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| | Quote of the Day | | "An alternative to the classic Birkenstock" â A shoe manager on how flip-flops are winning during quarantine. No sock tans here. | | |
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The Story With 5 million COVID-19 cases in the US, President Trump is taking matters into his own hands. Tell me. On Saturday, Trump announced four executive actions to provide coronavirus relief. One would give unemployed workers an extra $400 in federal weekly benefits (down from the $600 that expired last month). The others: defer payroll taxes for people who make less than $100,000 a year, pause student loan payments and interest through December 31, and direct efforts to stop evictions. Isn't this something Congress usually handles? Yes. It's up to Congress to allocate federal spending. But it's been stuck. Democrats want a $3 trillion relief package while Senate Republicans and the White House have a $1 trillion plan. For two weeks, Democratic leaders and top Trump officials have tried to negotiate a compromise without any luck. So Trump said 'forget this' and acted alone. And he can do that? Some (read: mainly Dems) say no. That going around Congress was an unconstitutional overreach. But Trump's team said it was necessary to get something done and avoid the "partisan bickering and divided government." There could also be legal challenges â but the Trump admin says the Justice Department already cleared the actions. So how would it work? It's complicated. The new jobless benefits require states to pitch in 25%. But many are already struggling to pay their bills and might not be able to hand over the cash. The payroll tax break puts the ownership on employers and some companies may keep withholding the money. Student loans are deferred until the end of the year, but not for those whose loans are held by private lenders. theSkimm Congress and the White House could not agree on how to give millions of Americans and businesses the economic help they need right now. But Trump's attempt to solve the problem may not have a major impact. Many are still looking to the gov to pass another relief package in order for the economy to get a real boost.
Psst...Trump has been in favor of a payroll tax holiday for a while. Here's what it could mean for your income now...and way later. | | |
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Where people are protesting⦠Lebanon. Over the weekend, thousands of people took to the streets of Beirut, enraged after last week's deadly blast killed 154 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Investigators are still looking into potential negligence from the gov after a stockpile of years-old explosives detonated. The country was already reeling from an economic crisis. Now protesters are calling on gov elites to go. Several lawmakers have resigned. And Lebanon's PM said he's calling for early elections.
Bolivia. Tens of thousands of demonstrators blocked main roads to protest the country's delayed general election and its response to the coronavirus pandemic â which has killed over 3,000 people there. These protests seem reminiscent of last year's contentious election when officials went dark on sharing results for about 24 hours. Now, protesters apparently want the election to go ahead and demand a "stable" government.
Belarus. Yesterday, protests erupted after exit polls showed the longtime incumbent president winning nearly 80% of the vote. His opponent entered the race after her husband (a popular blogger) was jailed and prevented from running. She received less than 7% of the vote. Now, protesters want the president â nicknamed "Europe's last dictator" â out and are calling the results rigged. The demonstrations turned violent as police used rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse crowds. One person was reportedly killed in the protests, at least 100 people were arrested, and dozens of others were injured. | | |
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Where the drama between the US and China is playing out... Hong Kong. Last week, the US sanctioned Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam, and 10 other officials, barring them from doing business with the US. The sanctions are in response to the territory's new national security law which cracks down on free speech. Just yesterday, a high profile media tycoon (who's been a vocal critic of Beijing) was arrested under the law. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the US stands with the people of Hong Kong and help "target those undermining their autonomy." But the HK gov called the sanctions "despicable." And said that the city was being used as a pawn in the US-China drama that's only gotten worse amid the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry announced sanctions against American officials including Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in a direct response to the US sanctions.
â¦Oh and speaking of US-China drama, HHS Secretary Alex Azar arrived in Taiwan yesterday â the most senior US official to visit the island in decades. China's condemned the trip since it still claims Taiwan as its territory. | | |
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What people are watching⦠Mauritius. Last week, the island country off the East African coast declared an environmental emergency after an estimated 1,000 tons of oil spilled from a ship into the Indian Ocean. Locals tried to contain the spill with makeshift barriers as it endangered wildlife (like baby tortoises, birds, and plants). Mauritius was already dealing with a drop in tourism â a large driver of its economy â due to COVID-19. This only adds to that stress. | | |
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Who's probably par-teeing⦠Collin Morikawa. Yesterday, the golfer won the PGA Championship, making him the fourth 23-year-old to do so. The win comes a year after he joined the pros. | | |
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| Summer is here. Check out our fave picks for the seasonâ¦
1. 88 movies you have to watch at least once in your life. Here's the movie bucket list you didn't know you needed. Goodbye forever, endlessly scrolling on Netflix.
2. How to stay cool at night when you're a hot sleeper. Hint: there are other solutions beyond flipping your pillow over and over again. We're not like regular sleepers. We're cool sleepers now.
3. 14 best roadtrips in America. Windows down. Music up. Californiaaaaa here we comeeeeeee.
PS: Want more? Sign up to get weekly recs in your inbox. |
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| For when your boss calls an early morning meeting⦠"Tired" has entered the chat. Wake up with Brilliant Eye Brightener from Thrive Causemetics. It's one stick that highlights, brightens, and opens your eyes. And three new shades just launched. PS: Skimm'rs get 15% off. Rise and shine.*
For when the heat is making you sleepy⦠Send help. Or Metabolism Super Powder from celeb favorite wellness brand Sakara. It enhances energy, eliminates bloat, and controls your cravings naturally. Oh, and Skimm'rs get 20% off sitewide. See ya, summer slump.* | | *PS This is a sponsored post. |
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| In times like these, community matters more than ever. Let us know how you (or someone you know) is making an impact by helping others.
Brunching for a cause...Erica A (CA). She's helping host Bubbles and Brunch to End MS, a virtual brunch with entertainment and a silent auction. And funds are going towards MS research and supporting those affected by the disease. Learn more here.
Taking charge...Mary W (PA). She and her family have taken different initiatives to help out their community, including a contactless bake sale held by her 13-year-old daughter for a nonprofit called Wings for Success. The org helps under-served women access clothing, jewelry, and mentorship. Find out more about the org here.
(Some) Birthdays...Joey Dibuonno (IL), Betsy Morgan (NY), Gaby Kassin (NY), Mayank Shah (NY), Alana Kaufman (CO), Jill Scroggins (AL), Danelle Lovelace (CO), Tim Reinman (MI), Katie Milligan (TX), Turner Pierce (TX), Ashley Paul (CA), Catherine Qian (CA), Leah Weldon (GA), Patsy Homer (OH), Seema Samawi (NH)
*Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured. |
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| Skimm HQ is still getting the hang of Reels. Share theSkimm with your friend who's already mastered it. |  |  | | Or use this referral link theskimm.com/?r=98d063bf |
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| Skimmâd by Maria del Carmen Corpus, Mariza Smajlaj, Ellen Burke, Niven McCall-Mazza, Clem Robineau, and Julie Shain |
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