Daily Skimm: On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was

Skimm'd with our issues on full display

"We're out there" – Donna Strickland, on being the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 55 years. It's about time. Then again...time is relative.

THINGS SENDING WORK MEMOS

Amazon

The Story

Jeff Bezos is giving hundreds of thousands of workers a pay bump.

Hey Alexa, explain.

Yesterday, Amazon announced it's upping its minimum wage to $15 an hour for all US workers. That's more than double the federal minimum wage ($7.25). The change means more than 250,000 people will start getting bigger paychecks in November.

Why change things?

Earlier this year, the company said that the median pay for its employees in 2017 was about $28K, which is approx $13 an hour. It also came out that a number of employees were reliant on federal assistance programs, like SNAP. People called out Bezos – the richest person in the world (repeat: the richest person in the ENTIRE WORLD) – for skimping on employees' paychecks. Now, he's saying that the co "listened to our critics." And will also take it one step further by lobbying DC to increase the federal minimum wage.

theSkimm

Amazon is one of the largest employers in the US. Many are saying the company was long overdue for giving its hundreds of thousands of employees some more love.

The State Department

The Story

The State Dept is making it harder for some diplomats in same-sex partnerships to get visas.

Explain.

The dept used to give spousal visas to partners of staff at US-based international orgs like the UN or IMF. But earlier this year, the dept changed the rules and said couples have to put a ring on it to get a visa. And those already given visas will either have to get married and send proof by New Year's Eve...or get out. The changes took effect earlier this week.

Why change things?

The dept says it's to "ensure and promote equal treatment" between straight and gay couples – since straight couples have to be married to get the spousal visa. The problem: gay marriage is illegal in most countries.

theSkimm

The Trump admin says that very few of these people are from countries where marriage is illegal. But many are calling it out for forcing some couples to choose between getting married and facing repercussions back home, or losing their jobs.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when you get a text from the president today...

Don't freak out, it's just a test. In other President Trump news, a report came out that he got at least $413 million of his dad's fortune from "dubious tax schemes" and "outright fraud." Trump allegedly helped his dad set up a sham corporation, make improper tax deductions, and undervalue real estate to evade taxes. The report says the statute of limitations has passed to be criminally charged for these alleged acts, but that he could still face some civil fines for tax fraud. Cue: new calls for Trump to release his tax returns. He declined to comment on the report but his lawyer said the allegations aren't true. New York's tax dept is looking into it. Meanwhile, he's also taking some heat for this.

What people are still thinking about…

Indonesia. Last week, a 7.5-magnitude quake hit the island of Sulawesi. It triggered a tsunami with waves as high as 20 feet. The twin disasters left hundreds injured, tens of thousands homeless, and damaged thousands of buildings. The death toll is at more than 1,400 people. Survivors are desperate for water, food, and other essentials. But damage to roads and infrastructure have prevented aid from getting to critically-damaged areas. Rescue workers and volunteers continue to look through the wreckage in hopes of finding survivors. Here's how you can help.

Who people are talking about…

The four men charged in connection to the Charlottesville, VA rally. Last year, white supremacists showed up in Charlottesville carrying Confederate and Nazi flags to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. Violence broke out between them and counterprotesters. Heather Heyer was killed when a car drove into a crowd. Now, four members of a militant white supremacist group have been charged with allegedly inciting a riot and assaulting counterprotesters. The criminal complaint described these men as "among the most violent individuals" at last year's rally. They each face up to 10 years in prison.

What to say when you can't stop eating candy...

A little is good. Which is what the EPA thinks...about radiation. The Trump admin is apparently moving to weaken radiation regulations. Radiation is everywhere (think: potassium in bananas, microwaves heating your food). And can often be harmless. But the danger is in higher-energy, shorter-wave radiation which can sometimes cause cancer. Previous admins have said that any exposure to harmful radiation is a cancer risk. Now the EPA is apparently coming in with some proposed edits. And would reportedly require that different info be considered to figure out what exposure level is acceptable. Supporters say this would be a huge money saver. Critics say this would be a huge exposure risk. Today, the proposal will be discussed at a congressional hearing.

What to say when you're assigned a group project…

Who's the leader? Time's Up just got one.

NO EXCUSES

Before we launched No Excuses this year, we talked to a lot of you to understand some of your biggest barriers to voting. One thing we heard over and over again was the lack of information about how both sides of the aisle feel about certain issues. So in true No Excuses fashion…we scratched that off the list. And broke down this year's biggest topics – like climate change, economy/jobs, and North Korea. Read in on them here.

We're getting close to Election Day. Your vote and voice matter. Here's why.

SKIMM PICKS

For when you're the mom of the group…

PSA to drink more water. This flavored water has no sugar and no sweeteners. Aaand HQ has heart eyes for it. We picked out our three fave flavors. Buy 2 cases of them and get 1 for free. Water are you waiting for?

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