1/24 - Skimm Quiz Study Guide
Fri 1/18 - Saturn
When NASA's *Cassini spacecraft plunged into the planet's atmosphere* to end its 20-year mission in 2017, it dived between the planet and its rings. *This last act before the spacecraft disintegrated allowed the instruments to precisely measure the amount of material in Saturn's rings.* *Scientists now believe the rings formed less than 100 million years ago, or even as recently as 10 million years ago.*
Fri 1/18 - HHS Report
Yesterday, the HHS watchdog dropped a report saying that there was an increase in children separated at the border starting in 2017, nearly a year before the Trump admin officially announced the "zero tolerance" policy. The Dept of Homeland Security says that it's standard for children to be separated at the border in cases where the parent has a criminal record or a kid's safety is at risk. And that the uptick was due to more families crossing the border in general. -------------------- *For nearly a year before family separation became an official* and controversial *policy of the Trump administration* in the spring of 2018, federal immigration *agents separated "thousands" of migrant children from their parents*. That's according to a government watchdog report released Thursday. OIG found more children over a longer period of time were separated by immigration authorities and referred to HHS for care than is commonly discussed in public debate. How many more children were separated is unknown by us and HHS," Ann Maxwell, assistant inspector general for evaluations at the *Office of Inspector General - THEY CONDUCTED THE STUDY* at the Department of Health and Human Services, told reporters. *"Beginning in the summer of 2017*, before the formal announcement of the [Trump administration's] zero tolerance policy, ORR saw *a steep increase in the number of children who had been separated from a parent or guardian* by the Department of Homeland Security," according to an OIG press release. That means the Trump administration was engaged in an aggressive and unannounced policy to separate families well before the issue exploded into the headlines in April 2018.
Tues 1/22 - Super Bowl
You again? The New England Patriots are heading to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row. And the ninth time with QB Tom Brady. Yes, Brady knows he has haters. No, he doesn't care. The Pats will be facing off against the Los Angeles Rams - who are making their first appearance in the Super Bowl in 17 years. And you'll be hearing about a controversial non-call that helped the Rams get there. *The two will face off on Feb 3.*
Fri 1/18 - Government Shutdo
You might remember earlier this week when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) suggested President Trump postpone his State of the Union address because of the shutdown. Yesterday, Trump hit back *by scrapping Pelosi's planned trip on a military plane to visit US troops in Brussels and Afghanistan*. Although he said she's free to fly commercial. Meanwhile, *the State Dept says it found some extra change to pay US diplomats* and other workers...for the *next two weeks* ------------------ Pelosi said the partial shutdown has hamstrung both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, potentially harming the security planning that precedes the primetime address. ------------- In a letter to Pelosi, Trump told her that a congressional delegation trip she intended to take to *Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan*, which he dismissed as a "public relations event," is now "postponed." "We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the shutdown is over," Trump wrote. "I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the shutdown." The announcement means that *Trump will refuse to provide military transportation for lawmakers to make the journey, which would have included a stop in a war zone. ---------------------------------- The *State Department* announced Thursday it was calling back nearly all staff next week and *paying them for a two-week period*, but a growing number of U.S. diplomats are frustrated by the partial government shutdown and the damage it's inflicting on their jobs and America's standing abroad. While they'll be paid for this pay period, several diplomats are calling on the administration to fully reopen the government, as *they struggle to interact with counterparts abroad and pay their own bills.* Employees have been either furloughed and sent home or are working with no pay and limited in what kind of work they can conduct.
Wed 1/23 - Who said that?
"Tell us what they want, what they really, really want" - **An EU spokesman**, channeling the Spice Girls over the UK's Brexit plan. ------------------------ Corbyn proposes a vote in Parliament on possible second referendum EU says it's still waiting for May to make clear what she wants EU says no deal would mean a hard border in Ireland
Wed 1/23 - Disputed House Race in NC
*A North Carolina judge on Tuesday denied Republican Mark Harris'* request to certify the still-disputed congressional race in the state's 9th Congressional District, saying that the *North Carolina Board of Elections should complete its investigation before the court considers intervening.* Attorneys for Harris, *who finished with a 905-vote lead in November's general election*, argued that the ongoing delays in the state's investigation and uncertainty about the process going forward was enough reason for the judge to intervene and grant Harris' petition.
