Good morning. It's Friday, Nov. 13, and out of an abundance of caution (and fear of alligators) we'll be staying off Florida golf courses for the time being. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

First time reading? Sign up here.

NEED TO KNOW

Measles Roars Back

Deaths from measles rose last year to their highest levels in more than two decades, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released yesterday. Driven by a global campaign to eradicate the disease, reported infections worldwide dropped from more than 850,000 annually in 2000 to around 130,000 in 2016. Cases then jumped by 550% over the next three years, to 870,000 in 2019 (see full review), fueled by drops in vaccination rates. The figures represent only reported cases; roughly 10 million global cases are estimated to have occurred in 2019. The bulk of cases are in Africa, though the Americas—where disease was nearly eradicated—saw the biggest percentage increase since 2016.

The highly contagious (but vaccine-preventable) disease can live for hours in the air and requires close to 95% immunization to achieve herd immunity. Children under five are particularly susceptible to the disease and represent the majority of fatal cases. More than 200,000 deaths were reported last year.

In related news, the US reported 153,000 cases of COVID-19 yesterday—another record—with the cumulative death toll now more than 242,400. Thirteen states have seen cases double within the past two weeks, with the Great Plains and Midwest accounting for the lion's share of new cases—see how your state is doing here. See rolling averages for cases and deaths here and here.

Harvard Discrimination Suit

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that Harvard University does not illegally discriminate against Asian American applicants, upholding a lower court ruling from last year. The case made waves in 2018 when it was revealed in court that Asian American applicants were consistently rated lower on personality tests, reducing their chances of admission, despite routinely outperforming peers on quantitative metrics.

Though private, Harvard receives federal funding and is therefore subject to federal antidiscrimination requirements. Race-based admissions policies are allowed if they serve a compelling interest (for example, the need to create a diverse student body). The case was one of the first times details of the rigorous selection processes at America's top schools were made public. The school—which accepted just 5.3% of applicants last year—doesn't deny the data, but says it has a different view of what constitutes a fair admissions process. 

The case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court. 

Manila Underwater

At least 39 people were killed and nearly 4 million were left without power as Typhoon Vamco triggered severe floods in the Philippine capital of Manila. An estimated 40,000 homes in low-lying areas around the city were said to be submerged. Equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane, Vamco was the eighth typhoon to hit the islands in the past two months and came just 10 days after Super Typhoon Goni—the strongest storm anywhere in the world this storm season—killed 25 people and left more than 100 towns without electricity. See photos of the aftermath here.

On the other side of the world, Tropical Storm Eta dropped five to 10 inches of rain and brought high winds to many parts of central and northern Florida yesterday. Forecasters are anticipating the 30th named storm of the season—Tropical Storm Iota—is likely to develop in the Caribbean over the weekend. 

Know someone who needs smart, objective news? Introduce us.

SODA—WITH BENEFITS

We're going to let you in on a little secret: Your favorite soda probably isn't very healthy.

But that can always change. OLIPOP is the delicious, refreshing soda you love, with the digestive health benefits you need. Their sodas have the same great taste as classics like orange soda, root beer, and (our personal favorite) Vintage Cola, but with 90% less sugar than the stuff you grew up with. Combine that with a mix of prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals to support your microbiome and benefit digestive health.

It's time to upgrade your soda with OLIPOP's delicious flavors and uncompromising health benefits. But you don't have to take our word for it: With their money back guarantee, OLIPOP will give you a 100% refund if you don't like something purchased through their site. No questions asked. Head on over and use code 1440MEDIA to take 20% off + free shipping on their variety pack.

Please support our sponsors!

IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by CanvasPeople

> Three-time Grammy winner The Weeknd tapped as the headline performer at the Super Bowl LV halftime show; game scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 7, in Tampa, Florida (More)

> The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, postponed until July 2021, will allow a limited number of foreign spectators to attend but with strict health guidelines (More) | Ivy League cancels winter sports, including women’s and men’s basketball, due to COVID-19 (More)

> Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu wins American League MVP (More) | National League MVP awarded to Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (More)

Weddings, graduations, vacations: We’ve taken some excellent photos over the years (pats own back). And now, we’ve discovered a way to bring beautiful photos from the camera roll to the living room. CanvasPeople prints your favorite images onto high-quality canvases. And today only, they’re giving 1440 readers one free 11x14 canvas print (over $80 in value), just pay S&H. Create yours now. #Ad

