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Skimm This

You Asked, We Skimm’d: Russian Hacking, the New COVID Strain...and Aliens

Skimm This

theSkimm

News

4.53.6K Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2020

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, we’re answering your questions about what’s going on in the news right now. Here’s what you wanted to know:  First up: What’s the deal with this new strain of COVID that’s been found in the UK?  Then: Why did Russia hack the United States again? And what information did they get?  Next: What’s in the new stimulus package?  And: What’s happening to our alcohol consumption during COVID? And how do we know if it’s a problem?  Also: Why am I seeing headlines about a “galactic federation”?  Finally: Are robots really coming for our jobs? PS: You can find the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Website, Rethinking Drinking, here. And here is the NIAAA’s Treatment Navigator.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Dr. Amber D’Souza, infectious disease epidemiologist, Johns Hopkins University Dr. George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Garrett Kenyon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Yijing Watkins, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts 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

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to Schim this.

0:06.3

Let's face it, if you're tuning into a news podcast two days before Christmas or on

0:11.0

a day off from work or school, you're probably hardcore into the news like us.

0:15.8

But it's still almost the end of a long-grueling year, so we're going to do something a little

0:20.8

different this week and answer your questions, which a lot of you submitted to the Schim's

0:25.1

Instagram feed or sent us via email.

0:28.1

In return, we're going to keep it brief, as we recap Russia's big hack of the US government.

0:33.6

Whether the new COVID relief bill means you're getting another check in the mail and what

0:37.7

we should know about aliens calling themselves the Galactic Federation?

0:42.8

On a serious note, some of you also wrote in to point out that 2020 has led to increased

0:48.0

alcohol use.

0:49.3

So we asked an expert how to have a tough conversation if what looks like letting

0:53.0

loose over the holidays is actually something more serious.

0:56.8

But first, you asked and we're here to Schim, uh, what's going on with this new mutation

1:01.8

of COVID?

1:02.8

Alright, let's do it.

1:05.8

Apparently, even COVID wants a fresh start in 2021.

1:11.4

In a sudden turn today, the British government warned that a new strain of the virus is

1:15.6

quote, out of control.

1:16.9

There are so many concerns this morning about this new strain that seems to be more contagious.

1:22.4

That could be devastating.

1:24.9

It turns out there's a new strain of COVID-19 that's circulating in the UK.

...

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