Skimm This

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 World Series, and one emperor’s new groove. 

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 getting rid of floppy disks.

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 cancer treatments, and one giant leap for womankind.

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 happened in Vegas that maybe shouldn’t stay there.

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 on today’s show: Ronan Farrow opens up on the process of reporting the Harvey Weinstein story, and one good Samaritan's clever move to help return a wallet.

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 at the ways sports officials are trying to rid hate from the game. Also on today’s show: good news for sleepy California teens, and the Booker Prize makes a big exception for two exceptional women.

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.

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’ average commute time is longer than ever, and Sesame Street teaches an important lesson. 

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 lithium battery get their 15 minutes.

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 work, and the latest Nobel Prize award is out of this world. 

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 red blood cells could offer clues about treating cancer.

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. 

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.

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.

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.