Science & Technology

> One in five COVID-19 patients are diagnosed with mental health issues within three months; insomnia, anxiety disorders, and dementia were most common (More)

> Israeli startup to unveil speaker technology that beams directed sound waves to the listener; users would reportedly be able to listen to audio without headphones, without disturbing those around them (More)

> Leprosy documented in wild chimpanzees for the first time; discovery suggests a mystery host species, possibly rodents, are reservoirs for leprosy-causing bacteria (More)

Business & Markets

> Initial unemployment claims drop to 709,000 filed during the previous week; figure marks the fourth consecutive week of declines, but still stay above the prepandemic peak of 695,000 in 1982 (More)

> Department of Commerce won’t enforce order to effectively shut down Chinese social media app TikTok in the US which was set to take effect yesterday (More)

> US consumer prices were unchanged in October, suggesting price spikes seen over the summer are subsiding (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Remaining media outlets call Arizona for President-elect Joe Biden, following Fox News and The Associated Press who made the call last week (More) | Coalition of state and federal officials back security of election, say no voting system was compromised (More) | See Department of Homeland Security's Rumor Control page (More)

> Eight people killed, including six American troops, when helicopter crashes as part of a peacekeeping mission in Egypt (More)

> Men accused in the Georgia killing of Black man Ahmaud Arbery request bond; prosecutors reveal string of racist texts between pair during hearing (More) 

IN-DEPTH

About Those Polls

The Daily | Michael Barbaro. (Podcast) The Upshot's Nate Cohn explains why President Trump outperformed polls again, and why the polling errors this cycle were worse than in 2016. (Google, Apple, Spotify)

The Blood House at Fountain Drive

Truly*Adventurous | Danny Cherry Jr. It was a seemingly normal Tuesday night when a house in Atlanta began to bleed—literally. The cause of the bizarre episode remains a mystery to this day. (Read)

Editor's note: See a press clipping on the event.

Are We Wired to Be Outside?

Nautilus | Grigori Guitchounts. Has evolution hardwired our brains to be outdoors—and if so, what does that say about our ability to adapt to the Digital Age? (Read)

Old Dogs, New Research

NYT | James Gorman. New understanding of how dogs change as they age—both physiologically and in their personalities—may have useful similarities to humans. (Read, $$)

LIKE THE GOOD OL' DAYS

In partnership with OLIPOP

It used to be a highlight of our days to get home from school, grab a can or bottle of soda, and sip on it while kicking back. That is, until the sugar crashes started hitting. It wasn't long before we realized that the ingredients in regular soda simply don't cut it with our bodies. But thankfully, we recently discovered OLIPOP.

OLIPOP has 90% less sugar than the sodas you love, without sacrificing at all on flavor. Check it out today, and use code 1440MEDIA to receive a 20% discount + free shipping on their variety pack, with flavors like Vintage Cola, Classic Root Beer, Orange Squeeze, Cherry Vanilla, and Strawberry Vanilla. Better start reminiscing.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

This prehistoric-looking alligator is just out for a leisurely stroll. (w/video)

Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

Browse Harvard University's catalog of free online classes.

Take a POV ride on Busch Gardens' newest coaster.

Why sighing is the body's reset button.

A breathtaking shot of Scotland's Edinburgh Castle.

See the beauty chosen to be Rockefeller Center's Christmas tree. 

How Thanksgiving travel will look different this year.

Listen to an 81-year-old Italian man serenade his hospitalized wife from the street.

Clickbait: Turkmenistan's new gold statue.

Historybook: Walt Disney’s groundbreaking animated film "Fantasia" premieres (1940); HBD Whoopi Goldberg (1955); Montgomery bus boycott pushes US Supreme Court to rule Alabama bus segregation illegal (1956); First up-close photo of Saturn sent back from spacecraft Voyager I (1980).

"I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people."

- Rosa Parks

Enjoy reading? Forward this email to a friend.

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day and every one is precious. That’s why we scour hundreds of sources every day to provide a concise, comprehensive, and objective view of what's happening in the world. Reader feedback is a gift—shoot us a note at [email protected].

Interested in advertising to smart readers like you? Apply here!