch to the iPhone XS

• The video game industry's annual awards show, The Game Awards, takes place on Thursday night.
• More than just an awards show, The Game Awards is a big opportunity for game makers to announce new projects or tease upcoming ones.
• With just over 24 hours to go, a handful of announcements have begun trickling out early.

On Thursday evening, the video game industry celebrates the year in games with its annual award show: The Game Awards. 

Unlike the Oscars, this is no black-tie affair; The Game Awards are an annual opportunity to announce new games, offer updates on hotly-anticipated titles, and go into further detail on soon-to-be released games. Awards are given out, and people do indeed dress up, but it's part awards show, part marketing event. 

And like so many similar events before it, several major announcements have already begun to leak or be officially teased. 

Here's what we're seeing so far:

SEE ALSO: Today's the last day to vote for the best video games of the year at The Game Awards — the final winners will be announced Thursday night

1. A new "Far Cry" game.

A new "Far Cry" game? Didn't one of those come out, like, in 2018? 

Yep! That game was "Far Cry 5," and it came out back in late March on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The open-world first-person shooter was set in America for the first time ever, and featured a new antagonist: a maniacal cult leader with nuclear ambitions.

Apparently another "Far Cry" game isn't too far away — and it's a distant sequel, set in a post-apocalypse Montana. All we've got to go on thus far is the teaser trailer Ubisoft put out ahead of Thursday's announcement during the show.

The trailer alludes to a period of extreme weather following a nuclear detonation, eventually leading to a new world — a world where people shoot sawblades from crossbows, apparently.

Here's that teaser for the next "Far Cry" game:

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2. A new "Dragon Age" game (that may be years away).

EA's BioWare division is responsible for major franchises like "Mass Effect," the upcoming "Anthem," and — most importantly in this case — "Dragon Age." 

The role-playing series has been dormant for years at this point, but work on a new game in the franchise has been ongoing at BioWare. EA hasn't officially announced as much, and it sounds like The Game Awards is where that's going to happen. 

"'Dragon Age' is an incredibly important franchise in our studio, and we’re excited to continue its legacy," BioWare lead Casey Hudson said on the BioWare blog in late November. "Look for more on this in the coming month." 

As you might have already guessed, The Game Awards seems to be the planned location of the big reveal. And, according to a report in VentureBeat, the game may still be years away. "At least" three years away, according to "sources familiar with the studio." 

That makes "Dragon Age 4" (or whatever it might be called) a likely candidate for being on the next iterations of the PlayStation and Xbox consoles— the "PlayStation 5" and whatever the successor the Xbox One is called.

• 2018 was a big year for women.
• Christine Blasey Ford, Catt Sadler, Oprah Winfrey, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez inspired women around the globe by igniting important conversations about sexual assault, gender-pay inequality, race, and more.
• Some women, like Beyoncé and Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu, even made history.

This year, big steps were made by womankind. 

Whether it was Catt Sadler walking away from her job at E! News, or Dr. Christine Blasey Ford coming forward with sexual assault allegations against a Supreme Court nominee, women seemed to ignite the national conversation time and again. 

They also made history: Beyoncé shattered the record of YouTube livestreams for her Coachella performance, and Janet Mock became the first transgender woman of color to write and direct an episode of television. And internationally, in Saudi Arabia, women are now able to drive and attend soccer matches — the beginning of serious change in the name of women's rights. 

Keep scrolling to see more amazing moments for women in 2018.

Catt Sadler ended her contract with E! News after discovering her male counterpart was making almost "double" her salary.

Catt Sadler walked away from her job as E! News host after learning of an enormous pay gap between her and her male co-star, Jason Kennedy, earlier this year. According to Sadler, a female executive informed her that Kennedy was earning "double" the amount that Sadler was, despite the two starting at the network the same time, and holding virtually identical roles. 

Though E! News defended their decision to pay Sadler less, the host's departure sparked a national conversation on gender-based pay inequality in the workplace. Actresses and fans alike rallied to support Sadler: notably, Debra Messing and Eva Longoria called out E! for their decision at the 2018 Golden Globes, during televised interviews with the network. 

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of Congress, and sexual assault survivors around the globe were inspired by her courage.

In the fall of 2018, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee during hearings regarding the sexual assault allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Immediately following the hearings, the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport began trending on Twitter, and, according to Time, women around the world tuned in to watch the hearings live.

