A top Education Department official is calling it quits, and on his way out the door he’s urging the federal government to cancel most of the country’s student loan debt. We’ll explain why that’s become a popular rallying cry, and what plans are being put forward. Meanwhile, a freshman congresswoman is under a House ethics investigation. We’ll connect the dots on the allegations against her, and why supporters claim she’s a victim of revenge porn. Also on today’s show: how commission-free invest...
Oct 24, 2019•12 min
It’s October 23rd. Today, we Skimm’d This: Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has been in the news a lot recently, and today he was in the hot seat on Capitol Hill. He faced tough questions about political accounts, political ads and the company’s jump into finance . We’ll break down how Zuckerberg and Facebook are trying to stay on the right side of lawmakers and US officials. Meanwhile, Chicago’s teachers are on strike for the fifth-consecutive school day. We’ll explain what’s behind their fi...
Oct 23, 2019•12 min
After five days, the ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in Syria has come to an end. As the clock ran down, the Kurds said they had moved away from the border as promised, while Turkey’s president flew to Russia to strike a new deal. We’ll explain how the power dynamics in the region are starting to shift. Meanwhile, CVS and UPS are the latest companies to get into the drone delivery game. The future could be landing on your front porch soon. Also on today’s show: the origins of the W...
Oct 22, 2019•12 min
It’s Election Day in Canada, and polls are showing a virtual tie between the two biggest parties. We’ll connect the dots between the issues party leaders want to talk about, and the scandals that have dominated the campaign cycle. Meanwhile, the first federal trial in the opioid epidemic was supposed to start today. We’ll explain why a new settlement put that court date on hold. Also on today’s show: one unexpected place is legalizing abortion and same-sex marriage, and another is finally gettin...
Oct 21, 2019•13 min
The impeachment inquiry is forcing us to dust off our Latin dictionaries and look up “quid pro quo” and “emolumentum.” These words are coming up as we learn more about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, and his decision to host the G7 summit at one of his Florida resorts. Meanwhile, infamous drug lord El Chapo may be behind bars in the US, but his Sinaloa Cartel is back in the news after battling with Mexican security forces yesterday. Also on today’s show: a message for anyone undergoing ...
Oct 18, 2019•11 min
With just days to go before a Brexit deadline, UK and EU leaders shook hands on a new withdrawal agreement today. But that hardly means a Halloween Brexit is guaranteed. We’ll explain what could happen when British lawmakers vote on the deal on Saturday. Meanwhile, US pressure on Turkey to halt fighting in Syria appeared to pay off today, as Turkey agreed to a ceasefire to spare US-allied Kurdish fighters. Also on today’s show: how a picket line update could affect you, and something that happen...
Oct 17, 2019•12 min
Russian and Syrian troops swooped into parts of northern Syria this week, just days after US troops pulled out. Given the history between Russia and Syria this isn’t much of a surprise, but it could still have a big impact on the future of the ongoing Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s leader tried to deliver her ‘state of the union’ speech today, only to have opposition lawmakers shout her off the stage. Now, she’s facing fresh pushback from across the Pacific – in the US Congress. Also o...
Oct 16, 2019•12 min
Three senior US officials have answered questions from House lawmakers in recent days, even as the White House has pushed to limit or block officials from complying with an ongoing impeachment probe. We’ll explain how Marie Yovanovitch, Fiona Hall, and George Kent fit into the investigation of President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the sports world is up in arms after players on England’s men’s national soccer team were targeted with racial slurs at a match in Bulgaria. We’ll look a...
Oct 15, 2019•12 min
The Supreme Court got back to work this week for a potentially historic term. The court’s reinforced conservative majority is expected to dish out big rulings on cases concerning abortion, immigration policy and maybe even Obamacare. We’ll break down how the court’s changed in recent years, the cases it’s planning to take on and how Chief Justice John Roberts could get roped into DC’s other big political drama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Oct 11, 2019•13 min
Turkey launched an attack on Kurdish fighters in northern Syria this week, bringing violence to a region where thousands of ISIS fighters are held in makeshift prisons. We’ll explain how the international community is reacting to the risk that those terrorists could escape. Meanwhile, climate activists are embracing new and diverse tactics to make their voices heard. We’ll look at the Extinction Rebellion’s disruptive tactics and a new climate lawsuit in Alaska. Also on today’s show: Americans’ ...
