News: Daily Skimm: My shoes are scrapin' the sky

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Daily Skimm: My shoes are scrapin' the sky

"I don't want anybody whining"

— Director James Cameron on what he doesn't want happening during the three-hour "Avatar" sequel. The audacity.

Brexit

The Story

Boris Johnson is expected to step down.

What?

The UK prime minister has been experiencing scandal after scandal in recent months. The list includes everything from "partygate" (and surviving a no-confidence vote) to corruption allegations to the latest: This week, Johnson's team acknowledged that he knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a fellow Conservative Party member before appointing him to a senior position. But the team says he "forgot" about it. Dozens of ministers have resigned since Tuesday. At first, Johnson resisted calls to step down. Now, he's agreed to move aside.

What happens next?

Johnson's set to formally announce his resignation later today. But he reportedly wants to stay on until the fall — something it's not clear his party will allow. The news makes Johnson only the latest British prime minister who dipped out before a scheduled election, joining the company of former PMs Theresa May and David Cameron (among others).

theSkimm

It's been a wild 48 hours at 10 Downing Street, when the wave of resignations first began. Now, the man most known for taking the UK out of the EU will be seeing himself out.

And Also...This

Who people are keeping their eyes on…

Chrystul Kizer. In a landmark ruling, the child sex abuse victim can argue in court that she's immune from prosecution. In 2018, Kizer — who is Black — drove to her sex abuser's house, shot him in the head, set his house on fire, and took off in his car. Prosecutors acknowledged that she was sexually abused by the white, 33-year-old trafficker. But they still charged her with arson and first-degree intentional homicide — which carries a mandatory life sentence. But yesterday, Wisconsin's Supreme Court said 'hold on a minute.' State law allows trafficking victims to defend themselves over crimes committed as a "direct result" of the trafficking. And yesterday, the court said she could defend herself on those grounds. Next: she has to convince a judge and jury that this was just that.

Ripple effect: More than 30 states have legal protections for sex trafficking victims. The protection reportedly often applies to prostitution charges...not homicide. But some state laws keep it broad — and many could take cues from this case and expand protections — or restrict them.

What hasn't gone away...

Omicron. Subvariants of the COVID-19 variant — including the highly transmissible BA.5 — are pushing cases back to February levels, with rates in New York and California especially high. Some Omicron subvariants — including BA.5 — are resistant to vaccines and prior immunity. Meaning, that people who got the virus could still be at risk of reinfection. But there are two good pieces of news: yesterday, some pharmacists were cleared to prescribe Paxlovid to those who qualify. Meanwhile, another trial showed that a cancer drug — sabizabulin — could help cut death rates for COVID-19 patients by as much as half. If the FDA clears that drug for COVID-19 patients, those at the highest risk of death could have the drug administered in hospitals.

What's ready for Prime time…

Grubhub. The company is teaming up with Amazon to offer Prime members one year of free Grubhub+ membership. In other words: use your Prime account to sign up for Grubhub+ and the company will send free deliveries for a year. The news came as Amazon agreed to take a stake in Grubhub over the next few years. Homebodies rejoice.

Who's behind bars…

Nipsey Hussle's killer.

Who's asking 'is he proposing or is he just putting a medal around my neck'...

The recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Skimm Tested

We've been busy putting buzzy products to the test. And since we're all about making our homes as comfy and clean as can be, we decided to dive a little deeper and try out three things that may seriously upgrade your space. Our results are in:

Skimm Picks

Here are today's recs to help you live a smarter life…

1. A sitewide sale you're gonna want to text your friends about. Your breast friends, that is. This brand's bras, undies, and bralettes are so comfy, you'll forget you're wearing 'em. Plus their chic swimwear pairs nicely with that upcoming OOO message. Snag 15% off.*

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4. Early Prime Day deals to shop now. Did ya hear? Prime Day is July 12-13. Snag some things early and check out more must-haves in our Amazon storefront.

*PS: This is a sponsored post.

Skimm'rs

We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.

Picture perfect…Babita P (NY). After being on pause for over two years, her project, KIOO, is hosting its next workshop in Nepal. The org helps girls build self-confidence by teaching them photography who then teach the art to boys.

(Some) Birthdays…Nancy Oelbaum (FL), Anja Sherry (FL), Lindsey Dorman (NY), Alexandra Loizzo-Desai (NJ), Ann Peters (PA), Ardina Colby (TX), Brianna Weiss (WI), Dervela O'Brien (NJ), Eleda Plouch (MI), Elise Englander (NY), Ilene Nedelman (TN), Julia Rettig (CA), Lauren Hoes (TX), Meghan Kaiser (CA), Paul Granger (VA), Sara Bonefas (IL), Sasha Wisotsky (CA), Shelby Crane (IA), Stephanie Spencer (CO)

PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.

theSkimm Loyalty Program

Don't miss out on the latest member-only discounts. We're saying hello to self-care staples, gifts, and more — and goodbye to full prices. Log in or join theSkimm Loyalty Program to get in on the savings.

Skimm'd by Rashaan Ayesh, Melanie De Lima, Kate Gilhool, Julie Shain, and Mariza Smajlaj