Skimm'd with hard seltzer

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MAY 09, 2018

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Skimm'd with hard seltzer


  QUOTE OF THE DAY  

"The citation for family members yelling out is $1,030″ – One high school's solution to graduation season. Because nothing screams 'celebration' like tepid applause.

PULLING OUT

The Story

President Trump is taking the US out of the Iran nuclear deal.

Remind me.

The Obama-era deal between the US, Iran, and five other countries lifted heavy economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for it curbing its nuclear weapons program. President Trump says it doesn't go far enough to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. So he pulled the US out.

So what exactly does pulling out mean?

The US is bringing sanctions back. Iran has to decide if it's worth staying in the deal with the others now that the US is backing out. Also, if that doesn't work, Iran's president says the country can apparently start its uranium enrichment "without any limitations" in just weeks. Great.

What do US allies say?

Wish you hadn't done that, but we'll go on without you. This move alienates the US from the UK, France, and Germany after they lobbied hard for Trump to stay in the deal.

What does Iran say?

Wish you hadn't done that, but we'll be fine without you. Even though this won't help Iran's struggling economy, the country's central bank apparently thinks these sanctions won't have "a significant effect."

Anything else?

All this comes as Sec of State Mike Pompeo is in North Korea to prep for Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's meeting to talk about the country's nuclear program. He's also expected to get three detained Americans released. Stay tuned.

theSkimm

Supporters of Trump's decision say it's about time the US cracked down hard on Iran. Critics say it could cause Iran to start playing with nukes again.


PS: We talked to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) about the Iran nuclear deal and how it could affect a potential deal with North Korea.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when your friend won't give deets on their new SO...

Shady. Yesterday, a report came out that Michael Cohen – President Trump's personal lawyer – apparently got $500,000 from a company controlled by a Russian oligarch. You've heard of Cohen. He's the one who paid off porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. And was raided by the FBI last month. Yesterday, it came out that Cohen may have gotten money from a company linked to a Russian oligarch – who has ties to Russian President Putin and is on the US's sanctions list. After the election, the company apparently deposited some cash into a shell company that Cohen uses. The same shell company that Stormy Daniels' attorney claims might have been used to pay her off. Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators are reportedly asking questions about the payments. The company is saying 'nothing to see here.'


What to say when you hear Christiane Amanpour is officially replacing Charlie Rose

Good idea. At least four more execs left Nike in the middle of its internal investigation into workplace behavior. Last year, a group of female Nike employees did an informal survey on sexual harassment and discrimination in the office. Turns out...yup, it's a problem. Some women were apparently taken to a strip club or kissed without their consent. Some complained to HR, but weren't taken seriously. Earlier this year, the group filled the CEO in on the survey. And six execs were shown the door – including the head of diversity and inclusion. Last week, the CEO apologized to employees and reportedly said more people will pack their desks soon. Now at least four more are saying 'buh bye.' Nike is now working to fix things and make sure employees are treated equally. Makes sense.


What people are watching…

The Democratic Republic of Congo. Yesterday, the country declared an Ebola outbreak after at least 17 people died. Ebola is the deadly disease that killed more than 11,000 people a few years ago. Now the Democratic Republic of Congo is dealing with another wave of it. In the past five weeks, there have been 21 suspected cases, including 17 deaths. The World Health Organization said it is working with the gov to control the situation.


What to say when you hear Uber is joining forces with NASA

Making updates. Yesterday, Facebook played musical chairs with its execs. Don't worry, Mark Zuckerberg is still CEO. The shuffle comes after a rocky couple of months for the company. These moves are expected to improve communication and user privacy. Oh, and the co is also adding a new blockchain division because the future is here. Google's got some updates too. Yesterday was the start of Google I/O – the company's annual developer conference. Here's what's new: your Android can now stop you from spending too much time on Insta. And go into Do Not Disturb mode when you face it down. It'll also give you iPhone X vibes. Google Assistant can make reservations for you in John Legend's voice. And Gmail will finish your sentences. Romantic.


What to say when your co-worker asks if you're still on for drinks…

Confirmed. Just like Gina Haspel is hoping to be during her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill today. She's up for the job of CIA director. But could be in for a bumpy ride. One reason: she once oversaw a CIA black site prison in Thailand where terrorism suspects were waterboarded. Supporters say she has the experience the agency needs, and shouldn't be blocked based on what was done in the aftermath of 9/11. Critics say confirming her will signal that the US is willing to sweep torture under the rug.


What to say when you hear the Mormon church is cutting ties with the Boy Scouts...

Guess it's too late for an olive branch.

THING TO KNOW

Orbiting

The new ghosting. When a person disappears out of your life…except they're still there, all over your social media. Gone, but not really gone.

SKIMM PICKS

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For when you want to help your mom out on Mother's Day…

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For your mom who watches "30 Rock" reruns…

Get your Liz Lemon fix with a side of David Letterman. Tina Fey sits down with Letterman to talk about life as a mom, the fallout from that time she ate cake on SNL, and making "Mean Girls" into a Broadway show. There ain't no party like a Liz Lemon party, er, interview.

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