Oct 10, 2019•13 min
The White House’s refusal to cooperate with an impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives is setting the stage for a constitutional crisis. We’ll look at what a constitutional crisis actually means, and how Congress could respond here. Meanwhile, protests are going down in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. We’ll take you on a whirlwind tour of the latest demonstrations. Also on today’s show: hundreds of thousands of Californians are finding themselves in the dark, and the inventors of the lith...
Oct 09, 2019•13 min
The US government is taking names. The Commerce Department says its adding 28 Chinese companies to a trade blacklist . We’ll connect the dots on what this has to do with reported human rights violations in China, and what it could mean for the ongoing US-China trade war. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is back on the bench. The Supremes heard two big cases today that could affect millions of LGBTQ-plus workers across the country. Also on today’s show: millennials want to talk about mental health at...
Oct 08, 2019•13 min
Democrats and Republicans are speaking out against the surprising pullback of US troops from northern Syria, saying the Kurdish forces that helped defeat the Islamic State could be at risk. We’ll explain the pushback Trump’s big move is facing on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile: efforts to keep President Trump’s tax returns a secret hit a legal snag on Monday. We’ll survey the pressure he’s under to make the documents public. Also on today’s show: Millennial investment habits and how the secret life of ...
Oct 07, 2019•12 min
The former US special envoy to Ukraine has handed over some of his texts as evidence in the House’s impeachment inquiry into President Trump. And now Trump is pulling China into the action, too. Meanwhile, protests in Hong Kong got kicked up a notch. The region’s leader invoked an old law to ban people from wearing masks while protesting. Turns out: there’s history here. Also on today’s show: Haiti’s president is facing some heat, and a dinosaur makes a surprise appearance. Learn more about your...
Oct 04, 2019•12 min
A federal judge just gave a boost to supervised injection sites, saying a clinic in Philadelphia doesn’t violate drug laws. Activists say the ruling could mark a turning point in the fight to reduce drug overdoses. Meanwhile, Swiss cheese and French wine just got dragged into a US-EU trade spat that’s actually about … airplanes. We’ll connect the dots. Also on today’s show: we’ll break down the rough year for IPOs, and how one adventurous eagle is documenting glacial melt in the Alps. Learn more...
Oct 03, 2019•13 min
House Democrats are ratcheting up the impeachment inquiry. And now, all eyes are on the State Department, which is trying very hard not to get involved in the Democrats’ investigation. Meanwhile, Boeing is back in hot water after a whistleblower complaint alleges some rifts in the company’s culture when it comes to safety. Also on today’s show: algae’s new party trick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 02, 2019•12 min
Today marked 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the country threw a huge birthday party for itself. China’s economic and military rise is impressive, but there are some storm clouds on the horizon, too. We’ll put it all in perspective. Meanwhile: another phone call between President Trump and a foreign leader is under scrutiny. Also on today’s show: the IMF gets a new boss, and why ‘Planet 9’ may not be a planet at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
Oct 01, 2019•13 min
Four years after the European migrant crisis reached its peak, European leaders are being called on to once again to address a situation that’s never fully been fixed. Meanwhile, Montana Governor and democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock wants to set up public financing for his campaign -- but the agency that needs to sign off on it is kinda busy right now. Also on the show: why economists say it could be a great time to buy a home, and our raison d'être. PS: Where do you like to liste...
Sep 30, 2019•12 min
Protesters tried to mobilize across Egypt today for a second week of anti-government demonstrations. But security forces were out in force after days of making arrests. We’ll explain why President el-Sisi is coming under fire. Meanwhile, it was supposed to be the UN’s big week, but the General Assembly meetings got buried under news of drama in DC. We’ll bring you up to speed. Also on the show: the US is cutting back its refugee admissions program, and Prince Harry walks in his mother’s footstep...
