Skimm'd on the rocks

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FEBRUARY 23, 2018

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Skimm'd on the rocks


  QUOTE OF THE DAY  

"I ask questions and I answer them in your voice" – Tiffany Haddish was surprised by Oprah. And did not play it cool.

THINGS HAPPENING FAR AWAY

Nigeria

The Story

Boko Haram attacked a girls school in northeast Nigeria this week. And it's unclear how many students were abducted.

I'm having deja vu...

You know Boko Haram as the Islamist militant group that's been terrorizing Nigeria for years. The group made international headlines in 2014 when it kidnapped almost 300 schoolgirls. Some of those girls have since been freed but around 100 are still being held hostage.

So what just happened?

Since this week's attack, there's been a lot of conflicting information about what exactly went down. One official reportedly says the military has rescued most of the girls and recovered the bodies of two others. Other officials say that more than 50 students are still missing.

theSkimm

After the 2014 kidnapping, the Nigerian gov was scrutinized for its response time. And many thought the president at the time didn't do enough to stop the group. This latest incident is leaving people thinking the gov still has a lot of work to do.


Haiti

The Story

The Haitian gov is putting a major British nonprofit on notice.

Remind me.

Oxfam is one of the UK's largest charities and sends aid workers to areas in crisis. Earlier this month, it came out that Oxfam staff in Haiti allegedly hired prostitutes while they were there helping after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Oxfam has admitted that it investigated the allegations back in 2011, and that the employees involved were either fired or resigned.

What's the latest?

Haiti is suspending Oxfam Great Britain for two months while it investigates what actually happened. And is reportedly looking into whether any of the aid dollars Oxfam got to help Haiti were actually spent on prostitutes.

theSkimm

Thousands of donors have already cut ties with Oxfam. No matter where this lands, one of the UK's most prominent charities is in trouble.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when things get heated at the dinner table...

The gun control debate is doing the same. Yesterday, President Trump repeated his idea to arm teachers to help prevent future school shootings. Not everyone's on board with this idea. Who is? The head of the NRA, who yesterday said gun control advocates are using the shooting for political gain because "they hate individual freedom." Meanwhile, BlackRock – an asset management firm and one of the largest investors in gun makers – says it's going to have a little chat with these companies to understand "how they are responding to society's expectations of them."


What to say when you hear there are even more charges against Paul Manafort...

Must be stressful. Latvia can relate. Its banking system is going through a major financial scandal. This all started last week, when the US accused a Latvian bank of money laundering and violating international sanctions by working with companies with ties to North Korea. The US threatened Latvia with sanctions of its own. And the European Central Bank froze the bank's payments. Now the Latvian bank is asking the country's central bank for a nearly $600 million emergency loan to keep itself afloat. This bank is one of Latvia's largest lenders and reportedly one of its largest taxpayers. So if it collapses, it could have a ripple effect across the country. Meanwhile, on top of all this, the head of Latvia's central bank is being investigated for allegedly taking a bribe in an unrelated case. Yikes.


What to say when you hear a major school co-founder got axed...

Who's next? Some are calling for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens to resign. That's because yesterday, the Republican was charged with invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a nude picture of someone and then making it viewable on a computer. Last month, the media reported Greitens had an affair back in '15, including that he allegedly tried to blackmail the woman. Greitens admitted to the affair but denies the blackmail. Local lawmakers say they want to do their own investigation. His lawyer says the charge is "baseless." Meanwhile Brendan Fraser is speaking out about why he took a break from acting. He says that back in '03, the then-head of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association – Philip Berk – groped him at a lunch event. And says that's why the HFPA – which gives out the Golden Globes – mostly stopped inviting him to the awards show. Berk is no longer HFPA president but is still in the org. He denies the allegation.


What to say when you plan to spend your weekend museum hopping…

Really into Neanderthal works right now. New research shows that Neanderthals were the OG Monet. Scientists analyzed cave art in Spain and found that the paintings date back tens of thousands of years before modern humans were ever in Europe. The findings mean that Neanderthals were more sophisticated than we thought. As in were capable of things like understanding symbols. Draw me like one of your Neanderthal girls.


What to say when you hear Quincy Jones feels bad about that interview

Kylie Jenner feels bad for Snapchat.


What to say when you hear Regina George might be facing motherhood

Margaret Brennan is facing the nation.

PEOPLE MORE FIT THAN YOU

The Olympics are almost over. Tear. Here's what you need to know before the games close up shop…


Alina Zagitova: The 15-year-old who beat her Russian rival Evgenia Medvedeva to win gold in women's figure skating. It was a Russia versus Russia face-off. And we all won by watching it.


John Shuster: One of the reasons you need to start paying attention to curling. The Team USA captain is hoping to lead his curling team to gold in the final against Sweden this weekend. Whether it's gold or silver, it will be the highest medal in Olympic curling history for the US.


Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir: The former figure skaters-turned-NBC analysts who are more fabulous than you. They've been slaying the Olympics with their commentary and now they're hosting this weekend's closing ceremony. The Internet awaits their coordinated outfits.

SKIMM LIFE

SKIMM FAVES

For when your BFF moves away...

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*PS This is a sponsored section

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