Thu 1/24 - China Debt
*A new app has been developed that Chinese citizens can access via the country's popular WeChat messaging platform that will literally display a warning once they get within 500 meters of someone who's in debt. * The app has created what's essentially a *map of "deadbeat debtors,"* according to Chinese state media, and shows you the debtor's exact location, though it's unclear if the displayed information includes a name or photo.
Thu 1/24 - Buzzfeed Cuts
*BuzzFeed is preparing lay off 15 percent of its workforce*, according to an internal email obtained by The Hill. In an email sent to BuzzFeed staff on Wednesday, CEO Jonah Peretti said the media company would be doing layoffs "next week" across the company. "I'm writing with sad news: we are doing layoffs at BuzzFeed next week. We will be making a 15% overall reduction in headcount across the company," Peretti wrote. "I'm sending this tonight because I wanted you to hear it from me directly instead of from the press.
Thu 1/24 - Hulu dropping prices
*Hulu just announced that it will lower the price of its base, ad-supported subscription plan to $5.99 per month — down from the current $7.99 — beginning on February 26th.* Hulu has offered its service at $5.99 previously on a promotional basis, and it clearly makes enough of a difference at pulling in subscribers to justify a price drop for the standard rate. *In case you were concerned, customers will not see an increase in ad volume because of the reduced pricing.* The $11.99-per-month "no commercials" plan will stay at its current price, as will the $12.99 Hulu/Spotify combo subscription, which Spotify handles billing for.
Thu 1/24 - Who's the new guy?
*Opposition leader Juan Guaido. The 35-year-old is also the head of the country's parliament. * Even though Maduro took away its power in 2017, the international community reportedly still recognizes it as the country's last democratic institution. Earlier this month, it declared Maduro's rule was illegitimate and approved a plan to let Guaido take over until there are new elections. Yesterday, Guaido officially stepped up to the plate, declaring himself the interim president and saying it's time to rescue the country from "dictatorship."
Thu 1/24 - Venezuela
*Venezuela has a new self-proclaimed president.* Nicolas Maduro? Well, he's technically still in office. Here's how we got here: Maduro took over after socialist President Hugo Chavez died in 2013. Since then, Maduro's continued to consolidate power. *His authoritarian government has been blamed for the current crisis the country's in. Think: hyperinflation, massive debt, food and medicine shortages, millions fleeing, and anti-gov protests.* *To top it all off, countries refused to recognize Maduro's 2018 re-election win.* Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of protesters turned out to put pressure on him to step down - the biggest show of force since a deadly crackdown in 2017.
Tues 1/22 - How to draw an X
A Twitter user asked the question on Saturday while noting with a graphic that there are actually eight different ways to go about drawing a simple X, which promptly had everyone trying to process the answer. The eight combinations were represented with a different color and arrows for the way and direction of the first and second strokes to make the X, first person to email me [email protected] their # gets a piece of candy, which left everyone comparing to figure out which number they are. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxU_jBEX4AonDnj.jpg (THE ANSWER IS *CLEARLY 7*)
Wed 1/23 - Alzheimers Blood Test
A new study says that *a blood test could predict whether people will develop Alzheimer's* more than *a decade before symptoms show*. Even though there's no cure for the disease, scientists say this may help with clinical trials for new treatments.
