Truce Holds, Congo Eruption, and an Eiffel Tower Illusion
Israel's fragile truce holds, Apple's CEO Tim Cook testifies, and Congo's active volcano erupts. This and more in today's digest.
Good morning. It's Monday, May 24, and we're covering a fragile truce in Israel, testimony from Apple's CEO, and more. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com. First time reading? Sign up here. NEED TO KNOW
Truce Holds in IsraelA fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip held over the weekend, despite clashes between police and Palestinian protesters inside Israel at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque. One of Islam's holiest structures, the mosque sits on the Temple Mount (known as the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims), a site also revered in Judaism and Christianity. International groups have shifted focus to the challenge of rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure and disbursing aid. Hamas—an Islamist political and militant group that has governed Gaza since 2006 (see 101)—wants aid routed through its organization. Israeli officials argue funding would be used to rebuild the group's arsenal. Compounding difficulties is a blockade around the region (see map), which is meant to prevent smuggling but also slows down the import of aid and building materials. In spite of the violence, Hamas appears to have gained support among Palestinians relative to the rival Palestinian Authority, which exerts partial authority over the West Bank. Tim Cook Testifies Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stand Friday, answering questions in a case pitting the tech giant versus Epic Games, maker of the popular Fortnite video game. Cook, facing allegations of anticompetitive practices around its App Store, argued the company's strict control over how and which apps may be downloaded on iPhones is a privacy and security issue. Apple's iPhone makes up more than half of the US smartphone market, and reaches roughly 1.4 billion worldwide users—but apps can only be downloaded through the company's App Store, a concept known as its "walled garden." Among other policies, Apple requires all financial transactions made by user-downloaded apps to be processed by Apple—from which it takes up to a 30% cut. Epic argues Apple has used its dominance in one market (phones) to take unfair advantage in a second market (apps). See a deeper dive here. Cook is the last witness to testify—both sides will make their final arguments today. Mount Nyiragongo EruptsAt least 15 people were killed and thousands evacuated from their homes Saturday after Mount Nyiragongo erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lava flows took villages by surprise but stopped short of reaching the city of Goma, home to almost 700,000 people. One of Africa's most active volcanoes, the eruption was the latest in what has become a roughly every-two-decade occurrence. A 2002 eruption killed an estimated 245 people while destroying more than 10% of Goma. A 1977 eruption killed at least 600 people while recording some of the fastest lava flows on record at 37 mph. Officials fear the death toll will rise as the search for survivors—including more than 170 children—continues. See photos from the eruption here. 56% of Americans can't name an objective news source—share 1440 with a friend. ARE YOU HYDRATED?
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Simone Biles makes history (again). Early entries from our favorite photography contest. Old records shed light on 18th-century smallpox outbreaks. Optical illusion leaves the Eiffel Tower spanning a canyon. Deepfake Robert De Niro speaks flawless German. Americans, please stop snuggling with your chickens. Photography is the new big-game hunting. A fascinating interactive of a cicada's life. ($$, WashPo) Clickbait: ... and crunchy and delicious tree shrimp tacos. Historybook: Samuel Morse sends first commercial telegraph message (1844); The Brooklyn Bridge is opened in NYC (1883); HBD Bob Dylan (1941); HBD musician Patti LaBelle (1944); RIP jazz legend Duke Ellington (1974). 
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