Daily Skimm

What’s got some explaining to do…

Exxon Mobil. Last week, a federal agency sued the oil and gas company for employment discrimination. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says the company failed to take proper action after five nooses were found at its Baton Rouge refinery between April 2016 and December 2020. In January 2020, a Black employee reported the finding of a noose to his supervisor, but another one was discovered nearly a year later. Exxon Mobil allegedly investigated and banned two contractors. Then, the employee filed a complaint with the EEOC. Now, after an investigation, the EEOC is suing and saying that Exxon didn’t implement any changes to try and remedy the ongoing issue. Exxon says it disagrees with the EEOC and that they “thoroughly investigated” the claims. 

• A concerning trend: Nooses have been found at schools, construction sites, and public places in recent years. In 2021, Amazon temporarily paused its construction of a new warehouse in Connecticut after several nooses were reported there in May 2021.

Where tensions are rising…

Greece. Over the weekend, thousands of people protested in Athens demanding better safety standards for the country’s rail system. Demonstrations turned violent when some protesters threw Molotov cocktails, and police responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Greece has seen protests across the country for days since a train collision killed 57 people in the northern part of the country. Thousands of people —including train workers who have walked out on the job — have taken to the streets calling for better train infrastructure. The government has blamed human error for the crash and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said officials are hard at work to investigate and “determine liabilities.”

Who's saying 'I can't believe it's not butter than other diets'...

Keto lovers. Yesterday, a new observational study reportedly found that a “keto-like” diet (aka low carb, high fat) may not be all it's cracked up to be. Researchers say the fad diet could double your risk of “major cardiovascular events” such as strokes and heart attacks. All this could be due to the high “bad” cholesterol levels brought on by a high-fat diet.

Who people are remembering…

Judy Heumann. Over the weekend, the disability rights advocate died at 75. Heumann was diagnosed with polio as a child and later became the first wheelchair-using teacher in NYC. She dedicated her life to the disability and civil rights movement and helped stage a sit-in in San Francisco which paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She served under the Obama and Clinton admins. Former President Barack Obama said he was “fortunate” to work with Heumann.

What's going to strut its stuff again...

The VS Fashion Show.

Who’s getting called out for a “Scandoval”...

Tom and Raquel.

What might be trending on your TikTok feed…

#StopWillow.