Sep 27, 2019•13 min
The mysterious whistleblower complaint everyone’s talking about...is finally public. So: we got lots of new details. And lawmakers in Congress had lots of questions – especially about why it took so long to see the complaint. Meanwhile, we could be one step closer to figuring out who will govern Israel after last week’s do-over election. Also on today’s show: income inequality is at a new high, and one Skimm’r who’s making her finances work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Sep 26, 2019•12 min
It’s the phone call heard ‘round the world: the White House released what it says is a rough transcript of President Trump’s controversial chat with the president of Ukraine. But not everyone is saying ‘case closed.’ In fact, some are saying ‘case wide open.’ Meanwhile: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave her blessing to an impeachment inquiry. We’ll explain what that means IRL. Also on today’s show: a big-name e-cigarette company has a new leader, and McDonald’s has a new way to say ‘you’re hired.’...
Sep 25, 2019•14 min
The UN General Assembly kicked into high gear today and President Trump urged world leaders to take a page out of his ‘America First’ playbook. UN chief Antonio Guterres had a slightly different idea of how to tackle global problems. We’ll compare and contrast. Meanwhile: the UK’s top court has thrown a wrench in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political agenda, saying his move to shut down Parliament in the final weeks before Brexit was unlawful. Also on today’s show: it’s National Voter Registr...
Sep 24, 2019•12 min
It’s only Monday, but President Trump probably can’t wait for the weekend. A mysterious whistleblower complaint is still dominating the headlines, reportedly for a phone call he had with the President of Ukraine. But Trump would prefer people talk about Ukraine … and former VP Joe Biden. We’ll explain what this is all about. Meanwhile, a bunch of countries got together at the United Nations for a special summit on climate. They talked a strong game about going greener, but was it enough? Also on...
Sep 23, 2019•14 min
The world was gripped by massive student-led climate strikes today. Some say the demonstrations were the largest climate protest in history. We’ll let you know what strikers want and what they’ll be watching for at a big UN climate summit on Monday. Meanwhile: Taiwan’s friend group got a bit smaller this week, as it loses support from two of its traditional backers in the Pacific. Also on today’s show: a quick update on Israel’s election, and the truth about Japanese whisky. Learn more about you...
Sep 20, 2019•13 min
A whistleblower is sending Washington into a tizzy today. The House Intelligence Committee is demanding information about a complaint that reportedly has to do with President Trump. Meanwhile: an actor’s arrest is making waves in Russia. And other actors are staging protests. Also on today’s show: a big Chinese tech company is launching a new smartphone model in the middle of a trade war, and the Washington Monument is making it easier to make it to the top. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Sep 19, 2019•13 min
The Trump Administration is unveiling new immigration courts that look a little different than what you might expect. They’re actually tents and shipping containers built right near the US-Mexico border as a part of a big new immigration policy. We’ll explain. Also: the Fed slashed interest rates for just the second time since the Great Recession today, heeding a request by President Trump. Also on today’s show: Greta Thunberg turns the tables in DC, and the dictionary gets nonbinary. Learn more...
Sep 18, 2019•13 min
Autoworkers across the country are joining the picket line in a strike against General Motors. They say the company needs to give them better wages and benefits. Meanwhile, President Trump’s former campaign manager was on Capitol Hill today for the first official impeachment hearing. Also on today’s show: Indonesia is making a big change to its child marriage laws, and an American is making waves across the pond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Sep 17, 2019•13 min
Israelis might be feeling a little déjà vu : they’re heading back to the polls tomorrow to vote for parliament for the second time this year. Current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put a lot of issues in play, from the annexation of West Bank settlements to mandatory military service. Meanwhile, half of Saudi Arabia’s oil production was cut off after drones reportedly attacked the country’s largest oil plant on Saturday. Global oil markets are feeling the heat as the plant tries to get up...
Sep 16, 2019•14 min
The top ten Democrats in the presidential primary faced off last night for their third debate, and three big ideas emerged from their conversation on gun control. We’ll break them down for you. Meanwhile, the Bahamas is still recovering from Hurricane Dorian, and now they’re preparing for a new potential storm. Also on today’s show: two reporters whose work helped kickstart the #MeToo movement, and why some people aren’t saying ‘TGIF’ today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Sep 13, 2019•12 min
The House Judiciary Committee formalized its process for potentially impeaching President Trump. Everyone on Capitol Hill has something to say about it. We’ll tell you what’s new here. Meanwhile, the makers of Oxycontin say they’ve reached a tentative settlement with states and local governments across the country, to avoid going to court. But some state officials say the potential settlement isn’t enough to make up for the effects of the opioid epidemic. Also on today’s show: what to expect whe...
Sep 12, 2019•12 min