Hundreds of women contacted British newspaper the Guardian, offering responses to the hearings and sharing their experiences with sexual assault. Readers from South Africa to Dubai to Scotland reached out to The New York Times to offer their responses, all siding with Dr. Ford.

Actresses "blacked out" the 2018 Golden Globes in honor of the #TimesUp movement, donning black gowns and suits.

More than 300 actresses signed a Time's Up pledge for the 2018 Golden Globes, which included wearing all black to the event. The initiative is geared toward squashing sexual harassment, assault, and inequality in the workplace.

Before the ceremony, actress Eva Longoria told The New York Times that almost all the women attending the 2018 Globes would wear black: "This is a moment of solidarity, not a fashion moment. For years, we've sold these awards shows as women, with our gowns and colors and our beautiful faces and our glamour. This time the industry can’t expect us to go up and twirl around. That's not what this moment is about." 

Oprah gave an iconic speech upon receiving the Cecil B. de Mille Award at the Golden Globes, prompting the internet to urge her to run for president in 2020.

Also at this year's Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey became the first African-American woman to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award — an honorary Golden Globe Award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment." She gave a rousing speech that traced her humble beginnings and touched on sexual abuse, female empowerment, and the #MeToo movement. 

She set the tone in the beginning, saying: "In 1982, Sidney received the Cecil B. DeMille award right here at the Golden Globes, and it is not lost on me that at this moment, there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given this same award."

People were so inspired by the speech that #Oprah2020 began trending on Twitter, as a hearty slew of people encouraged the media mogul to run for the US presidency in a few years. Oprah has since clarified that she is not interested in a career in politics.

Saudi Arabia amended its laws so that women can now attend soccer matches. It also lifted a ban on female drivers.

Over the past year, Saudi Arabia has softened a few of its laws regarding women and gender separation. 

Women in the country are now allowed to drive, and earlier in the year the first car showroom devoted entirely to women was opened. 

In January 2018, the first Saudi Arabian women attended a soccer game as spectators. According to BBC, at the Jeddah stadium "female ushers were employed to greet the women fans and their families, who loudly cheered on the local team." Stadiums had previously been male-only.

Lamya Khaled Nasser, a 32-year-old female (and soccer fan) from Saudi Arabia told the AFP news agency: "This event proves that we are heading for a prosperous future. I am very proud to be a witness of this massive change."

Hundreds of female victims testified in court against Larry Nassar, a USA Gymnastics doctor who was convicted for sexually assaulting hundreds of girls. 

A few years back, Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney went public with allegations against their former USA Gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. This inspired hundreds of other victims to come forward, shedding light on decades of abuse at the hands of Nassar — and the subsequent cover-up by USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.

Nassar's trial was held in winter 2018, and Judge Rosemarie Aquilina allowed more than 150 young women to confront Nassar in court and speak about the consequences of his abuse. 

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman was one of them, and her testimony proved particularly powerful. Nassar was convicted and is now serving 40 to 175 years in prison.

The second Women's March was held in Washington, D.C. (and all over the country).

The first Women's March occurred in 2017 after the election of US President Donald Trump, and the tradition was kept alive this year, too. The second Women's March had a huge turnout— though the event is a nationwide effort, the largest marches took place in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

The second March had more of a focus on voting, particularly getting women to the polls for the upcoming 2018 midterm election. According to NBC News, in Washington D.C. they called the event the "March on the Polls."  

Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics.

During the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, American figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman— and the third in the world — to land a triple axel jump at the Olympics.

According to ESPN, the jump remains one of figure skating's most difficult tricks"due to the extra half-rotation in the air because of its forward take off," and to this day only eight women have successfully landed it in competitions. Tonya Harding was the first American to land it, though Nagasu was the first to land it at the Olympics.

29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won a seat in Congress in an historical upset, taking the place of longtime Queens and Bronx Rep. Joe Crowley.

Democratic congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led a grassroots campaign this year, focusing on health care reform and free education, in order to represent the Queens and Bronx boroughs of New York's 14th Congressional District. The 29-year-old beat Rep. Joe Crowley who had served for 10 terms and was predicted to replace Nancy Pelosi as minority leader. She is the youngest women ever elected to Congress.

A record number of women also ran for and were elected to Congress this year, with 118 set to fill seats as a result of recent elections. Of these 118, 31 are first-time House members, and 84 of the 96 women set to serve the House so far are Democrats.

