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| | | Quote of the Day | | "Wait I need a crop top from USPS" â A woman, after browsing the Postal Service's online store. She gave it the stamp of approval. | | |
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The Story New York's AG is trying to dissolve the NRA. Explain. Yesterday, Attorney General Letitia James sued the National Rifle Association after an 18-month investigation found evidence of fraud and abuse. The lawsuit alleges that NRA execs misused charitable funds for personal expenses â including longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, who allegedly used the money for golf membership fees, private jets, and a yacht. And that they arranged contracts for their friends and family to earn money. According to the lawsuit, that financial misconduct cost the NRA $64 million over a three-year period. Yikes. Indeed. The NRA was founded in 1871 as an association for sport shooting and for years focused on hunting and marksmanship. But in recent decades, the org's become a lobbying powerhouse for gun-rights legislation. It's also a big donor to many Republican politicians, including raising $30 million to support then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016. As a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, it's come under scrutiny in recent years amid several deadly mass shootings. And the group's also faced questions about its spending before. What's the NRA saying about this? It filed a countersuit. NRA President Carolyn Meadows called the claims "baseless" and a "premeditated attack" on the org and the Second Amendment. And suggested it was a purely political move amid the 2020 election. President Trump â who has his own beef with the NY AG â called the lawsuit "terrible." And suggested the NRA move to Texas. But because the nonprofit is chartered in NY, the AG has the power to regulate it and could force it to stop its operations or dissolve. And she's also looking to bar the four execs from ever serving on a charity's board again. theSkimm The NRA's already faced financial trouble this year and reportedly laid off or furloughed over 200 employees amid the coronavirus pandemic. Now, with this latest lawsuit, the org is facing a potentially long legal fight to stay afloat. | | |
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What's facing a deadline... TikTok. Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order banning the Chinese video-sharing app in 45 days unless it's sold, citing national security concerns. The order would also bar US companies from having transactions with TikTok's owner, ByteDance. A second EO with the same conditions was also issued against WeChat â a Chinese-owned messaging app. The orders come as Microsoft tries to sort out a deal to not only buy TikTok's US operations, but apparently its entire global business. The Trump admin has raised concerns the companies could share users' data with the Chinese government. But WeChat's US data is apparently stored in Canada. And TikTok, which said the move "sets a dangerous precedent," has claimed its data is stored in the US. The news adds to growing tensions between the US and China. | | |
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What's seeing updates... Beirut. Yesterday, 16 Beirut port officials were reportedly arrested over this week's explosion, caused by the detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate at the city's port. Investigators are still looking into possible negligence amid reports that the gov had repeatedly ignored warnings about the "floating bomb" that killed 145 people, injured 5,000, and left hundreds of thousands homeless. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Lebanon â a former French colony â and promised to organize an international conference to raise money for aid. He also called for reforms in the country, which has been marred by corruption and political and economic instability. | | |
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Who's making planes spell 'history' in the skies... Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown Jr. Yesterday, he started his first day as the Air Force's new chief of staff. He's the first Black man ever to lead a branch of the US military. Brown served in the Middle East and led the air war against the Islamic State. He thanked "the perseverance" of those who served before him â including the Tuskegee Airmen â for inspiring him and others. | | |
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| | | "The Death of Vivek Oji" by Akwaeke Emezi This week, we're partnering with Book of the Month to bring you an exclusive Skimm Read. Join Book of the Month now to get a copy for only $9.99. And then pick from five books every month to get one delivered right to your door. Find out more here.
This novel starts with the death of the main character, Vivek Oji, and works backward. Set in a town in southeastern Nigeria, it tells the story of Vivek's coming-of-age, and escalating struggles with identity. The book deals with family, sexuality and gender identity, and will stay with you long after you've read the last page. |
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| Summer is here. Check out our fave picks for the seasonâ¦
1. A virtual shopping event. Called Hauliday, hosted by Cosmo. They have deals up to 50% off from brands you love like Adidas and Sephora. It's going down tomorrow riiiight over here. Ready, set, shop.
2. 28 Pinterest food hacks...and whether they actually work. We know you've been losing sleep wondering if you can actually make bread from a blender. Rest easy, the verdict is in.
3. 10-minute workouts. Because you're sooo busy with plans these days. Bookmark these now, sweat it out later.
PS: Want more? Sign up to get weekly recs in your inbox. |
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| 1. College students across the US are preparing to head back to school. But fall semester looks different this year. On this week's episode of "Skimm This" we spoke to some undergrads about how it's going, and asked someone in charge how they're planning to keep students and faculty safe.
2. It's easy to mess up your sleep schedule. Especially in quarantine. We have product recs to help you fall (and stay) asleep. Think: A contoured eye mask and noise machine.
3. Virtual onboarding and back-to-back Zoom calls is probably not how you envisioned starting a new job. We've got some tips to help calm the first-day nerves if you're remote during COVID-19. |
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| In times like these, community matters more than ever. Let us know how you (or someone you know) is making an impact by helping others.
Beaming with pride for...Daniela FB (IN). She's a former Skimm HQ'r who's been selected for Poynter and The Washington Post's Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media. She got in on her first try and is among 32 journalists to receive the honor. Her husband (and all of us at Skimm HQ) couldn't be more proud.
At your neighborly service...Christine K (NY). She co-founded Community Growth Center, a nonprofit that provides holistic health services free of charge. It's also helping families tackle food insecurity amid the pandemic with "Sunday Dinners" â meal kits that provide ingredients for healthy dinners. Learn more here.
(Some) Birthdays...theSkimm's Ching-Ching Liu (NY), Anna Gastfriend Shain (DC), Dana Stern (NY), Gennifer Greebel (NY), Andrea Roberts (NY), Hoda Kotb (NY), Jeremy Goldberg (NY), Caroline Lobel (NJ), Sophia Sherry (NY), Jane Sottosanti (NJ), Christina Hartlage (TN), Meaghan McGrath (PA), Tracy Power (NJ), Jason Starrett (LA), Madison Thatcher (IL), Syretta Hadrick (IL)
*Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured. |
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| Skimmâd by Maria del Carmen Corpus, Mariza Smajlaj, Ellen Burke, Niven McCall-Mazza, Clem Robineau, and Julie Shain |
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