Good morning. It's Tuesday, Feb. 23, and we're covering the state of the pandemic in the US, protests in Myanmar, and more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

500,000 Deaths

The total number of reported COVID-19 deaths in the US surpassed 500,000 yesterday. The symbolic milestone comes just over a year since Patricia Dowd, a 57-year-old Bay Area woman, became the country's first known victim, succumbing to the disease Feb. 6, 2020. Flags will be at half-staff this week in recognition of the deceased.

The news comes as new cases continue their downward trend, with the average case rate falling below 70,000 per day (see data). The number of new cases reported each day is on par with the peak of the virus' second wave, seen in July. However, the test positivity rate—the share of tests returned positive—has fallen below 5%, compared to more than 7.5% in July.  

The US is averaging roughly 1,850 new COVID-19 deaths per day, down more than 40% over the past six weeks. Based on available data, those aged 65 and older account for 80% of reported deaths, despite accounting for just 14% of cases. 

More than 44 million people have received at least one vaccination dose, with the country averaging almost 1.5 million doses administered per day. See how your state is doing here.

See the toll of the past year in photos.

Protests Grow in Myanmar

Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Myanmar (Burma) yesterday, while millions of others participated in a general workers' strike. The largest sign of opposition against a Feb. 1 military coup to date, protester turnout swelled despite an increasingly heavy-handed response from police. Some observers suggested weekend violence—when police reportedly fired on crowds, killing two and injuring at least 20— acted to galvanize protesters. 

The former civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has not been seen in person since being ousted and detained. The lone exception (see our previous write-up) was a televised appearance in which she was read charges during the beginning of a military-adjudicated trial.    

Pro-democracy protesters have adopted a three-finger salute made popular by the "Hunger Games" novel and film series as a sign of solidarity. 

... and in Spain

At least 130 people have been arrested and more than 100 injured as protests across Spain over the imprisonment of popular rapper Pablo Hasél entered their seventh night. While last night's march ended peacefully, previous demonstrations have turned violent in many cities, with primarily youth-led crowds clashing with police and vandalizing property.

Known for infusing his music with activist politics, Hasél was given a suspended sentence in 2018 for tweets and lyrics in which prosecutors say he glorified terrorism and political violence while insulting Spain's former king, Juan Carlos I. The case has become a flashpoint for a debate over free speech in the country, with more than 200 prominent Spanish writers and artists signing a petition defending Hasél.

See photos of the unrest here.

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THE EXPERT'S CHOICE

When people recommend products or services, a good thing to look for is, do they actually use it? It's why we always test our advertisers' products before promoting to you, and also why our ears perked up when we saw The Ascent is promoting a credit card that their co-founder, Nathan Hamilton, uses personally.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Daft Punk, influential French electronic music duo with six Grammy Awards, split after 28 years (More) | Music world reacts to the news (More)

> New York City movie theaters to open March 5 at 25% capacity; AMC shares surge nearly 15% on the news (More) | Jay-Z sells 50% of his Champagne brand Armand de Brignac to luxury conglomerate LVMH (More)

> Spotify announces launch of “Renegades: Born in the USA,” an eight-episode podcast featuring former President Barack Obama and music superstar Bruce Springsteen (More)

Science & Technology

> NASA's Ingenuity aircraft, a foldable helicopter deployable from the Perseverance rover, signals from Mars that it's operational (More) | Watch the first high-definition video ever recorded of entry, descent, and landing on another planet (Watch) 

> China's Huawei unveils its flagship Mate X2, a foldable dual-screen smartphone; the company is expected to move its phones onto its in-house operating system, HarmonyOS, in April (More)

> Lab-grown brain cells shown to mimic developing brains in infants, allowing scientists to study postnatal neurological disorders (More) | What are organoids? (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by MBA@Syracuse

> US stock markets mixed (S&P 500 -0.8%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq -2.5%), tech stocks fall as bond yields rise (More) | Institutional Investor releases hedge fund manager compensation data, all top 10 managers earned more than $1B in 2020 (More)

> Biden administration tweaks Paycheck Protection Program loan application process, allows businesses with less than 20 employees to apply during a two-week window before larger companies (More)

> Largest US tiremaker Goodyear to acquire Cooper Tire in $2.8B deal (More)

From our partners: Want to skip the GMAT? MBA@Syracuse, Syracuse University’s top-ranked online MBA, enables working professionals to network and advance their careers in as few as 24 months. No GMAT required to apply. Learn more. 

Politics & World Affairs

> US Supreme Court permits Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. access to former President Trump's financial records (More) | ... and declines to hear one of the final remaining challenges to the 2020 election (More) | Dominion Voting Systems files $1.3B defamation suit against MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell over election fraud claims (More) 

> Report finds police in Aurora, Colorado, lacked justification to stop and restrain 23-year-old Elijah McClain in 2019; interaction ultimately led to McClain's death (More) | Case sparked protests over police treatment of minorities (More)

> Wife of notorious drug kingpin El Chapo arrested in Virginia, accused of helping operate a multibillion-dollar drug cartel (More) 

IN-DEPTH

Searching for a Weak Spot

BBC Future | David Cox. Some infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus have shown unusual—and so far, inexplicable—resistance to the infection. Scientists are scouring their genetic makeup to uncover the reason. (Read)

The Final Descent of Dean Cummings

Outside | Devon O’Neil. On the surface, the former world champion extreme skier had it all—money, talent, and celebrity. But Dean Cummings' success masked deeper demons. (Read)

YOUR NEW GO-TO CARD

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The application is shockingly quick—he managed to finish it in five minutes. Check it out yourself to secure up to $1,148 in value for no annual fee.

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ETCETERA

Read a W.E.B. Du Bois article on the civil rights struggle from 1897. ($$, Atlantic)

Every professional team's Jackie Robinson.

Science says we may be able to communicate with dreamers.

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A deathbed confession spurs calls to reexamine the Malcolm X assassination.

Ranking the 101 best movie endings.