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The Story

More than two weeks after Jamal Khashoggi disappeared, Saudi Arabia is finally providing some answers.

Back up.

Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist who criticized the country's crown prince and government. Earlier this month, he went into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey and hasn't been seen since. The Saudi gov initially said he disappeared after he left the consulate. But Turkey's been telling anyone who will listen that a Saudi hit team killed and dismembered him. So the Saudi gov's been under a lot of pressure to explain itself. Now it finally is.

Well...what's it saying?

It's changing its tune. And admitting that he died inside the consulate, claiming he was strangled to death after a fight broke out. And that the people responsible tried to cover it up. It also says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wasn't involved or aware of what went down. The Saudi foreign minister is calling it a "terrible mistake." But one Saudi official is telling a different story, and reportedly says Khashoggi died from a chokehold while trying to escape.

So...still confusion?

Yep. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are skeptical and want to respond with sanctions. Some want to kick out the Saudi ambassador and cut down on arms sales. But President Trump is still trying to figure things out. At first he said the explanation seemed credible and then he said "their stories are all over the place." Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is headed to Saudi Arabia to chat about another issue: Iran.

theSkimm

The details around Khashoggi's disappearance and death caused worldwide outrage. Now, even after Saudi Arabia admitted he was killed, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Like why the gov lied to begin with.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say after making an appointment to get bangs…

Rethinking this. Over the weekend, an estimated 700,000 people protested in London over the Brexit deal...or lack thereof. Reminder: in 2016, the UK voted to break up with the EU. But it's been really difficult to hash out the details of the divorce, which is expected to become official in March. Last week, EU leaders got together in Brussels to try to talk it out. But – surprise – not much progress was made. Now, protesters want to have a say on the final terms and conditions, saying they have more info on how expensive and complex this all is. The protest was one of the largest ever in the country.

What you'll be hearing about…

This new report that says the Trump admin is trying to change how gender is defined. The Obama admin set guidelines on this, saying people can choose their gender and that it doesn't have to be the sex you're assigned when you're born. The goal: be more inclusive to transgender people. It sparked rules like letting transgender students use bathrooms that match their gender identities (which the Trump admin scrapped). People have feelings about it. Now, the Trump admin is reportedly trying to narrow the definition of gender under Title IX. The new guidelines: you're either male or female – and your gender can't change once you're born. The admin has reportedly argued that the term "sex" shouldn't include people who are transgender. And that including them gives certain protections to people who shouldn't have them. The admin hasn't been shy about taking away protections for transgender people before (see: this and this). But this reported new move could be the most significant rollback of civil rights protections.

What to say when your SO doesn't agree to a couples Halloween costume...

Fine, I don't need you. Over the weekend, President Trump said he's pulling the US out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. Aka a decades-old agreement with Russia that was signed back in the '80s. It required both countries to get rid of certain missiles with ranges between about 300 and 3,400 miles – and stop producing them. But in 2014, the Obama admin accused Russia of violating the terms of the agreement. Then earlier this month, NATO said 'yup, we agree.' Russia has said 'nyet true.' Now, the Trump admin says Russia did, in fact, violate the treaty, so it's time to break up the party. The fine print of the agreement says it would take the US six months to peace out. But the idea of the US leaving just adds to the mess of tensions between the US and Russia.

Who people are thinking about…

Selma Blair. Over the weekend, the actress announced she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis earlier this year. And that she might have had it for 15 years. She says she hopes to "give some hope to others."

What to say while checking your bank account after the weekend…

Fingers crossed for some of that lotto money.

THING TO KNOW

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