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Research teams from around the world have been hard at work on a COVID-19 vaccine for more than six months. But the big question still remains: When are we going to actually have a vaccine? This week, we spoke to the head of the National Institutes of Health and a leading researcher on the global hunt for a cure about what you need to know about where the search for a vaccine stands. One thing we should note: while the race for a vaccine is happening at a historic pace, having a “normal” holiday season is probably off the table until most of us can actually get vaccinated. So, we’ve got some tips about dealing with the challenge of getting through the coming months.Then, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was in the hot seat this week during her Senate confirmation hearings, where she was grilled on everything from healthcare to her note-taking style. We’ll break down what this week’s hearings did and didn’t reveal about the next potential justice. Finally, if you’re a dog person, we’ve got a piece for you. About the scientifically-proven ways to bond... with a cat. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Dr. Francis Collins, director, National Institutes of Health Kalipso Chalkidou, director of global health policy, Center for Global Development Dr. Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation, American Psychological Association Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a Skimm’r contending with a drop in self-employment income after her counseling job went remote and her office sat empty. Managing new childcare expenses while making a career pivot hasn’t been easy, but she’s not afraid to think outside the box when it comes to making ends meet and still planning for the future.Whether it’s saving for a rainy day or setting competitive rates for our work, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor Nicole Stokes walks us through the value of keeping expenses in check even while aiming for the stars in our careers.On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Kim Wheeler Poitevien, Philadelphia-based counsellor and licensed social worker  Nicole Stokes, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, and Peter Bonaventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a week since President Trump announced he’d tested positive for COVID-19. We’ll give you an update on his condition and how this health scare has increased interest in the role of Vice President, including at Wednesday’s VP debate.And speaking of the election, over four million Americans have already cast their ballots. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. We’ll break down the challenges some voters are encountering and walk you through how to make sure your ballot gets counted. Then, it’s time for a labor market update. Half of the jobs lost at the start of the pandemic have been brought back, but the road ahead is gonna be a long one. We’ll look at which jobs have come back, which haven’t, and what to watch for as the economic recovery continues.Finally, we’ll get to the fly that launched a thousand memes. You know the one we’re talkin’ about. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Seritta Norige, former Disney World employee Valerie Wilson, director of the Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, Economic Policy Institute Julie Schecter, Skimm’r Tappan Vickery, director of voter engagement, Headcount Salvatore Attardo, professor of linguistics, Texas A&M University Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a Skimm’r whose job disappeared as the US economy slid into a recession earlier this year … just weeks after she signed an expensive new lease. Making ends meet hasn’t been easy, but she’s still optimistic and hopes more education or even entrepreneurship could be on the horizon. Whether it’s revisiting our budgets or prioritizing savings, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor Nicole Stokes walks us through the value of going back to basics when the world feels upside down.On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Chava Vietze, Skimm’r  Nicole Stokes, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, and Peter Bonaventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19. The news has already sent shockwaves around the world. We’ll break down what we know right now, and what we could expect in the days and weeks to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The President and First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19. We've got the latest on that developing story in this morning's Daily Skimm.President Trump’s tax returns are also in the news after a big report by The New York Times. We’ll break down the report's key findings, and hear what Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden had to say about the US tax system at this week’s presidential debate.And speaking of that debate… if you found it hard to follow, you’re not alone. So now, the Committee on Presidential Debates is saying: “we've got to make some changes.” Then, we’ll introduce you to Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court. We asked three constitutional scholars to explain how her nomination could change the court for decades – and there’s a lot to cover. We also talked to award winning director Julie Taymor about her new movie “The Glorias,” spotlighting the life of women's rights activist Gloria Steinem. And finally, the CDC has outlined its health guidelines for having a safe Halloween.On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Maya Manian, visiting professor of law, American University Seema Mohapatra, professor of law, Indiana University, visiting professor, Florida A&M University Fatima Goss-Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center Julie Taymor, director, “The Glorias” Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. Unemployment has skyrocketed, school closures have forced many moms to step back from work, and working from home has shut many women off from informal networking and mentorship opportunities that are key to career growth. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a financial advisor about how the pandemic is affecting the personal finances of millions of Americans, and women in particular. And we’ll also learn how financial planning can help Skimm’rs reach their goals and prepare for the future, even when the world feels upside down.On this episode, you’ll hear from: Chantel Bonneau-Stewart, Northwestern Mutual financial advisorIf you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, Marion Lozano, and Peter Bonaventure.***NOTE*** The reference made by Chantel Bonneau-Stewart at 4:40 regarding 45% of adults having to make changes in regards to debt management can be found in the 2020 Planning & Progress Study, an annual research study from Northwestern Mutual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the nation mourns the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her death leaves a vacancy on the Supreme Court that Republicans are eager to fill ASAP. We’ll break down where the effort to nominate her replacement currently stands.Then, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the United Nations General Assembly is back in action over Zoom. Luckily, they all remembered to unmute themselves before diving into the latest on a COVID-19 vaccine. Also, the 2020 election is less than 40 days away. But in many states, ballots have already been mailed out already and are even getting sent back in. We asked some top Democratic and Republican officials how they’re making their pitch to voters in the home stretch of the campaign and how they’re trying to reach you, the voter, literally everywhere. Finally, tomorrow is World Contraception Day. But while safe and reliable forms of contraception are more available now than ever, access and affordability remain a huge issue for women around the world. PS: Have voting questions? We’ve got you covered. Head to theskimm.com/2020 to learn more. And in case you’re curious, here’s more info on World Contraception Day from the official WCD campaign, the U.N. and the W.H.O.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Wendi Wallace, Deputy Executive Director, Democratic Governors Association Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman, Republican National Committee Dr. Stephanie Frazin, Family Planning Fellow, University of California, San Francisco  Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The saga over TikTok is back in the headlines this week. The Chinese-owned social platform is desperately looking for a match before Sunday - the deadline President Trump gave the company to find a buyer before it gets banned from the U-S. We’ll break down the drama over which company is getting TikTok’s final rose. And: the fires on the West coast have created some of the most unhealthy air quality… in the world. We’ll talk to experts about what can be done to stop each fire season from being worse than the one before. And explain the health risks of breathing in all this smoke. And for info on how to prepare your home for a wildfire, you can learn more here.Also: live sports are back. But while COVID-19 infections aren’t slowing down the rush to get back on the field, what kind of message does that send?Finally: come on board… a flight to nowhere. We’ll explain why some airlines are hoping you miss everything about travel, including just being on a plane. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Kate Andrews, Portland, OR resident Lori Daniels, fire ecologist, University of British Columbia Haverty Brown, Portland, OR resident Dr. John Balmes, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Adamma Izuegbunam, volunteer with MasksOakland Nicole Fisher, public health consultant, HHR Strategies Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, Marion Lozano, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump is in the hot seat this week regarding COVID-19. A new book - and some audio recordings - reveal him acknowledging the consequences of the virus behind the scenes while downplaying it to the American public. We’ll explain why this is making headlines eight weeks before the election. And: the West Coast continues to battle severe fires. This year’s fire season is already almost 20 times more advanced than it was this time last year. We’ll break down why scientists say there’s a link between climate change and the drier conditions that help fires spread. Also: back to school looks really different this fall. Think: less stress picking out your first day outfit. And more masks, confusion, and exhausted parents. Finally: if 2020 has you asking, what season is it anyway? You’re not alone. We’ll tell you why travel agents and beach towns are hoping this will be the year of the “endless summer.” On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Dr. Chandar Lewis, assistant professor in the College of Education at Jackson State University Skimm’r Stephanie  Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, Marion Lozano, and Luke Vargas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices