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| | | Quote of the Day | | "Just think how much you're going to be able to catch up on Netflix" â A former astronaut on NASA's search for volunteers to live in a Martian habitat. Quarantine binge-watching's about to get tested. | | |
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| Things Resisting Restrictions | | |
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Florida The Story There's a showdown over masks in the Sunshine State's schools. What's the situation? Last month, the CDC recommended that all teachers, staff, and students wear masks indoors â regardless of vax status. And said there's a new variant on the block â delta. Days later, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) scrapped the CDC's lesson plan â issuing an executive order that lets parents decide whether their child wears a mask in the classroom. And said any district that mandates masks could lose state funding. What are people saying? Two lawsuits are challenging DeSantis' EO. And some Florida school districts are keeping masks on their 'back to school' lists. It comes as Florida's seen record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations for six straight days. But DeSantis says parents should have the final say when it comes to their kids. And the state's Board of Education is backing him up, allowing parents to use a scholarship to transfer their kiddos from schools where they face mask mandates and "harassment." theSkimm Florida's lax restrictions have stood out throughout the pandemic. Even as health experts are blaring the alarm on delta, some officials in the Sunshine State aren't letting the variant cloud its stance. | | |
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France The Story Hundreds of thousands of people in France have taken to the streets. Over what? The country's new health pass. Starting today, French citizens will have to show proof of vaccination, immunity, or negative COVID-19 test for things like riding on trains, dining in restaurants, and going to venues. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the pass last month amid a surge in new cases due to the delta variant. And it worked. At least 7 million people have received their first vaccine dose since Macron broke the news. But not everyone's on board. Go on. Over the weekend, more than 230,000 people across France protested the health pass â the fourth straight weekend of demonstrations. Anarchists, far-right activists, and anti-vaxxers have taken to the streets. Many have decried the health pass as a violation of freedom and gov overreach. Some even compared the French gov's policy to the Nazi regime. And have vandalized vaccination centers in anger. But Macron has said vaccinations are what "our freedom depends on." theSkimm Protests against health requirements aren't unique to France. Germany and Italy have seen them too. And while health experts worry about getting the virus under control, some experts worry that far-right groups could be using the anti-vax movement to their advantage. | | |
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Where things are getting worse... Afghanistan. Yesterday, the Taliban took hold of at least three cities including the key northern provincial capital of Kunduz. The Biden admin is preparing to wrap up the US's military efforts in Afghanistan by the end of this month â ending a nearly two-decade long war. And as American troops prepare to come home, the Taliban has captured more than half of Afghanistan's roughly 420 districts. The group first started its offensive in the rural parts of the country. But in recent weeks, it's shifted its focus to more urban areas. And now, they've got control over Kunduz â a city with over 340,000 residents about 200 miles from the country's capital, Kabul. The Afghan gov and forces are struggling to keep the Taliban at bay. On watch: Human rights orgs are concerned about an increase in civilian deaths amid the fighting. But the Biden admin says it's confident that Afghan forces have "the training, equipment, and numbers to prevail." | | |
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Where people are watching... California. The Dixie Fire is now the second-largest recorded wildfire in California's history. The fire was ignited on July 13, and winds have sent the flames towards small towns. It's only 21% contained as the fire has destroyed most of Greenville and burned over 463,000 acres. With high temps and dry conditions, the fire has been able to spread far, fast. But investigators are still looking into what set it all off: On Friday, a federal judge ordered PG&E to give info on a tree that allegedly fell on one of its power lines where the fire originated. The utility company has said its equipment may have played a role and will respond to the judge's order. Ringing the alarm: This year has already seen record heat waves and wildfires across the globe, including in Greece and Turkey. One UN climate leader is warning that the world may be getting "dangerously close" to running out of time on fighting climate change. | | |
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What's taking action... Apple. Last week, it unveiled plans to scan US iPhones for images of child sexual abuse. The system will take a look at photos uploaded to iCloud. And if anything seems suspicious, an actual person will review the image. If the pic is dubbed child abuse then the user's account will be disabled and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be notified. Supporters â including child advocates like Ashton Kutcher â see this move as a critical step in the right direction. Critics â including privacy advocates like Edward Snowden â see it as "mass surveillance." And a way in for hackers and foreign governments to iSpy on users. | | |
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Who's coming home⦠Olympians. The cauldron's out at the Olympic Games. Team USA took home the most medals (113) and the most gold (39), narrowly beating China. A lot of that is thanks to the women, who are taking home 66 medals. Track star Allyson Felix is now the most decorated US track and field athlete in Olympic history. Simone Biles reminded us it's okay to say 'no' and prioritize our mental health. The US women's basketball team took its seventh gold medal in a row. Hot oily Tonga guy made a comeback. Fans did not. The Games were the first since WWII to be delayed (in this case because of COVID-19). And while dozens of athletes tested positive for COVID-19, it's not clear the Games served as the superspreader event many in Japan had feared. Next up: The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing kick off in February.