Beyoncé made history as the first African-American woman to headline at Coachella, and set the all-time record for livestream views: 43.1 million.

Beyoncé headlined the music festival Coachella in Indio, California, this year and made history in more ways than one: not only was she the first African-American woman to headline, her performance drew in a record 43.1 million livestreams — the most ever on YouTube.

Fans nicknamed the festival "Beychella," as the superstar had several outfit changes, sang with her husband, Jay-Z, and reunited Destiny's Child for the first time in almost four years.

Writer and activist Janet Mock wrote and directed an episode of "Pose" on FX, making her the first transgender woman of color to write and direct an episode of television.

Janet Mock is a transgender activist and writer, and this year she directed and wrote an episode of the FX series "Pose," creator Ryan Murphy's iteration of New York City life in the late '80s.

The episode, called "Love is the Message," made history: Mock is the first trans woman of color to direct and write an episode of television. And it was well-received, with Entertainment Weekly referring to it as an "exemplary hour of television." This was Mock's first time behind the camera.

New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey won the Pulitzer Prize for their work toward exposing Harvey Weinstein's decades of alleged abuse in Hollywood.

The #MeToo movement made several strides in 2018, and investigative reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey were largely responsible. Their work on exposing the decades of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of Harvey Weinstein for The New York Times earned them a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service this year.

The Pulitzer website describes their victory as such: "For explosive, impactful journalism that exposed powerful and wealthy sexual predators, including allegations against one of Hollywood's most influential producers, bringing them to account for long-suppressed allegations of coercion, brutality and victim silencing, thus spurring a worldwide reckoning about sexual abuse of women." 

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NOW WATCH: How Oprah Winfrey earns and spends her billions

• Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient that assists with cognitive function, joint health, and cardiovascular strength.
• If you don't get enough omega-3s, you may experience dry, flaky skin and dermatitis.
• You could also experience heightened anxiety.

Omega-3 fatty acids are something you've probably heard a lot about — but might not be quite sure about what they can actually do for you. But, rest assured, omega-3s are important. According to the National Institute of Health, omega-3s are vital for cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and cancer prevention.

But what happens when you don't eat enough of them? INSIDER talked with Brigitte Zeitlin, a registered dietician and owner of BZ Nutrition, to find out the signs you might not be getting enough omega-3s — and what to do about it.

The signs of an omega-3 deficiency are more subtle than you might think, but can often be identified by a doctor.

"Most of the symptoms one would experience without an adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids are internal and have no real physical signs," Zeitlin told INSIDER. "They may experience higher amounts of inflammation in the body, they may have higher cholesterol, as well as an increased risk of heart disease, which requires blood work from your doctor to truly determine your health status."

That said, some signs are more clear than others.

"You may start to experience dry, rough, scaly skin, or dermatitis (inflamed skin)," Zeitlin said.

Because omega-3s were shown in a 2011 study to lessen anxiety, you could also experience heightened feelings of anxiety.

You will also want to take extra care to consume enough omega-3s if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

"An inadequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids will take a developmental toll on your baby, both physically and mentally," Zeitlin said. "So you want to make sure you are eating enough through your diet and taking a prenatal vitamin with omega-3."

So, how do you get your omega-3s?

Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as just popping a supplement. Although the back of a supplement bottle may promise to deliver sufficient daily amounts of omega-3s— which, according to Zeitlin, is [roughly] 1.1 grams for women, [roughly] 1.6 grams for men, [roughly] 1.4 grams for pregnant people, and [roughly] 1.6 grams for anyone who is lactating — supplements are not FDA regulated. So, while they can certainly be used to boost anyone's diet, it's difficult to know what's actually in them and shouldn't be used as the only source of omega-3s.

Instead, Zeitlin recommends eating foods known to be rich in omega-3s, such as hemp hearts, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, walnuts, edamame, and kidney beans.

"We know exactly how much omega-3s you are taking in for that meal," she told INSIDER. "Supplements are meant to supplement your dietary intake, not make up for it. So [the] first line of defense is always food."

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

• Admiral Home Insurance asked 20 people from 20 countries to photograph their fridges and reveal more about what’s inside.
• Some fridges are organized, while others describe theirs as "controlled chaos."
• People's favorite treats include fruit, jalapeno peppers, and almond butter.

