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 QUOTE OF THE DAY  |
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"Hot Jafar" – The internet's new boyfriend after pics came out of the "Aladdin" live-action remake. He's the Disney villain we deserve.
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The Story
The Trump admin is pulling all US forces out of Syria.
Take me back.
A few years back, the terror group ISIS gained ground in places like Iraq and Syria. There are a few involved in the fight to stop them: the US, Turkey, Syrian rebels and Kurdish rebels, Russia, Iran, and the Syrian gov. All working to get ISIS out of the region – but each side with a different motive. See: this. ISIS has been losing ground. Now, we're here.
What's the latest?
Yesterday, President Trump said that ISIS has been defeated in Syria. So he's ordered the military to get American forces out within the next 30 days. The admin says it's time to move on to the next phase of the fight against ISIS and that it'll continue to work with allies to take down the group "wherever it operates."
How are people reacting?
The announcement surprised pretty much everyone. Lawmakers – including some Republicans – want more info on all this. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said if former President Obama had done this "all of us would be going nuts." Some are worried about leaving Kurdish fighters (a US ally) in a tough spot – and that it could maybe make it hard for the US to gain trust from others in the future. The defense secretary is apparently concerned that this leaves Russia and Iran the major power-players in the region. And others are worried that ISIS isn't totally defeated and could regroup. But otherwise, good rollout.
theSkimm
This was one of Trump's campaign promises. Now that he's delivered on it, there's mounting concern it will create more problems in an already strenuous area.
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The DOJ isn't feeling the love either. Yesterday, a federal judge struck down DOJ policies around claiming asylum. Reminder: people can claim asylum and get legal protection in the US if they're facing or could face persecution back home for one of the following: their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or "membership in a particular social group." The last one typically includes people who faced gang or domestic violence. But earlier this year, the DOJ said those types of violence don't fit that category. Advocates said that changing the rule could affect thousands of people trying to escape serious violence. Now a federal judge is stepping in, saying that the DOJ can't make edits to immigration law – that's up to Congress. The DOJ said it's reviewing its options.
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What to say while turning up the thermostat in your apartment…
A little higher. Yesterday, the Fed raised interest rates for the fourth time this year. But before you start freaking out about how that affects your credit card bill, it looks like there won't be as many hikes next year. Here's the thing: hiking interest rates means the economy's doing really well. So pumping the brakes on that isn't an immediate SOS. But it does mean that next year, the economy is expected to grow at a slower pace. Meanwhile, Congress is also saying 'show me the money.' Yesterday, the Senate approved a short-term spending bill that would fund the gov through February. The bill doesn't include the $5 billion for the border wall President Trump was hoping for – but this GoFundMe campaign could help him out. Now it's up to the House and Trump to give it the OK by Friday night.
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What people are still upset about…
The Catholic Church. Surprise. Illinois' attorney general released a report that said the state's dioceses failed to report hundreds of priests and clergy members accused of sex abuse. This investigation started after the bombshell Pennsylvania grand jury report on sex abuse allegations dropped earlier this year. Now, Illinois' AG is telling us what she found: almost 700 priests and clergy members were accused of sex abuse there – but the dioceses have only named 185 publicly. She says the cases either haven't been investigated properly or at all by the church. Not a good look. Neither is this: actress Eliza Dushku is accusing CBS of firing her after she confronted a co-worker for allegedly harassing her. This comes days after a report came out about a $9.5 million settlement she made with the network over all this.
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What to say when you like your brownies as gooey as possible…
Heeey, batter batter. The MLB is letting players from Cuba join the league without having to defect. Which they've had to do because of a US embargo. This comes after years of negotiating to make it easier for these players to get into the MLB. The US gov still has to sign off on it – and if it does, the deal will be in place through late 2021.
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SaaS
Pronounced like sass. But it's more nerd emoji than girl with hand out emoji. It stands for 'software as a service' and it's a way of running your business from the cloud. When you use SaaS tools you don't need email or spreadsheets to track sales and customer info. Feet on the ground… head in the cloud.
PS: Want to get SaaS-y and organized? Salesforce can help. Read: they're the top customer relationship management tool in the market.
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For when you want to leave the holiday party early…
Peel out. Literally. Estée Lauder's new Perfectionist Pro Instant Resurfacing Peel will give your face the perfect night in. It has the good kind of acid in it to make your skin feel baby soft. Get it here.*
For when you have no cash money left for last-minute presents…
Coal-blooded. Credible can get your finances back on track. They help you consolidate debt and reduce interest rates with personal loan options. Santa's got a brand new (money) bag. Get yours here.*
For when your friend posts a pic of her new engagement ring…
Shine bright like a (you know the rest). Get focused on planning with this company. They have everything you need, including: invites, registry, custom websites, and more. Plus, Skimm'rs get something off the price tag. Here you go.*
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*PS This is a sponsored section.
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ICYMI, college football bowl games are happening soon. And we've been celebrating all week by giving you prizes just for downloading theSkimm App. Today, download our app and win $1,000 to use towards booking a trip to the game. Wings not included. And to yesterday's winner, check your inbox. Questions? Answers.
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* All you have to do is download theSkimm App, and start a free trial. That's it.
* Already have the app? Already entered to win.
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theSkimm50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B; New York, NY, 10010, United States Update Profile