PS: We Skimm'd some of the major Olympic moments and takeaways here. | | |
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| | | The 3-1-1 rule A catchy name for TSA's liquid, gel, and aerosol limits. Reminder: You can fly with containers up to 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in your carry-on â as long as they fit in one quart-size bag.
Psst...you're gonna wanna make some room in that bag. Because Augustinus Bader's science-backed skincare now comes in travel-friendly sizes. Pretty great news considering their formulas are proven to hydrate, nourish, and renew. So skin looks its best, feels smooth, and stays healthy. It's no wonder they've won over 55 industry awards in less than four years and were recently named "The Greatest Skincare of All Time" by 300 beauty experts and insiders. Get ready, jet set, go add to cart. |
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| Here are today's recs to help you live a smarter lifeâ¦
1. A new kind of emotional support system. Designed for those big feeling moments (like back-to-school). Slumberkins uses evidence-based techniques to create products and free resources (think: cuddly friends and storybook sets) that help parents teach kids resilience, confidence, and empathy. Plus, Skimm'rs get 20% off.*
2. A wallet-friendly way to get your closet ready for fall. Saks OFF 5TH's got layers on layers with the chicest looks for those incoming cooler temps. With brands like IRO, Vince, and Theory. And Skimm'rs can get up to 70% off every day. Yes, please.*
3. Organic groceries that are good for you (and the planet). This online marketplace is aiming to be the first climate-positive grocery store. And carbon-negative by 2025. PS: Skimm'rs get $20 off their first purchase and a little something special. Get shopping.*
4. Our guide to protecting your vaccine card. We've rounded up holders and lanyards that'll keep your VIP (very important paper) safe and sound. Here's to staying protected in style.
5. 6 new-ish books we're loving on Audible right now. It's National Book Lovers Day, aka no better time to queue up a soppy romance or a creepy thriller for your weekly grocery-store run. These books are a download away â get ready to dive in.
6. And everything a book lover needs in their life. From page markers to tote bags. If you're a big reader, we've got some stuff you'll love. Time to get lit(erary). | | *PS: This is a sponsored post. |
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| We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.
Code away...Clare O (NY). At 33, she learned to code and quickly became recognized as one of Uganda's top software engineers. And she's not stopping anytime soon. Clare's got plans to get her master's degree in the UK.
Picking up the pen...Candice W-H (TN). She wrote and published her first children's book "How Come." All while being a mom of four, manager, and friend. Take a peek.
(Some) Birthdays...Dana Stern (NY), Andrea Roberts (NY), Hoda Kotb (NY), Jeremy Goldberg (NY), Morgan McDougald (SC), Amy Goettle (TX), Elaina Cipriano (MA), Jeanne Dupre (LA), Kacee Reynolds (IL), Kasey Mueller (IL), Melisa Raudales (OH), Teresa Cain (FL), Jeff Bridges (CO), Judy Hankom (IA), Becca Flim (NJ), Neha Khurana (NJ)
*Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured. |
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| Meet Mandi Woodruff-Santos. We asked her to Skimm her career as a successful podcast producer and host. Plus, everything from her equipment recommendations to her dream guest and her advice to those looking to start their own show.
And if you're looking for other smart ways to spend your time⦠Listen to our news podcast "Skimm This" for clarity on the biggest stories of the week. Tune in to our podcast "9 to 5ish with theSkimm" for tips to navigate your career. Subscribe to our "Skimm Money" newsletter to keep up to date with your wallet. Sign up for our "Skimm Your Life" newsletter for curated shopping, reads, and entertainment recs. Follow us on the gram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. Download our app to get it all in one place. |
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| Friends don't let friends get bogged down in headlines. So click that share button to send theSkimm to your network. Because, as they say, sharing is caring. | | | | | | Or use this referral link theskimm.com/?r=98d063bf |
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| Skimmâd by Rashaan Ayesh, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Julie Shain |
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