The kitchen is often called "the heart of the home" because it's where people gather to cook and eat meals together. Refrigerators are a central part of kitchens around the world, and what people keep inside them can tell you a lot about their culture and household.

Admiral Home Insurance asked 20 people from around the world to open their fridge, take a photo, and describe what's inside.

Here's what people from 20 different countries like to eat, and how they keep it cold.

Argentina

"There are four of us in our household: Esther (62), Rubén (61), Agustina (26) and me (33)."— Miguel from Mendoza, Argentina

"We try not to be wasteful with food. If any food remains, we reheat it the next day and any leftovers go to the dog."

"My mum and dad take turns doing a big shopping trip once a month for non-perishable food. Then mum does a weekly trip for meats, vegetables, fruits, and bread. We take a car two kilometers [1.24 miles] to the supermarket, and from grocery stores we walk with items in bags or a trolley. As a special treat we have dulce de leche (caramel jam) and sometimes dulce de batata (sweet potato jam)."

Bangladesh

"Our fridge can be set to different temperatures. We have it set between 1°C and 4°C. All our cooked foods are kept in the coldest part of the fridge, along with raw meats and fish. Milk, cheese, yogurts and butter are all placed in a slightly less cool part of the fridge. There are three market places near our house. Most of the time we visit the Mistripara Market for our food shopping."— Bashanti from Bagerhat, Bangladesh

• An inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security found a lieutenant commander at the US Coast Guard Academy was retaliated against for complaining of racial bias.
• "It is intolerable that the Coast Guard has retaliated against a service member for making protected complaints of harassment and discrimination," Rep. Elijah Cummings told the Connecticut Mirror.

An inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security found a lieutenant commander at the US Coast Guard Academy was retaliated against for complaining of racial bias.

The inspection, reported by Ana Radelat of the Connecticut Mirror, found a "preponderance of evidence" that the officer received a poor evaluation as a result of her complaints that she was "subjected to harassment and a hostile work environment" due to her race and gender, according to the Mirror.

The inspectors also found "potential disparities" between the handling of the whistleblower's complaints and later complaints filed by a different member of the academy.

This is not the first time the academy has faced scrutiny for alleged racial discrimination, according to the Mirror. 

In a study by the University of Southern California called the "Equity Scorecard," the US Coast Guard Academy disproportionately disciplines African-American midshipmen, and black students are also "consistently less likely to graduate."

The academy is also under congressional investigation for "harassment, bullying and discrimination against minority cadets,"the Mirror reported. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) was one three lawmakers to request documents pertaining to harassment and bullying allegations over the last three years, according to the Mirror.

One of the others, Rep Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said in a statement to the Mirror: "It is intolerable that the Coast Guard has retaliated against a service member for making protected complaints of harassment and discrimination, and I expect the Coast Guard to immediately hold accountable all individuals who had any role in carrying out this retaliation."

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the academy, has ordered the Coast Guard to update the whistleblower's evaluation, and to document in writing the "reasons for findings and outcomes in response to bullying and harassment complaints," the Mirror reported. The academy must also provide training to supervisors and managers on the department's harassment and bullying policies, the report says. 

The Coast Guard Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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

• A new poll by Quinnipiac University found that New York City residents — even ones in Queens —largely support Amazon coming to town. 
• The 1,075 New York City voters polled were split on both the incentives the cities offered and how the deal went down, however.
• Amazon is reportedly hiring an external New York-focused public affairs team, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. 

Like it or not, Amazon has chosen Long Island City, Queens, for one of the campuses for its second headquarters project, which it calls HQ2.

It turns out, most New Yorkers do in fact like it, according to a new poll done by Quinnipiac University. In fact, 57% of New Yorkers say they welcome Amazon moving to the neighborhood, while 26% oppose it. The margin is even larger — 60% approval to 26% rejection — in Queens, where Amazon will be eventually be based.

That's a notable two-to-one margin, and comes as something of a surprise after local politicians and some community groups voiced opposition to Amazon's selection. Quinnipiac surveyed 1,075 New York City voters via random calls to landlines and cell phones  in late November and early December in order to conduct the poll.

New Yorkers are split, however, on the package of up to $3 billion in tax incentives the city and state are offering the company. It's a much narrower divide, with 46% supporting the incentives and 44% opposing it citywide. 

Read more:New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says he will continue to boycott Amazon as the state offers more than $1.5 billion for its HQ2

"While New Yorkers give the thumbs up to Amazon moving one of its new headquarters to Long Island City, they are divided over the sizeable carrot offered to the online retail giant," Mary Snow, polling analyst for the Quinnipiac University Poll, said in a statement. "They are united, however, in their view that New York City should have more of a say about Amazon's plans."

Respondents to the poll said they are mostly worried about housing costs rising, with 31% mentioning it as their biggest concern about Amazon's HQ2. That is followed by 25% worried about transportation and 20% concerned about general changes to quality of life. Around 19% of respondents are worried about all of that.

Adding to voters' dissatisfaction was how both New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo handled the HQ2 deal. Both got mixed grades from voters in the poll. New Yorkers also said they would have preferred the city to be more involved in the selection process.

Amazon is reportedly in late-stage talks with media-relations firm SKDKnickerbocker to handle its New York public outreach, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"We are excited to work with New Yorkers over the coming months and years to bring a new Amazon headquarters to Long Island City and help support the community," an Amazon spokeswoman told the Journal. "We are at the beginning of this process and we are going to be all hands on deck to ensure we continue to learn about the neighborhood and the community."

Amazon announced that its HQ2 would be split between Long Island City and the newly created National Landing area of Arlington, Virginia, on November 13. 

SEE ALSO: 54 workers became sick and one is in critical condition after a can of bear repellent released fumes in an Amazon warehouse

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

• Canadian authorities have arrested Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. 
• US officials have been investigating Huawei over alleged violations of the country's sanctions on Iran and are seeking to extradite Meng.
• The arrest comes amid a trade war between the US and China.

The chief financial officer of Chinese tech and telecoms giant Huawei has been arrested in Canada at the request of US authorities and faces extradition to the United States.

The Canadian Justice Department arrested Wanzhou Meng in Vancouver on Saturday, and US officials want Canada to extradite her, agency representative Ian McLeod said in an email to Business Insider. She will have a bail hearing on Friday, he added.

"As there is a publication ban in effect, we cannot provide any further detail at this time," McLeod said, adding, "The ban was sought by Ms. Meng."

Canadian authorities "provisionally detained" Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, while she was transferring flights in the country, company spokesman Chase Skinner said in a statement. She was arrested at the request of the US, he said. 

Meng was arrested on suspicion of violating the US's trade sanctions on Iran, The Globe And Mail and South China Morning Post reported. But Skinner said Huawei is unclear on why she was detained.

"The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng," he said. "The company believes the Canadian and US legal systems will ultimately reach a just conclusion."

He continued: "Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU."

Senator Sasse praised the arrest

US Department of Justice spokesman Marc Raimondi declined to comment on Meng's arrest or the circumstances surrounding it. But Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, praised the move, charging that China is undermining the US's "national security interests."

"Sometimes Chinese aggression is explicitly state-sponsored and sometimes it's laundered through many of Beijing’s so-called 'private' sector entities that are in bed with [Chinese President] Xi’s communist party," Sasses said in a statement.

Huawei is one of China's most prominent technology companies — a huge telecommunications firm and the world's second-biggest smartphone manufacturer.

Its devices have come under scrutiny from US authorities over spying fears, and the arrest of its CFO has the potential to further inflame tensions between the two countries amid a mounting trade war.

US authorities have been probing Huawei since at least 2016 for allegedly shipping US-origin products to Iran and other countries in violation of US export and sanctions laws, sources told Reuters in April.

Read this:The US is asking the world to say no to Chinese tech-giant Huawei

According to Meng's official company biography, she joined the company in 1993 and also serves as deputy chairwoman of the board.

SEE ALSO: Britain's spy chief joined the US in sounding the alarm on the Chinese company that sells more phones than Apple

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NOW WATCH: Why it's so difficult to land a spacecraft on Mars

• The luxury cruise line Seabourn plans to take 450 or so guests on a round-the-world tour in 2020.
• The Seabourn's flagship Sojourn liner is set to visit five continents in 146 days.
• Seabourn was recently recognized as the world's best luxury cruise line by Cruise Critic in their Editors' Pick Awards.

Would you embark on a 146-day cruise around the world?

That's exactly what Seabourn, a luxury cruise line, has in mind for its upcoming "Extraordinary Destinations" cruise. The line's flagship, the Seabourn Sojourn, is set to visit five continents and 62 ports in 146 days in 2020.