Thu 1/24 - Abortion
Abortion. *A number of states have been trying to ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected - which can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.* Last year, *Iowa passed its version of that bill. It would've been the country's most restrictive abortion law. * But Roe v Wade protects women's access to abortions, especially in the beginning of their pregnancies. Cue: court challenges. Iowa legislators weren't worried. Some hoped the law would be challenged so it could make its way up to the Supreme Court - the thinking being that the court's solid 5-4 conservative majority might use the case to overturn Roe v Wade. Yesterday, *a state judge ruled Iowa's law was unconstitutional because it's up to women to decide if they want abortions, not the state. It's expected to be appealed.* Ohio's paying attention - its new governor says he would pass a similar bill that the previous governor vetoed
Fri 1/18 - Colombia
Bogotá, Colombia. Yesterday, *a car bomb went off at a police academy there*. At least *21 people died and dozens more were injured*. The attack led to fears that the country's history of violence may be coming back. Nobody claimed responsibility. *Colombia's president* called it a *"miserable terrorist act,"* and officials reportedly said it's the *deadliest terror attack there in more than 15 years.*`
Tues 1/22 - Other buzz at the WEF (UK & 4th Indus Rev)
Brexit is still a bloody mess. After UK parliament rejected PM Theresa May's deal, she had to come up with a plan B...in less than a week.*Yesterday, she revealed the new plan to lawmakers. It looked a lot like the original one.* Reminder: there's *less than 10 weeks before Brexit goes into effect*. We'll be here, keeping calm and carrying on. -------------------- "She is wasting time calling for a revision or clarification over the backstop," said German politician Udo Bullmann, head of the socialist group in the European Parliament. While May stuck doggedly to her deal, she also acknowledged that control over Brexit wasn't entirely in her hands. She noted that lawmakers will be able to amend her plan when it comes to a vote in the House of Commons on Jan. 29, exactly two months before Britain is due to leave the EU. -------------------------- Some people think we're in the middle of a 4th Industrial Revolution. It pretty much means that tech is changing the way we live, work, and interact, but it's not all rainbows and robotic unicorns. Unlike the last few Industrial Revolutions, companies, governments, and people might not be able to keep up with all these new changes. Expect this topic to come up. ------------------ Klaus Schwab, *founder and executive chairman of the Geneva-based WEF, published a book in 2016 titled "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" and coined the term at the Davos meeting that year.* Schwab argued a technological revolution is underway "that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres." Simply put, the Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to how technologies like *artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and the internet of things are merging with humans' physical lives. Think of voice-activated assistants, facial ID recognition or digital health-care sensors.*
Tues 1/22 - What's the buzz
China...as in whether the US and China can play nice on the world stage. The two largest economies have been in a trade war. *And it's starting to take a hit on China's economy, which last year grew at its slowest pace since 1990 at 6.6%* Cue: investors starting to sweat over how long this tension will last and the effect on the global economy. Trade talks are set to start up again next week. -------------------------- The US...as in it's day 32 of the partial government shutdown. So President Trump had to decline his invite to tend to business at home. Here's the update on the shutdown: over the weekend, House Dems added $1 billion in border security funding in a spending bill to reopen the gov. Trump declined. Then he offered up another deal: three years of protection for Dreamers and people with temporary protected status, in exchange for $5.7 billion for the border wall. Dems declined. And...now you're all caught up. ----------- There have been *10 Democratic bills to try and reopen the government* since Democrats took control of the House this month, though none of the plans have made headway in the Senate due to *Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) refusal to bring up any bill for a vote without the support of Trump.* --------------------- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports."
Fri 1/18 - Earth & Asteroids
For the past 290 million years, *large asteroids have been crashing into Earth more than twice as often as they did in the previous 700 million years*, according to a new study in Thursday's journal Science .
Tues 1/22 - France
French regulators told *Google to hand over about $57 million for violating GDPR - the strict data privacy rules the EU implemented last year.* France says Google isn't being clear about how it collects and uses Europeans' data. It also accused the co of not properly getting consent to do things like show personalized ads. This is the first major penalty against a US company to come out of the new EU rules.
Tues 1/22 - Kamala Harris
Here's the latest: yesterday, *Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA)* announced she's running for president in 2020. Harris - a first-term senator - made her announcement to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr Day. And with the same week 47 years ago that Shirley Chisholm announced her candidacy to be the first black woman to seek the nomination of a major party for prez. Harris *joins seven other Democrats* who are also eyeing the job. ------------------ First-term Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California, a rising party star and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, launched her 2020 campaign for the White House on Monday in an appearance on *ABC's "Good Morning America."* Harris, 54, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, enters the race with the potential advantage of being the Democratic candidate who looks most like the party's increasingly diverse base of young, female and minority voters.
