News : In the glow of the vending machine

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

In the glow of the vending machine

Daily Skimm

"$30,000"

— What Uber (accidentally) charged a couple. And we thought the cleaning fee was bad.

Top Story

Temu vs. Shein

The Story

Shein's getting tied up in threads of legal trouble.

Untangle it for me.

Last week, Temu, a Chinese e-commerce site, filed a lawsuit in the US against its rival. Temu accused Shein of violating antitrust laws by using threats and intimidation to coerce clothing manufacturers to stop working with Temu. It comes as Shein also reportedly sued Temu for allegedly working with influencers to bash Shein on social media. Since its founding in 2012, Shein has become one of the largest fashion retailers in the world with annual sales of $30 billion — more than H&M and Zara combined. However, its success might be bursting at the seams with a slew of controversies that's sewing up even more legal drama.

Show me the receipts.

Last week, three independent designers sued Shein for alleged copyright infringement and racketeering. They accused the company of copying their clothing, graphics, and embroidery designs and selling them for a profit. The designers also said that while Shein does apologize at times, the fashion giant tends to blame an unnamed third party when it's called out. A few months ago, a bipartisan group of 22 US lawmakers also asked the SEC to confirm that Shein doesn't use Uyghur forced labor. Shein denied all of the claims and said it will "vigorously defend" itself in court.

theSkimm

Shein has dominated online shopping and has risen to the top with its $66 billion valuation. While it remains popular with millennials and younger generations, others are wary of the company's practices.

Related Stories

And Also...This

Who apparently got another letter…

Former President Trump. Yesterday, Trump said special counsel Jack Smith sent him a letter signaling a potential new indictment in connection to Jan 6. Federal grand juries have been working to understand Trump's potential role that day. They've reportedly gathered testimony from Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Now, this is believed to be the Justice Dept's second target letter to Trump. The former president said the letter gave him four days to appear before a grand jury, which he said "almost always means an Arrest and Indictment." The grand jury is meeting later this week in Washington, DC. All of this comes as Trump is the focus of another investigation in Georgia.

…Oh and speaking of investigations, yesterday, Michigan's AG charged 16 people with felony charges for allegedly trying to overturn the state's 2020 election by posing as fake electors.

Where someone made a run for it…

North Korea. Yesterday, the Defense Department said a US soldier crossed into the country "willfully and without authorization," and is believed to be in North Korean custody. The soldier was being escorted to a South Korean airport to face disciplinary actions in the US, but he didn't board his plane. Instead, he joined a group touring the border and crossed into North Korea. The US said it was "closely monitoring and investigating the situation."

Who might want to start singing a different tune…

Jason Aldean. This week, CMT pulled the country star's music video for "Try That In a Small Town." The network didn't say why it removed the music video four days after its release. However, it comes as critics have said the song and music video bashes the Black Lives Matter Movement and encourages violence. The music video's location was also the site of a 1920s lynching. In a tweet, Aldean said the song "refers to the feeling of a community" and that "there is not a single lyric in the song that references race."

…Oh and speaking of people getting flak, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) is facing bipartisan backlash for calling Israel a "racist state." She later said her comments were aimed at Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and not the country as a whole. The House passed a resolution reaffirming support for Israel in response.

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We're grabbing a really pretty white dress and a fall bag that's an incredible deal before the sale ends Friday.

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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.

Wheelie great…Kathleen B (OH). She's the creator of the annual Pan Ohio Hope Ride, and this will be the fundraiser's 17th year. Bikers ride 328 miles from Cleveland to Cincinnati to support free temporary housing for cancer patients who have to travel for treatment. Learn more.

(Some) Birthdays…theSkimm's Ashley Stern (CA), Rushali Manchanda (NJ), Ana Vazquez (FL), Natalie Flecklin (CA), Carol Caines (GA), Jaime Rebhan-Buckminster (MA), Rachel MacWhorter (CO), Annette Wehrli (IL), Ramey Dallimonti (CA), Molly Proffitt (KS), Hannah Culp (OH), Alexandria Bennett (CA), Olivia Knox (TN), Frank Rogers (OR)

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