Good morning. It's Tuesday, Feb. 2, and we're covering the fallout from a coup in Myanmar, the effort to return students to classrooms in Chicago, and more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Coup in Myanmar

Details surrounding the military takeover of the Myanmar government continued to emerge yesterday, as observers warn years of fragile democratic progress may be reversed in the Southeast Asian nation. According to reports, civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders have been detained. The 75-year-old former activist is the daughter of the country's modern founder and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991—but also sparked international criticism in 2019 for defending the military against claims of genocide and ethnic cleansing of the country's Rohingya population. 

The coup followed November elections in which Suu Kyi's ruling party claimed more than 80% of the seats in parliament, limiting the military's proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party to just 33 seats. Military leaders claimed widespread voter fraud—without proof, critics say—but the civilian government resisted holding new elections. The military said it would keep control over the country for one year.

Also, if you're wondering why the US still refers to the country as Burma, read this.

School Stalls in Chicago

Most students in the nation's third-largest school district must remain ($$, Tribune) with virtual learning as Chicago Public Schools and the city's teachers union failed to reach an agreement on a return to in-person teaching. Under the initial plan, 60,000 K-8 students would have returned yesterday, but were kept home after it became clear not enough staff would be present. Officials have said teachers who fail to show will be locked out of remote learning platforms—to which the union said it would consider calling a strike. As of yesterday evening, both sides had called for a two-day "cooling off" period.

The struggle is reflective of standoffs across the nation, with many teachers saying a premature reopening puts themselves and their families at risk. Administrators have pointed to evidence in-person learning for young students does not contribute to community spread of the virus—the CDC recently revised guidelines pushing for reopening—and that school closures disproportionately harm minority and low-income students.

See where the nation's largest districts stand here.

Trending Upward

The US economy is projected to return to its prepandemic size by mid-2021, one year earlier than previous projections, according to a government report released yesterday. The gross domestic product—the sum of the country's finished goods and services—is expected to grow by 3.7% during 2021. Unemployment is projected to fall to 5.3% by the end of the year, down from 6.7% in December but well above the prepandemic level of 3.5% (see historical data). 

Analysts say the improved forecast was the result of the original economic downturn being less severe than predicted, a quicker-than-anticipated early phase recovery, and the effects of more than $3T in stimulus funding. The update does not include any current legislative proposals. 

In separate but related news, a group of 10 Republican senators unveiled details of a $618B stimulus proposal ahead of an initial meeting with President Joe Biden. The White House has proposed a larger $1.9T bill. With an evenly split Senate, the administration must either secure all 50 Democrat votes for its own package, or pursue a compromise bill.

Know someone frustrated by traditional news? Share 1440.

FOOT HUGS

When we're buying socks—especially socks for exercise—there are three things we look for: arch support, toe seams, and bunching up. Jumping on the treadmill in honor of New Year's resolutions, we're looking for the most comfortable socks in the history of feet. But too often, we settle for less.

But settle no longer. Bombas has set out to make exercising—be it running, hiking, tennis, basketball, walking, or anything else—easier. Each sock is built with a special arch-support system that's supportive, but not too tight. Like a nice hug, but on your foot. A foot hug. And the annoying little toe seam on top of most socks? Bombas got rid of it. Buh-bye. Lastly, every sock stays perfectly in place, all the time, with special contouring and a Y-stitched heel.

Today, you can buy a pair (or several pairs) of Bombas socks for performance in whatever sport or activity you need most. Plus, for every pair you purchase, Bombas donates a pair to someone in need. Enjoy 20% off your first order today with code 1440.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by Kettle & Fire

> Dustin Diamond, actor who portrayed iconic Screech character on “Saved by the Bell” for over a decade, dies at age 44, just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer (More) | Tony Bennett, 94, reveals he has Alzheimer’s disease (More)

> NCAA study finds majority of college football concussions occur during practice and preseason rather than during games (More)

> Actress Evan Rachel Wood accuses musician Marilyn Manson of sexual abuse (More) | Manson has been dropped by record label in wake of claims (More)

From our partners: Drool-worthy flavors keep clean eating fresh, interesting, and fun. Boredom kills any healthy eating plan, which is why Kettle & Fire created 19 distinct bone broth flavors that hit the spot no matter what you're in the mood for. Grab 20% off + FREE shipping with code 1440.