Fri 1/18 - NBA Referees
I swear to god if this is on the quiz *NBA referees will answer questions about calls in real time over Twitter in a selection of games for the rest of the season, starting with two games next week.* During Monday's Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers game on TNT and Wednesday's San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers game on ESPN, fans can tweet @OfficialNBARefs or use the hashtag #RefWatchParty to get responses from officials who are watching the game.
Fri 1/18 Women's March
It's going down for the third year in a row tomorrow. There are marches scheduled around the country. But this year's turnout could be affected by all the recent controversy. We Skimm'd the history of the movement and some of the latest problems it's facing here. ---------------------------- This weekend marks the third year of the Women's March. Dozens of marches are planned around the country, including the main march in DC. When the march was first organized, there were concerns that it wasn't representative of minority groups. Then last year, *some of the national leaders were accused of anti-Semitism, in part for their association with Louis Farrakhan* - a man the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as the leader of a hate group. The march's leaders say they condemn anti-Semitism but have not explicitly condemned Farrakhan. *Meanwhile, the SPLC, Democratic National Committee, Human Rights Campaign, and other groups are no longer sponsoring the march.* The Women's March leaders are *launching a plan to turn the group's principles into an actionable policy agenda. But there are signs the movement is having trouble keeping up momentum.* *Attendance was down last year. Some cities are hosting alternative marches, not aligned with the national movement. Meanwhile, one Women's March event was temporarily canceled because there were fears it lacked diversity.*
Tues 1/22 - WhatsApp
It's limiting the number of messages you can forward as a way to combat fake news. Last year, rumors spread on the platform and led to killings in India. Now, the co is limiting the number of times you can forward the same message from 20 down to five. It hopes this will slow down the spread of fake news and violence. -------------------------------- Facebook Inc's (FB.O) WhatsApp is limiting worldwide the number of times a user can forward a message to five, starting on Monday, as the popular messaging service looks to fight "misinformation and rumors", company executives said on Monday. Previously, a WhatsApp user could forward a message to 20 individuals or groups. The limit of five is in expansion of a measure WhatsApp put in place in India in July after the spread of rumors on social media led to killings and lynching attempts. -------------------- Iram Sabah, mother of two, is terrified by messages her family has been receiving on their smartphones. Her husband recently was forwarded a video that shows a child's mutilated body. It's unclear where or when the video is from, or whether it has been doctored. A voice implores people to forward it to others, and to stay vigilant — that kidnappers are on the loose. Sabah, 27, doesn't know if the video is fake or real. But she's not taking any chances.
Fri 1/18 - Laquan McDonald & Chicago
Laquan McDonald. Yesterday, three Chicago police officers were acquitted of trying to cover up McDonald's fatal shooting. In 2014, an officer shot McDonald - a black teen - 16 times. Dashcam footage showed this happening as McDonald was moving away from him. *The officer was found guilty of second-degree murder*, and is expected to be sentenced today. *Meanwhile, three other officers* were charged for things like lying about how the shooting took place. *They said McDonald lunged at them with a knife, prompting the other officer to shoot him.* Now a judge has acquitted them, saying that the officers might have witnessed something that wasn't apparent in the video. --------------------------------------------- Officer Thomas Gaffney, ex-Officer Joseph Walsh and former Detective David March were acquitted on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and official misconduct by Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson.
Wed 1/23 - Trump's State of the Union
Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) asked him to postpone his speech until after the shutdown because of security reasons. But Trump's moving forward with his plan to do the damn thing next week. So he's drafting two versions of his speech depending on whether he gives it in DC or elsewhere.
Tues 1/22 - Buzzfeed Report
Last week, it dropped a bombshell report that special counsel Robert Mueller has evidence that President *Trump directed his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about an idea to build a Trump Tower in Moscow* Lying to Congress is illegal, so the report had everyone talking. Then Mueller's team came out and rejected it - a rare move for them. BuzzFeed's been doubling down, saying its reporting is legit. But it's making people question the outlet's credibility. -------------------------- ACCORDING TO BUZZFEED (NOT CONFIRMED): President Donald Trump *directed his longtime attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow*, according to two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter. *Trump also supported a plan, set up by Cohen, to visit Russia during the presidential campaign, in order to personally meet President Vladimir Putin* and jump-start the tower negotiations. ------------------------------------------------ Robert Mueller's spokesman issued a statement declaring that the* "description of specific statements to the special counsel's office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's congressional testimony are not accurate."*
Thu 1/24 - Is this allowed?
