Skimm'd with big green plans

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

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Skimm'd with big green plans


  QUOTE OF THE DAY  

"As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends" – The organization behind "Sesame Street" denying that they're a couple. Can't a puppet get a little love around here.

IT’S A PARTY IN THE UNGA

The Story

The UNGA is back in action.

What's that?

The United Nations General Assembly. Every fall, world leaders get together in the Big Apple to chit-chat and vote on some of the biggest issues around the globe. Yesterday was the start of this year's pow-wow.

What's on the agenda this year?

This year's theme is "making the United Nations relevant to all people." Expect to hear about weapons of mass destruction, the refugee crisis, climate change, and gender equality.

Who RSVP'd yes?

Look out for some familiar faces like Canada's Justin Trudeau, Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto, and South Korea's Moon Jae-in.

Who didn't?

Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping aren't making the trip. You can also probably count Venezuela's prez Nicolas Maduro out too.

When does President Trump make an appearance?

He's expected to take the stage next week. People are watching to see how it goes considering his complicated relationship with the UN (see: this and this). And the fact that his America First policy hasn't always resonated with key allies (see: this and this). He'll be there to talk about things like North Korea, Iran, and global drug policies.

Anything else?

Yep. The UN also has Myanmar on the mind. Yesterday, UN investigators published a report with details on the Rohingya crisis. It says Myanmar troops did things like systematically rape women and trap people in burning homes. The chair of the mission said he's never seen crimes "as horrendous and on such a scale." A rep for Myanmar called the report biased.

theSkimm

You'll be hearing about the UNGA for the next few weeks. It's considered the biggest stage for world leaders to address some of today's biggest problems.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

Who people are talking about...

Christine Blasey Ford. Yesterday, the CA professor said she wants the FBI to look into her allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh before chatting with senators about it. Earlier this week, she came forward to publicly accuse Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her back in the '80s. It threw his confirmation process – which seemed like a go – into chaos. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle decided it was necessary to look into the allegation before going forward with a committee vote planned later this week. So the Senate Judiciary Committee invited Ford and Kavanaugh to testify about what happened at a public hearing on Monday. Now, Ford is asking the FBI to pull out its microscope and do some digging first. Her lawyer sent a letter to the committee chairman saying this would help make sure that everything's looked at "in a non-partisan manner." And reportedly said that parading Ford in front of the public only days after she came forward isn't fair. TBD what this means for next week's hearing.


What to say when you finally untangle the knots in your necklace…

Breakthrough. Today, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in shook on a deal that includes steps for the North to nix its nukes. Reminder: back in June, President Trump and Kim had a historic get-together where the North agreed to work toward denuclearization. But there was no concrete plan and talks have stalled since then. Cool, good talk guys. So this week, Moon has been meeting with Kim to try to get things back on track. Today, they signed a deal for the North to let outside inspectors watch while it shuts down a missile test facility, plus get rid of its main nuclear site if the US takes "reciprocal" steps. It's unclear what that means but Trump called the deal "very exciting!"


What to say while getting ready for a big job interview…

Suit up. Yesterday, Facebook was hit with a new lawsuit over allegations of gender discrimination. It says that the company's tech allows for employers to target job postings to a specific gender. In this case, the jobs were for things like truck drivers and police officers and only popped up on guys' feeds. The Book says there is "no place for discrimination" on its platform and that it's reviewing the complaint. In other things being reviewed, Tesla. Yesterday, the company said the Justice Dept is looking into it after CEO Elon Musk went rogue and tweeted that he might take the co private last month. Tesla's stock wasn't thrilled about the investigation news. Also in the hot seat: McDonald's. Yesterday, McD's employees in 10 US cities staged a one-day strike. This comes after allegations of sexual harassment not being taken seriously by the company. McDonald's says it's hired third-party experts to "ensure that McDonald's values are reflected in every restaurant, every day."


What people are talking about…

The Diocese of Brooklyn. Yesterday, the church reached a huge settlement with four men who were sexually abused as children in the early 2000s. Sexual abuse has been a systemic problem at the Catholic Church. Just last month, a Pennsylvania grand jury dropped a bombshell report that found over 300 priests had abused children in the area for decades. And earlier this month, New York's attorney general said 'gonna look into this too' and issued subpoenas to every Catholic diocese in the state. Now, this. The abuser – a former director at the church – is currently serving 15 years in jail. But the victims sued to get the church to take some of the blame as well. Now, the four victims will be awarded more than $6 million each – making it one of the largest settlements ever awarded to victims of child sex abuse in the Catholic Church.


What people are watching…

Florence. The death toll from last week's hurricane is now up to at least 35 people. Hundreds of thousands of people still don't have power. And flooding is still expected for the next couple days – some towns got more than 30 inches of rain. President Trump is expected to visit areas affected by the hurricane in North Carolina today. FEMA Administrator Brock Long reportedly said that they've "got a long way to go" to recover. Stay safe.


What to say when your friend asks about the dress code for your party…

Farmyard chic.

THING TO KNOW

Times Newer Roman

Yes, it's a real thing. And apparently 5-10% wider than its older brother. So if you still have to turn papers in on the regular, this may or may not be your new best friend.

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