Science & Technology

> MIT researchers link cooler temperatures in the Paleozoic era to a shift in biodiversity; roughly 500 million years ago, the time period marked the emergence of early animals over microbes (More)

> Startup bluShift Aerospace conducts the first-ever rocket launch from the state of Maine; low-altitude demonstration flight also becomes the first rocket to use biofuels (More) | SpaceX announces first all-civilian flight (More)

> Ford says the majority of its vehicles will run on Google's Android operating system by 2023, as the company shifts to Google Cloud for connected services (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +1.6%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +2.6%) led by gains in big tech companies (More)

> Online trading platform Robinhood raises another $2.4B from investors as retail trading growth continues (More) | GameStop shares fall 31% yesterday after mercurial trading last week; silver prices surge to eight-year high after rumors it’s the next “meme” trade (More)

> Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Disney top Forbes' annual list of the world’s most admired companies (More) | Data management software provider Databricks raises $1B at $28B valuation from Amazon, Alphabet (Google), and Salesforce (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> The COVID Tracking Project, a nonprofit effort to aggregate case data in the US, to shut down (More) | The US reports 443,355 total deaths as of this morning, with 2,031 yesterday; average new cases on the decline in all 50 states (More) | Roughly 32 million vaccine doses have been administered, with almost 6 million people receiving their second dose (More) 

> One person dead, hundreds of flights canceled, as winter storm drops 1-2 feet of snow throughout the Northeast; New York City expected to see up to 20 inches by tomorrow night (More)

> House Democrats push to remove freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14) from committee assignments over support for various conspiracy theories; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R, KY) joins in criticism of Greene (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Legend of Robert Smalls

Criminal | Michael Boulware Moore. (Podcast) In one of the Civil War's greatest (but lesser-known) stories, enslaved person Robert Smalls made a perilous gamble, stealing a Confederate ship out from under the gaze of Fort Sumter. Hailed as a hero in the North, Smalls would not only help defeat the Confederacy, but ultimately return home and serve multiple terms in the US House of Representatives. (Listen)

Web of Vengeance 

NYT | Kashmir Hill. There's holding a grudge, and then there's Nadire Atas, accused of creating more than 12,000 posts in a decadeslong smear campaign over perceived slights. (Read, $$)

SOCKS ON A MISSION

In partnership with Bombas

Did you know socks are the #1 most-requested item in homeless shelters? Because of this, Bombas donates a pair of socks to someone in need for every pair you purchase. And they've already donated more than 40 million pairs to those in need.

Check out Bombas today for the benefit of your feet, and the feet of someone in need. And even better, take 20% off your first order with code 1440.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Virtually explore the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The American Civil Liberties Union elects its first Black president.

Want to go to space? Just donate to St. Jude's.

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Diana H. in TX and Peter U. in OR: Welcome to 1440 Premium! Want to join as well? Learn how you can support our team and receive an uninterrupted, ad-free version of our newsletter. Check it out.

Architects unveil designs for a 20-foot-wide skyscraper.

Former NASA engineers are designing an orbital space hotel.

Watch giant pandas play in the snow.

Man with world's lowest voice sings "Lonesome Road."

Your ex, as a cockroach, getting eaten on Valentine's Day.

Clickbait: When there's a military coup going on, but you just gotta exercise.

Historybook: New Amsterdam (present-day New York) becomes a city (1653); First Groundhog Day celebrated (1887); First Groundhog Day celebrated (1887); First Groundhog Day celebrated (1887); HBD Shakira (1977); RIP Hollywood legend Gene Kelly (1996); Philip Seymour Hoffman dies of drug overdose (2014).

"You should be serious about what you do because this is it—this is the only life you've got."

- Philip Seymour Hoffman

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