Maduro doesn't think so. And is accusing the US of supporting a coup. He's *cutting off diplomatic ties with the country, and giving diplomats 72 hours to pack their bags.* But Sec of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump admin will ignore that deadline. *The US isn't the only one throwing its weight behind Guaido - Canada, Brazil, Colombia, and other countries have done the same.*
Thu 1/24 - Michael Cohen
Michael Cohen postponed his appearance in front of Congress. Cohen - President Trump's ex-lawyer who's heading to prison in March for all sorts of crimes - was supposed to answer some questions from Congress next month. It was expected to be one of the first public grillings of someone close to Trump since Democrats took the House this year. Yesterday, Cohen postponed because of "ongoing threats" against his family. ICYMI, Trump's lawyer accused Cohen's father-in-law of having ties to organized crime. Trump says Cohen's "only been threatened by the truth." Democratic lawmakers say this is a textbook case of witness intimidation. ------------- President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is postponing his congressional testimony, *citing "ongoing threats" from Trump and Trump's current personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.* "This is a time where Mr. Cohen had to put his family and their safety first," Lanny Davis, an attorney for Cohen, said in a statement. ------------ Michael Cohen, the former longtime personal lawyer of President Donald Trump, was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Wednesday, taking a parting shot at the President after implicating him in hush money payments to two women over alleged affairs with Trump. "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light," Cohen said in court,
Thu 1/24 - How will this play out?
No one knows for sure. Maduro is showing no signs he's ready to step down. Guaido could be arrested (again). The US may try to get involved by imposing sanctions where it hurts: Venezuela's oil industry. And many are watching to see which side the military decides to support. Either way, there's concern this could turn into an even bigger humanitarian crisis for the Venezuelan people. ----------- Venezuelan intelligence agents briefly detained opposition leader and National Assembly leader Juan Guaido on Sunday, said his wife and several opposition legislators. Guaido was released later in the day. Guaido on Friday said he was willing to assume the presidency after the opposition declared President Nicolas Maduro's second term to be illegitimate. Hours after reports of his detention circulated on Twitter and regional news networks, a Venezuelan congressional official told Reuters the opposition leader had been released after a brief detention. -------------------- The Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, signaling potential new sanctions against the country's vital oil sector as it recognized Venezuela's opposition leader as interim president.
Tues 1/22 - Quote of the Day
One *Pennsylvania police department is giving three lucky volunteers the chance to help train officers in field sobriety tests, by drinking a lot.* Don't bother applying, though. The *Kutztown Borough* Police Department posted the Facebook request on Wednesday. The post was shared more than 1,400 times by Thursday night, and hundreds of people left comments, all for a borough with a population over just over 5,000.
Thu 1/24 - Is this legitimate?
President Trump thinks so. He officially recognized Guaido as the country's interim leader. And said that "all options" - including economic, diplomatic, and military ones - are on the table to restore democracy in Venezuela. The State Dept backed him up, saying that *the US "does not recognize the Maduro regime."*
Wed 1/23 - Supreme Court & 2nd Amendment
SCOTUS agreed to take up a gun case for the first time in almost a decade. The case challenges NYC's laws that prevent gun owners from taking their guns outside the city. How SCOTUS rules may not directly affect gun laws around the country, but could set a precedent that encourages gun-rights activists to pursue other gun-related cases. ----------------------- SCOTUS agreed to take up a gun case for the first time in almost a decade. *The case challenges NYC's laws that prevent gun owners from taking their guns outside the city.* How SCOTUS rules may not directly affect gun laws around the country, but could set a precedent that encourages gun-rights activists to pursue other gun-related cases.
Wed 1/23 - Transgender Military Ban
SCOTUS decided that it can go into effect...for now. Last year, the Trump administration formally announced the policy - which puts restrictions on transgender people joining or staying in the military. People sued. And federal judges blocked it while the cases made their way through the courts. **Yesterday, SCOTUS unblocked it while lower courts continue to weigh in, giving the admin the temporary go-ahead to implement the policy.** The Pentagon flagged that this is not a complete ban, and says that the Defense Department's policy was based on "professional military judgment." Critics - including some who sued - say this feels like discrimination. But they're still fighting the issue in the courts. ------------------------------ The decision, *with the court's five conservative justices prevailing over its four liberals, granted the Trump administration's request to put on hold injunctions issued by federal judges against enforcement of the policy* while a challenge to its legality continues in lower courts. The court *did not resolve the underlying question of the legality of the Republican president's plan*, which reversed the landmark 2016 policy of his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama to let transgender people for the first time serve openly in the armed forces and receive medical care to transition genders.
Wed 1/23 - Oscars
Speaking of big deals, "Black Panther" became the first superhero movie to win a best picture nom. Spike Lee got his first directing nom after about 30 years in the industry. But the Academy wasn't a fan of "Mary Poppins Returns." Or "Widows." Or Bradley Cooper.
Thu 1/24 - State of the Union
Speaking of things Trump and Democrats haven't seen eye-to-eye on...the State of the Union. Trump was planning to go ahead with the speech next week, even though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) asked him to wait until the gov re-opens. After a lot of back and forth regarding security concerns and location, *Trump announced he would wait until the end of the shutdown to give his address.* --------------------- President Donald Trump said he is postponing his State of the Union address until the partial government shutdown ends, yielding after a weeklong showdown with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Following a high-stakes game of dare and double-dare, Trump conceded Wednesday night that "no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber." He said he was not looking for an alternate option after Pelosi served notice earlier in the day that he wouldn't be allowed to deliver the address to a joint session of Congress next week.
Tues 1/22 - MAGA & Native American
Speaking of things making waves, more is coming out about that viral encounter between a Native American man and high schoolers in MAGA hats. Turns out, the situation was more complicated than the initial video showed. ---------------------- A viral video of a Native American man surrounded by teenagers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., created a furor and spurred an apology from the students' Kentucky high school. But since then, other videos and narratives have emerged that give more context to Friday's confrontation. ------------------ Three groups of protesters converged beneath Abraham Lincoln's statue: *Catholic high school students who were in Washington for the anti-abortion March For Life, American Indians who were part of the Indigenous People's March, and a smaller group called the Black Hebrew Israelites.* Reaction on social media was swift and harsh. In a statement sent to CNN, Sandmann said he and his parents received death threats and insults after the video spread. "I am being called every name in the book, including a racist, and I will not stand for this mob-like character assassination of my family's name," Sandmann wrote. He added that the threats came from a "social media mob that has formed over this issue." --------------- But a teen who says he was involved in the encounter said the students' actions have been wrongly interpreted as racist. In a statement, *Nick Sandmann said the students decided to raise their voices to drown out the Hebrew Israelites' inflammatory comments -- not to intimidate or mock Phillips. Phillips has said the teen blocked his escape.*
Wed 1/23 - LA Teacher Strike
Teachers overwhelmingly approved a new contract Tuesday and planned to return to the classroom after a six-day strike over funding and staffing in the nation's second-largest school district. Although all votes hadn't been counted, *preliminary figures showed that a "vast supermajority" of some 30,000 educators voted in favor of the tentative deal*, "therefore ending the strike and heading back to schools tomorrow," said Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, accompanied by leaders of the union and the Los Angeles Unified School District, announced the agreement at City Hall a few hours after a 21-hour bargaining session ended before dawn. *The deal is including a 6 percent pay hike and a commitment to reduce class sizes over four years.* Specifics provided later by the district and the union included the addition of more than 600 nursing positions over the next three school years. Additional counselors and librarians were also part of the increase in support staff.
