Skimm'd while thinking about things for the polls

"The songs are great, but do not give your voice up for a man" - Keira Knightley on why she doesn't let her daughter watch "The Little Mermaid."

BREXTENSION

The Story

There was supposed to be a Brexit update by now. There's not.

Why?

Well, in short, Northern Ireland. It's part of the UK – which some people haven't been ok with. Meet a violent and complicated history. In the '90s, a peace deal there got rid of its border with the Republic of Ireland – which worked out since both were part of the EU. But now that the UK is leaving the bloc, the question is how to avoid a hard border – which could mean customs checkpoints, and potentially violence. This would be the only UK-EU land border, which is why it's causing so many issues.

What's the latest?

EU leaders are in Brussels for an EU summit. UK PM Theresa May is under serious pressure from some in her Conservative Party to have a clean cut with the bloc, ASAP. But it's proving much harder than it looks. The UK officially leaves the EU in March 2019. And wants to finalize things by the end of the year so that people and businesses can know what the eff to expect. May has until the end of 2020 as a transition period, but now that talks have stalled she might ask for a little extension.

What if they can't work things out?

Too bad. Brexit would still move forward with no deal, which could lead to serious trade confusion and chaos. If that happens, there's a backup plan to avoid a hard border: keep Northern Ireland part of the EU single market longer. Reminder: the single market means that goods and services can move freely within the bloc. But there are issues around that, too – like how long that would last.

theSkimm

May is under a ton of pressure to negotiate a seriously delicate situation at home, abroad, and even within her party. And if she doesn't get it right soon, her government might up and collapse. No pressure.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when you feel like you're not getting the truth...

Let's ask the source. Yesterday, The Washington Post released an op-ed by missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The topic: freedom of expression and the press in the Middle East. He filed it just before he disappeared. Meanwhile, President Trump and Sec of State Mike Pompeo are still being cagey about holding Saudi Arabia responsible. But Turkey's not backing down from its accusations. See: these apparent audio recordings. Oh, and people are questioning a $100 million payment Saudi Arabia transferred to the US this week. It's apparently for the US's support in Syria. But some people are whispering 'hello, payoff?'

What to say when you hear Robert Mueller may be wrapping it up soon…

The show's not over yet. But it is for White House counsel Don McGahn. Yesterday, he packed up his desk. McGahn helped President Trump stack federal courts with conservative judges, and helped get Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. He also spent a lot of time with Mueller and his team...30 hours, to be exact. Earlier this year, the prez announced that McGahn would be out in the fall after Kavanaugh's confirmation process. Now that that's done, he's calling it quits. Meanwhile, a Treasury Dept official was arrested for allegedly leaking confidential info tied to Mueller's Russia investigation. She's accused of sending a BuzzFeed News reporter financial reports (like details on transactions) from people like ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. And faces potential time behind bars.

What to say when you hear President Trump's feeling strapped for cash...

Speaking of things on the decline, students apparently aren't ready for college. A new report says less than half of 2018 grads who took the ACT (#TBT) were ready for things like college-level algebra. The limit to how much they're not prepared does not exist. In other news about things on a downhill slope, fertility. Women are having fewer children – and those who do are waiting longer to have their first ones. You do you, moms.

What to say to your friend who's scared to watch the original "Halloween"…

Chicken. Yesterday, the CDC said 92 people have gotten sick from salmonella in raw chicken. It's still trying to figure out the source of the problem. Meanwhile, here's some good health-related news: researchers reportedly say that a pill that treats those with HIV infections can also stop some people from getting the disease.

What to say when you're feeling lucky…

Time to play the lotto.

NO EXCUSES

Our No Excuses website (the one that has all the important dates, issues, and things to know about the midterms) has a new feature: your personalized ballot.

Get a sneak peek at what your ballot will look like on November 6th. But with a lot more info - like what's at stake for your state, what each down-ballot position does, and if there are key races to keep an eye out for. No surprises.

Save it and bring it with you to the polls. BYOB style. As in: Bring Your Own Ballot. Maybe it'll catch on, you never know...

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