According to Seabourn, this marks the line's first world cruise in six years. The Sojourn is scheduled to cast off from Miami in January 2020 and reach its final destination, San Francisco, in May.

Here's a look inside the luxury cruise ship where passengers will reside during their voyage:

SEE ALSO: 17 historical photos that show how the wealthy once traveled on ships just like the Titanic

DON'T MISS: Carnival’s president spent a year traveling the world to meet some of her 43,000 employees — here are the 3 questions she asked them

READ MORE: A day in the life of a Disneyland manager who's worked there for 23 years, walks 5 miles daily around the park, and has a 'long-distance' marriage with his wife

The 650-foot Sojourn is registered in the Bahamas and can hold 458 passengers. Its fastest speed is 19 knots.

Source: Seabourn

In total, the ship will make stops in 26 countries.

Source: Seabourn

Some of the "Extraordinary Destinations" on the Sojourn's itinerary include Sydney, Australia ...

Source: Seabourn

• Trump said he plans to terminate NAFTA, setting off a firestorm among lawmakers.
• But both key Republicans and Democrats agree that he has no such legal authority.
• Lawmakers also warned of the "disruptive" economic effect that a sudden NAFTA withdrawal could have.

WASHINGTON — Key Republicans and Democrats are in agreement that President Donald Trump does not have any legal authority to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in an effort to force Congress to swiftly consider his new deal with Canada and Mexico.

Members of the Senate Finance Committee told INSIDER that Trump cannot just shred NAFTA, but would instead have to consult with Congress, where he would no doubt face significant hurdles without a concrete and agreed upon replacement already in place.

Read more:Republicans are freaking out about Trump's massive new tariffs

"I'll be terminating it within a relatively short period of time. We get rid of NAFTA. It's been a disaster for the United States. It's caused us tremendous amounts of unemployment and loss and company loss and everything else," Trump told reporters this week. "That'll be terminated. And so Congress will have a choice of the USMCA or pre-NAFTA, which worked very well."

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee, told reporters that Trump has no legal authority to withdraw, and he would require consent from Congress.

"The simple fact is NAFTA was enacted through legislation. It requires legislation to repeal it," Toomey said. "The bizarre thing about the administration’s contention is they acknowledge that if they changed one word in NAFTA they have to come back to Congress to get it approved, but somehow they can strike the whole thing and they don’t need Congress for that? That makes no sense and it is not consistent with the legislation."

And Toomey's feelings are felt across the political aisle. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, told INSIDER the Constitution's separation of powers is clear as day that Congress is in charge of NAFTA.

"Up at the White House, they ought to take out a copy of the Constitution. Article 1, Section 8, is very clear that Congress has the power to regulate foreign commerce and there’s also a Congressional Research Service analysis that supports it," he said.

The CRS analysis Wyden mentioned has stated any withdrawal would require congressional approval.

Wyden also said Trump is exhibiting lack of confidence in his United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) proposal.

"If the president was really confident that his trade proposal was going to work, he wouldn’t be playing this kind of brinkmanship and trying to throw this kind of muscle around," he said.

And Toomey suggested the president's rhetoric about wanting to tear up NAFTA is an attempt to kick-start consideration of the USMCA, but that it is a poor strategy to begin with.

"It appears the president is trying to say, 'you know it’s this or nothing.'" he said. "But when he doesn’t have the legal authority to enforce that choice, it's not a very good strategy."

But some suggested there is room for some kind of NAFTA dismantling by Trump, as long as he meets certain criteria.

"The president is given substantial authority in all of our trade dealings. But it’s not without restrictions," Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren told INSIDER. "In other words, certain factual findings are necessary first."

"As is often in the case, what the president proposes to do has to fit within a larger framework of what is legally permitted under the treaty," she added.

A rapid withdrawal from NAFTA could have devastating effects on the economy

In terms of the risks of a NAFTA withdrawal, Warren said the US needs a new deal to replace it, but without the risks of igniting a catastrophe that could devastate the economy.

"Look, we need a different NAFTA, but that means sitting down and negotiating for a NAFTA that works for American workers, small businesses, and farmers," she said. "Not just unilaterally just trying to start yet another trade war."

Toomey took a harder stance, saying a sudden or even timetabled withdrawal without a replacement could force the US economy into a downward spiral.