Wed 1/23 - Senate voting on Shutdown
The Senate is expected to vote on two different plans to reopen it. *One would include President Trump's latest offer: protection for some undocumented immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion in border wall funding*. The other wouldn't. Neither is expected to pass. Looks at calendar, wonders how long this shutdown will last. --------------- One of the votes will be on a proposal backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fund President Donald Trump's border wall and reopen shuttered parts of the government. That legislation is in line with an offer the President proposed over the weekend offering temporary protections for some immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion for a border wall -- and which Democrats swiftly rejected as they hold firm in insisting that the government should be reopened before lawmakers proceed to a debate on border security. *The other vote will be on House-passed legislation backed by Democrats to reopen the government without providing new funding for the wall.* Both proposals *are expected to fail at this point because either would need 60 votes to advance.* Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer explained in remarks on the Senate floor on Tuesday that lawmakers had reached an agreement to hold the votes.
Fri 1/18 - Family Separations @Border
The Story *The Trump admin separated thousands more migrant children from their families at the southern border than we previously knew about.* Back up. Last year, the Trump admin announced a "zero tolerance" policy. Unlike recent admins, this meant the US started separating families caught crossing the US-Mexico border illegally to prosecute the adults. *So, thousands of children were separated while their parents went through the criminal process*. Cue outrage and President Trump ending the policy. The *Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) identified 2,737 children who were separated* from their parents under the policy. Now, we're learning there's more.
Wed 1/23 - DACA & Supreme Court
The Trump admin had asked the court to weigh in on whether President Trump can end DACA - the program that protects hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation. SCOTUS said 'pass for now' - which means the program stays in place, at least for the next few months. ------------------------------- The Supreme Court on Tuesday once again *did not act on the Trump administration's effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program*, leaving protections for nearly *700,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US* as children in place for at least the next several months. The court's inaction is a loss for the Trump administration that had asked for the justices to take up the issue this fall and comes as the President has tried to exchange protections in exchange for a border wall. "The justices' refusal to act on the government's pending appeals in the DACA litigation means, among other things, that President Trump can't use this litigation, at least for now, for leverage in negotiations over the government shutdown,"
Tues 1/22 - World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum started Tuesday in *Davos, Switzerland* !!!! --------------------- Every year, the world's elite (CEOs, world leaders, billionaires) jet off to the Swiss Alps and *talk about issues like globalization, and how it affects the economy, the planet, jobs, and tech.* Prince William, and biz leaders like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be there. -------------------- 'Davos' is the most common name for the annual meeting of an international organisation called the World Economic Forum. More than 100 government leaders, 1,000 business chiefs and senior figures at hundreds of other organisations are scheduled to attend the 2019 event, which officially runs from 22 January to 25 January. The WEF says its aim is to make "progress happen" internationally by encouraging such influential people from across sectors and across the world to meet and work together. ----------- Leading politicians heading to Davos this year include German chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and the new Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. *US president Donald Trump is the most high-profile figure to pull out*, deciding to stay at home to deal with the ongoing federal government shutdown and row over the Mexican border wall. But Trump is far from alone in skipping the event. *UK prime minister Theresa May* is focusing instead on trying to solve the Brexit impasse, *French president Emmanuel Macron* is still responding to the yellow-vest protests and *Zimbabwean president* faces a crisis after demonstrations were violently repressed. ----------------------------- Yet critics of the summit have often feared more dangerous consequences from the global elite coming together in one place, sceptical about whose interests it serves and how much participants really want to improve the planet. "Where billionaires tell millionaires what the middle-class feels," is how JP Morgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon once memorably described Davos. For some *the summit has come to symbolise the failures of globalisation and free market economics*. Aid charity Oxfam publishes an annual report just before Davos highlighting the scale of inequality, suggesting *26 wealthy figures own more than the poorest half of the global population.*
Fri 1/18 - Skimm Summary
The increase in family separations goes further back than the public knew. *Most children separated under "zero tolerance" have been reunited with their families*. And while the government says the other children have been released from its custody, it's unclear exactly what happened to them after that.
Fri 1/18 - Amt of Kids Separated?
The report estimates that thousands of kids were separated before the policy was announced. The key word being estimates. *No one knows the exact number because HHS didn't have a formal tracking policy at the time*. One news report from last year puts *the number at 1,800 immigrant families impacted.*
Thu 1/24 - Mars Collision
There are theories...like this one. *A new report says that a planet the size of Mars may have crashed into Earth 4.4 billion years ago*, leaving behind most of the carbon and nitrogen that make up our bodies. Oh, and splintering off a little thing called the moon. The researchers ran a bunch of simulations of planets crashing into each other and said 'yup this idea makes sense to us.' Well, okay then. --------- The cosmic collision that made the moon left a host of elements behind on Earth that were crucial for life to emerge, US scientists have claimed. The impact *4.4bn years* ago is thought to have occurred when an itinerant planet the size of Mars slammed into the fledgling Earth, scattering a shower of rocks into space. The debris later coalesced into the moon.
