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Stormy Daniels testified in former President Trump’s criminal trial.

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US erotic star Stormy Daniels speaks during an interview with the dpa at the erotic fair "Venus" at the exhibition grounds in Berlin

Taking the Stand

The Story

Stormy Daniels testified in former President Trump’s criminal trial.

Spill the tea.

The adult-film actress laid out, in great detail, what is at the center of the case: her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. In her testimony, Daniels said the former president made sexual advances toward her after they met at a celebrity golf tournament in 2006. Daniels said she had sex with Trump after he invited her to dinner in his hotel suite, where he greeted her in silk pajamas. She said she felt “an imbalance of power” and that the experience left her shaken. Daniels testified she received $130,000 from Trump’s then-lawyer for her silence just days before the 2016 election. As for the former president, he was in the courtroom.

What did that look like?

Trump apparently acted out. The judge had to privately ask lawyers to stop the former president from “cursing audibly” and shaking his head. At one point, Trump appeared to say “that's bulls***” when Daniels said she spanked him with a magazine. Trump’s lawyer called for a mistrial, saying Daniels’ testimony included details that were outside the scope of the trial. The judge denied the request, even though he agreed there were things that were “better left unsaid.” This isn’t the end of the courtroom drama, as Daniels is expected to resume her testimony tomorrow.

theSkimm

Daniels’ testimony marked the most dramatic day yet in Trump’s criminal trial, giving the public graphic details of the former president’s alleged actions. Whether it has any impact on the jury or voters in November is to be determined.

and also...this

What researchers are looking into…

Cancer risks in Black women. As medicine advances, cancer deaths in the US have been dropping since 1991…except among Black women. According to the American Cancer Society, Black women are more likely to die of breast, cervical, and endometrial cancers than white women. Now, what may be the largest study of its kind is trying to find out why. The American Cancer Society will be tracking 100,000 Black women across 20 states. The participants — who must be cancer-free at the start of the study — will be followed over 30 years, with doctors assessing their lifestyle choices, experiences with racism, and how these factors play a role in their cancer risk. The study comes as Black women have been underrepresented in clinical trials and have faced a history of discrimination in health care.


What’s ready to sound off...

TikTok. Yesterday, the social media company sued the federal government over a new law requiring parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US. Officials have warned that TikTok’s ties to Beijing could endanger national security — a claim that the social media company denies. In the lawsuit, TikTok said the new law violates the First Amendment rights of the app’s 170 million American users. The legal challenge could make its way to the Supreme Court.


What’s getting a rebrand…

The Boy Scouts of America. After 114 years, the organization is changing its name to Scouting America in an effort to foster inclusion. The new name comes as the organization has faced controversy in recent years, with Boy Scouts paying $150 million to settle abuse lawsuits and subsequently filing for bankruptcy in 2020. The name change is another shift for the group, which recently reversed its policy banning gay troops and leaders, in addition to allowing girls to join. There are just over 1 million kids enrolled in Boy Scouts.


While Panera Bread is no longer squeezing Charged Lemonades

Sweetgreen is raising eyebrows with its new beefy item.


What people are getting honest about…

Girls’ trips.


Who pet parents are apparently turning to...

Bougie vets.


Whose look sparked new backlash…

Kim Kardashian’s.

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