"It would be extremely disruptive," Toomey told INSIDER. "The markets would go haywire, I mean supply chains would be very, very disrupted. It’d be very harmful to the economy, to jobs in the United States."

Toomey has reiterated his sentiments to White House officials, but not yet to Trump.

"So it’s not a good policy," he added. "But as I say, I simply reject the idea he has the authority to do it."

SEE ALSO: US senators furious with Saudi Arabia after classified briefing with CIA Director Gina Haspel

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NOW WATCH: Fox News' Harris Faulkner is the only black woman in cable news with a daily show: 'It's a tremendous amount of responsibility'

• The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) named Idris Elba's 16-year-old daughter Isan as their 2019 Golden Globe Ambassador, an esteem traditionally awarded to the child of a celebrity.
• Her appointment into the position came as a shock to Isan.
• The ambassador will also be celebrating a birthday during Golden Globes weekend.
• Her father calls her "Issy."

Mere days after being named People's Sexiest Man Alive Idris Elba is making room for the newest rising star in his family. Last month, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) named the actor's 16-year-old daughter Isan as their 2019 Golden Globe Ambassador, an esteem traditionally awarded to the child of a celebrity.

Formerly referred to as Miss or Mister Golden Globe, the HFPA rebranded and expanded the role in order to "help recognize the HFPA's philanthropic efforts throughout the year." The job is also meant to represent a more inclusive and gender-neutral honor.

In addition to handing out the trophies to eventual winners of the 76th Annual Golden Globes next month, Isan is tasked with bringing awareness to a cause of her choosing.

Don't know much else about the up-and-coming star? Here are 10 quick facts about Isan Elba.

Her appointment into the position came as a shock even to Isan.

At the HFPA event announcing Isan's role, Isan admitted that she was unaware that her parents even submitted her name for considering.

"I had no idea," she revealed to Variety. "My dad texted me and I was like, did he text to the wrong number? But then Mom explained it all to me."

After graduation, Isan has her sights set on Hollywood, but not as an actor.

Growing up, Isan originally wanted to become an actress. According to Glamour, however, her famous father's directorial stint in with the film "Yardie" has steered her in a different direction.

"I really got to see all of the behind-the-scenes, like what the sound department does, the lighting department, the best boy, etc. I didn't even know what a best boy was before," she divulged. "And then getting to hang out with the producers, that was really cool. So I'm definitely thinking about being a filmmaker."

That doesn't mean that she's limiting her career to just one, though.

Although being an aspiring filmmaker is the goal, Isan isn't planning on sticking with one job, equating her father's many professions as a source of inspiration for her own career.

"My dad is an actor, a DJ, a director, all of it. So I'll probably be all over the place too,"she told Glamour. "And don't forget mental health advocate. "Yes, I love that title," she said.

•  AbbVie acquired the buzzy cancer drug Rova-T in a 2016 deal worth up to $10.2 billion.
• But the company just stopped enrolling a late-stage trial at an independent committee's recommendation because patients had shorter survival results on the drug.
• Wall Street had already been lowering its expectations for Rova-T earlier this year.

AbbVie bought the cancer drug dubbed "Rova-T" in a high-profile, up to $10.2 billion deal two years ago — a deal that is looking worse and worse as this year stretches on.

The latest evidence piling up against the drug came on Wednesday afternoon, as the pharmaceutical company disclosed that, in a late-stage trial, patients with lung cancer who took the drug stayed alive for a shorter time than those on the control arm, who were treated with standard chemotherapy.

AbbVie said that it will stop enrollment for the phase 3 trial, called TAHOE, which had been testing Rova-T as a second-line medication for advanced small-cell lung cancer.

In doing so, the company followed the recommendation of an independent Data Monitoring Committee, which applied only to the TAHOE study and not other Rova-T trials, AbbVie said.

The drugmaker is also testing Rova-T for other indications, including as a third-line small-cell lung cancer treatment, a first-line small-cell lung cancer treatment, and in neuroendocrine tumors.

Rova-T, also called rovalpituzumab tesirine, was developed to target a protein called DLL3 that is expressed in most small-cell lung cancer patient's tumors but not in healthy tissue, according to AbbVie.

The company bought Rova-T as the lead product of cancer-drug company Stemcentrx in 2016, highlighting the drug's potential alongside four other new compounds for diseases like breast cancer, ovarian cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

The deal was valued at about $5.8 billion in cash and stock, with investors eligible for up to $4 billion more if the company met certain terms. 

