Happy Monday. Skimm HQ is off for Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors all who have served in the US military — both past and present, living and dead. (To learn more about the holiday and its history, read this.) But we always want to keep you informed, so we’re bringing you three things to know to start your day, plus recommendations for what to read and eat, as well as who to follow in honor of today’s holiday.
On Friday, an unsealed criminal complaint revealed that three individuals — two American citizens and Afghan national Farhad Shakeri — were charged in a series of “alleged Iran-linked murder plots,” which included a conspiracy to assassinate Trump before the presidential election. According to the Justice Department, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran tasked Shakeri — who is believed to be in Tehran — with “surveilling, and ultimately, assassinating” Trump as retaliation for the death of Qassem Soleimani, a leader of Iran’s Quds Force, who was killed in a Trump-ordered US drone strike in January 2020.
The 2025 Grammy Award nominations have officially been revealed. Beyoncé leads the nods with 11 for Cowboy Carter — including record, song, and album of the year — bringing her total number of Grammy nominations to 99, the most in Grammy history. Women in pop also dominated, with Billie Eilish and Charli XCX each earning seven nods, while Taylor Swift received six nominations. Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter — both of whom are first-time nominees — also joined the six-nods club. Same with Shaboozey, who is up for best new artist. The winners will be announced during the 67th annual awards ceremony on February 2.
This Low-Effort, High-Quality Roasted Tomato Bisque Is Peak Fall Comfort
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Now that daylight saving time has come to an end, the days are shorter, darker, and, if we’re being honest, more gloomy. While we can’t fix the whole time-change thing (looking at you, Congress), we can offer something to combat the inevitable seasonal slump: this Roasted Tomato Bisque from Air Force vet and chef Opal Poullard. Essentially a creamier, dreamier, grown-up version of the beloved classic, this recipe includes roasted tomatoes, a generous pour of heavy cream, and loads of garlic — resulting in something “simple and easy enough to make, but tastes like you spent hours preparing it.” Take that, 5 pm sunsets.
The Time Commitment: About an hour and 20 minutes (worth noting: most of that time is hands-off). But if you use canned, stewed tomatoes instead of roasted ones, you can shave off 40 to 45 minutes, says Poullard. Just omit the roasting portion of the recipe, put everything in the pot, simmer, and blend when finished.
Key Tips: According to Poullard,“Grilled cheese is the best accompaniment to any tomato bisque.” We couldn’t agree more — which is why we recommend making this buttery, crispy, and gloriously gooey Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich. And, to make your soup feel even fancier, top it with a drizzle of parsley oil, which is Poullard’s “go-to twist.”
Other Takes: Looking for more recipes from female vets? Fall is the perfect time to make this Apple Cider Chicken (think: cider-braised chicken meets melt-in-your mouth apples and onions) from Food Network star and Air Force vet Sunny Anderson. Or, consider Army vet Claire Dieterich’s saucy, cheesy Orzo Meatball Bake — which comes together in one pan and in under an hour (meaning, it’ll be your new favorite weeknight meal). Last but not least, Army vet Roshara Sanders’s jerk-flavored Crab Cake Sandwich is so tasty, it even got Drew Barrymore’s endorsement.
No Better Time by Sheila Williams
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In 1941, Dorothy Thom is working as a librarian at Spelman College when Pearl Harbor is attacked — and President Roosevelt delivers his famous “Day of Infamy” speech. Inspired, she eventually joins the Women’s Army Corps, soon earning praise for her skills. That leads her — and some 800 other women of color — to Europe to process the millions of pieces of backlogged mail for soldiers. Based on the real-life 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — which will soon be depicted in the Kerry Washington-led film The Six Triple Eight — Sheila Williams’s No Better Timeis an absorbing historical novel about friendship, duty, and tenacity. We asked Williams — whose cousin was a member of the 6888 — a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Unbecoming: A Memoir of Disobedience byAnuradha Bhagwati. The daughter of strict Indian immigrants, Bhagwati abandons her Ivy League grad school to join the Marines — where she faces a culture steeped in racism, misogyny, and sexual violence. Those experiences galvanize Bhagwati to create change for other women once she leaves the Marines and cofounds the Service Women’s Action Network (more on that in a bit).
How This Nonprofit Is Protecting Servicewomen and Female Vets Every Day
In 2007, a group of female vets were having difficulty getting their Veterans Affairs (VA) claims approved. So they decided to organize, establishing what would become the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN). Today, SWAN is the leading national organization “focused on supporting service women and women veterans” — which includes working with federal agencies and departments to pass legislation and implement policy, ensuring service members and vets have access to the resources they need, offering a 24/7 emergency assistance hotline, and more. We asked Elisa Cardnell, a Navy vet and SWAN’s president and CEO, a few questions about the nonprofit’s mission. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: The transition from military to civilian life can be particularly overwhelming for women. Why is that?
Cardnell: As a woman, we face an added barrier of being invisible. [For example], you’re parking in a space designed for veterans or you’re walking into a veterans event [and someone will ask], “Did your husband serve?” … [The reaction] isn’t necessarily out of negativity — it’s just people aren’t aware that we could be the veterans, too … You still expect that guy with a buzz cut, whereas we’ve got long hair, a ponytail, [and] fancy nails.
Q: During your time at SWAN, what accomplishments are you most proud of?
Cardnell: The 2012 lawsuit against the Department of Defense opened [most] roles in the military to women, which was huge — it’s an amazing opportunity for women to see themselves in whatever role they want. [And more recently], we finally got into legislation that the military had to remove sexual assault from the chain of command’s ability to prosecute. [That means], a commander couldn’t sit on a sexual assault case because the alleged perpetrator was their top performer or a “good guy.” We wanted to make sure there was accountability, regardless of the chain of command … and we’re excited that the military has really leaned into holding perpetrators accountable.
Q: What are some things the average person can do to support female service members and veterans?
Cardnell: Just consider us to be like every other veteran … I didn’t personally serve in combat, but a lot of women have been in combat for a long time, especially in the 21st century. There are women veterans who have had the exact same experience as male veterans. No service is too little to count, whether people were deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan [or] were cooking meals back home. It was all part of that service … [Also, you can support] organizations like ours. I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that we are a nonprofit [and] rely on donations.
Growing up, Elizabeth Marks was surrounded by “100 grandparents who had all served in the military” — so it wasn’t surprising when she decided to enlist in 2008. But two years later, while serving as an Army combat medic in Iraq, Marks sustained bilateral hip injuries, limiting her mobility. As part of her recovery, Marks took up swimming — becoming an “accidental athlete,” who has since competed in the Invictus Games (see: her viral moment with Prince Harry) and the last three Paralympic Games. That includes Paris, where she took home five medals.
The transition from military to civilian life can feel like an uphill battle, particularly for younger veterans, who struggle with managing their finances, figuring out what comes next, and finding a community — all of which Jenna Carlton experienced firsthand. That’s why the Navy vet created The Millennial Veterans, a Facebook group and her similarly named Instagram account, where a new generation of young vets can find resources and support for navigating post-military life.
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Wake your brain up this Monday with a game of Flipart. Just rotate the pieces to fit within the frame and get ready to feel the rush when they all fall into place. Get into it.
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