Thu 1/24 - Bryan Singer
There have been sexual assault accusations against the "Bohemian Rhapsody" director for years now. Yesterday, *a report revealed the accusations of four more men - two who say Singer abused them when they were underage. Singer is in the spotlight again* now that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is part of the award season rounds. Singer was fired from the production weeks before it wrapped, apparently for unprofessional behavior on set. He denies the assault allegations and claims the reporting doesn't hold up. The reporters are standing by their investigation. -------------------------- *Bryan Singer, director, producer and writer of more than two dozen productions including the X-Men films*, was accused Wednesday in a federal lawsuit of having *sexually abused a 17-year-old boy* at estates in Los Angeles and Kailua, Hawaii where firearms, drugs and alcohol were present. The alleged conduct *took place in 1999 and included rape and other physical force and forced intoxication with cocaine*, including at "sordid parties," according to the highly graphic lawsuit.
Fri 1/18 - Missile Defense & Michael Cohen
Trump said the US will update its missile defense system for the first time in almost a decade. Interesting time to announce a program that could cost billions. In case all that didn't make your head spin, Michael Cohen admitted to paying a tech company to rig online polls in Trump's favor before his presidential campaign. ----------------------------------- The report outlines a battery of new technologies — including lasers and space-based systems — that the Pentagon wants to combat what it deems to be a growing missile threat. It also calls for *adding 20 interceptor missiles* to an existing system of 44 interceptors based *in Fort Greely, Alaska.* *"It would be incredibly costly," potentially billions* The report focuses heavily on Russia and China, which are *developing defense-foiling systems such as a nuclear-powered cruise missile and hypersonic weapons* capable of flying at more than five times the speed of sound. "The *U.S. will now adjust its posture to also defend against any missile strikes including cruise and hypersonic missiles*," Trump said. *That adjustment could lead to an arms race*, warns Vipin Narang, an arms control expert at MIT. The explicit *calling out of Russian and Chinese weapons might provide a political opportunity for those nations to accelerate their programs*, he argues. ----------------------------- President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen acknowledged on Thursday that he schemed to rig online polls that sought to make Trump seem like a more plausible presidential candidate. The story was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. In a tweet following the report, Cohen said he sought to help Trump's political aspirations, having been *directed by Trump* Cohen's goal appears to have been *to pay computer specialist John Gauger* to use software that would *help Trump do well in at least two online surveys in order to make it appear that Trump had more support* than he actually had.
Wed 1/23 - Venezuela
Venezuela. Yesterday, VP Mike Pence said that the US supports Venezuelans' efforts to oust their President Nicolas Maduro. Quick refresh: Maduro and his authoritarian gov have been blamed for *leading his country into an economic crisis that has led to high inflation, food shortages, and millions leaving the country.* Last year, the US condemned Maduro's re-election win, saying the election was "fraudulent" and an attack on democracy. It also issued sanctions against the country over it. Now, *after Pence called Maduro's inauguration this month a "sham,"* he's taking it one step further. He told Venezuelans to *"raise your voices in a call for freedom."* *A report last year said the Trump admin was cozying up with the opposition*, but yesterday's announcement seems to be the most blatant show of support yet. Maduro responded by saying it's time to re-evaluate his country's relationship with the US. Today, protests are expected to coincide with the anniversary of the fall of a military gov in 1958 - a dictator many have compared to Maduro. -------------------------------- Vice President Mike Pence sent a videotaped message to Venezuelans calling Maduro a dictator who maintains power by jailing dissident voices. The video was released Tuesday, a day before the opposition holds nationwide demonstrations calling for the removal of Maduro. Maduro spoke hours later on state TV, saying Pence hit a 200-year low in relations between the two countries by authorizing a coup.