Read more:AbbVie spent billions on a buzzy Silicon Valley cancer drug company. Now Wall Street's calling the deal a 'dud.'

But AbbVie already said earlier this year that it wouldn't try for faster-than-usual approval in one of those areas, third-line relapsed/refractory small cell lung cancer.

A data release in June also left Wall Street analysts less-than-impressed, Business Insider previously reported, though company executives said then that they remained encouraged about Rova-T's potential in small-cell lung cancer and other areas.  

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NOW WATCH: Beautiful time-lapse videos show how much China has changed over the years

• A woman is suing Hilton Worldwide for $100 million, claiming that she was filmed in the shower during her stay at one of its hotels in Albany, New York. 
• The plaintiff says she was then blackmailed by the suspected filmer, who allegedly posted the video to several pornographic sites and sent it to her friends and coworkers.
• In a lawsuit filed on Friday, the plaintiff said she believed the person must have been an employee at the hotel as they knew her personal details. 

A Chicago woman is suing Hilton Worldwide for $100 million, claiming that she was filmed in the shower during her stay at one of its hotels in Albany, New York. 

In a lawsuit filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court on Friday, the plaintiff — identified as "Jane Doe"— claims that she was filmed by an unknown person while staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Albany in 2015. 

She said she did not become aware of this until September of this year, when she received an anonymous email with a link to the video, which she said had been posted to a pornography site. 

"I click on it and I see my face and profile in a bathroom and I start screaming," Doe told Good Morning America on Tuesday. "I just immediately started screaming. It was devastating on kind of a cellular level because I didn't know. ... I had no clue, I had no context for this."

In the lawsuit, Doe said that she then received several more emails from the person, who threatened to expose the video and her identity unless she sent nude videos of herself to them.

"I'm a perv. I don't hurt anyone. I like to watch," the person wrote in an email, according to the court filing. "No need to worry about me. I just like to watch and then I move on to the next."

In another email: "Promise me my own show. That's the hottest. No need to show your face. Then I disappear and remove the videos forever before they get copied on every website."

Minutes later, the video was posted to PornHub.com, court documents said. 

Read more: Here's how to check if you were one of the 500 million customers affected by the Marriott hack

The person then allegedly went on to send the video to Doe's friend and colleagues from an email address that was in her name. The person later demanded money and said that if Doe did not pay, it would be sent to more people, according to the filing. 

"It was just absolutely traumatizing because these are people I went to law school with," she told Good Morning America. "They're friends, they're coworkers. And they were sent a link to what looks like an email I sent."

The video was subsequently posted on several more pornographic sites, according to the court filing.

Doe is now suing the Hilton Worldwide for $100 million. A spokesperson for Hilton did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, but told The Associated Press that it will support the Albany hotel's management team as they investigate.

In the lawsuit, Doe said that she believes the person in question is an employee of the hotel because they had access to the rooms and to her personal details.

See the lawsuit below:

SEE ALSO: A Hilton exec explains how technology keeps the hotel chain relevant after nearly 100 years

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NOW WATCH: 7 things you shouldn't buy on Black Friday

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.

Setting aside those who are fortunate enough to live where the weather is nice year round, we can all agree that it's undeniably cold outside — and owning a warm winter jacket is a must.

While there are plenty of warm winter jackets for men and women all over the web, Nordstrom's sale section is full of hidden deals. You can find deeply discounted jackets, ranging from puffer jackets and parkas to trench coats and peacoats, from top brands like Cole Haan, Marc New York, Bonobos, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and more.

To help you sort through the many options, we rounded up 31 winter jackets and coats for men and women that you can buy on sale right now at Nordstrom. If you're also looking for a solid pair of boots to go along with your outfit, check out 30 pairs we found on sale at Nordstrom here.

Shop men's coats at Nordstrom here >>

Shop women's coats at Nordstrom here >>

Men's Cole Haan Italian Overcoat

Cole Haan Italian Overcoat, $299, available in five colors, (Originally $598) [You save $299]

Men's Michael Kors Double Breasted Peacoat

Michael Kors Double Breasted Peacoat, $99.90 (Originally $350) [You save $250.01]

Men's Cole Haan Faux Fur Collar Parka

Cole Haan Faux Fur Collar Parka, $147.50 (Originally $295) [You save $147.50]