5.23.2018

All your news in a single email. We scour 100+ sources so you don't have to. Culture, science, sports, politics, business, and more - all packaged in a 5-minute read below.
 

Cancer Mortality Falls.
A nationwide study reported that US cancer deaths have steadily declined for two straight decades for men, women, and children in the United States. The report, which examined data up to 2015, found that cancer mortality dropped an average of 1.8% annually for men and 1.4% for women - even during a 2010-2014 window where the number of cancer cases increased, the death rate continued to fall. While total deaths from all types of cancer dropped, the data showed that over the past four years death rates from cancers of the liver, pancreas, and brain increased in both men and women. Officials attributed the overall trend to better awareness, earlier screening, and more advanced treatment options. 

An estimated 1.74 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2018, with 600,000 deaths - about 25% of those deaths will be caused by smoking-related cancers. 

First Major Rollback of Dodd-Frank.
Congress approved legislation rolling back key parts of the Obama-era financial reform law known as Dodd-Frank yesterday. The House approved the measure 258-159, with 33 Democrats voting yes. The bill eases regulations around which banks are considered "systemically risky" - and therefore subject to more oversight - by raising the threshold for rules to kick in from $50B in total assets to $250B. Supporters, including 17 Senate Democrats who voted for the companion bill in March, said it would help small and regional banks provide more credit to small businesses. Less than ten banks in the country exceed the $250B threshold, and will still be subject to the regulations under the revised limit (see list here). The bill now heads to President Trump for signature. 

Amazon Rekognition.
Police in Florida and Oregon have been using little-known facial recognition software developed by Amazon, according to documents released yesterday. The system - piloted in Orlando and Washington County, OR - allows for powerful surveillance capabilities that can tap into police body cameras in real-time. The software can analyze up to 100 faces at once, comparing them against a database of tens of millions of people. In the case of Washington Co., the sheriff's department reportedly pays (paywall) between $6 and $12 per month to use the platform, asking county officials to tout the service to other public sector groups. The software itself is not secret, Amazon openly advertises it on its website (see here) - though its uses are generally described as object recognition for web applications, with facial recognition as a subset. Officials said the software was akin to comparing mugshots of suspects in real-time, while critics said Amazon was helping build a future mass surveillance infrastructure.
 

Enjoy reading? Share with friends.
 

> Stacey Abrams becomes first black woman to be a major party nominee for governor after winning GA Democratic primary (More)
> Six current and former students file lawsuit over alleged sexual abuse by USC gynecologist (More)
> Study finds that whites commit suicide at higher overall rates than blacks, but black children aged 5 to 12 commit suicide at rates twice as high as white children (More)
 

> Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologizes to European Parliament in Brussels for massive data leak, answers questions around data security (More)
> J.C. Penney CEO departs for Lowe's, shares slide 8% to all-time low (More)
> Sony to acquire EMI - world's largest music publisher - for $2.3B (More)
 

> Bioengineered gel suppresses scar tissue in mice brains, help regrow neurons and blood vessels after strokes (More)
> Scientists find that immune system mechanism responsible for battling tuberculosis also play roles in Parkinson's development (More)
> Citizen science reveals two-decade-long presence of invasive hammerhead flatworm species in France and French territories (More)
 

> Fortnite developer Epic Games commits a record $100M for Fortnite esports tournaments (More)
> Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award Prize wining author Phillip Roth dies at age 85 (More)
> NFL announces major changes to kickoff rules for 2018 season that eliminate wedge blocks and lower ability for kicking team to get running start (More)

Amazing images of lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano reaching the Pacific Ocean.

World Fame 100: ESPN ranks the biggest names in global sports for 2018. 

The percentage of American adults identifying as LGBT increased to 4.5% in 2017.

See the progress towards pot legalization in all 50 states - in map form.

US women's soccer legend Brandi Chastain's hall of fame plaque is really, really bad. 

How much exercise you need to slow your heart's aging process. 

Grandpa on wrong end of gender reveal fail. 

A small sinkhole opened on the White House lawn - and it's growing. 

Ohio man calls 911 after being stalked by a lonely pig. 

Clickbait: NY Supreme Court evicts 30-year-old son who won't leave parents' home. 

Historybook: Infamous bank robbers Bonnie & Clyde are killed by police (1934); RIP John D. Rockefeller (1937); German Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann is captured in Argentina (1960); HBD Jewel (1974); RIP Roger Moore (2017).
 

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."
- John D. Rockefeller
 

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Spend your first five with us and never miss out on the conversation. Drop us a line and let us know how we're doing at hello@Join1440.com.

www.Join1440.com