Good morning. It's Tuesday, June 23, and we're looking under our couch cushions for Wirecard's missing billions. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Coronavirus Cases Surge in Florida

New cases of the coronavirus in the US now account for 20% of new cases reported globally, as more than 20 states grapple with a rise in infections.

Florida, one of the earliest states to begin reopening, passed 100,000 confirmed cases yesterday, with nearly 3,200 deaths. The number of new cases reported daily in the state has more than quadrupled in the past month, with almost 3,000 reported Sunday. Gov. Ron DeSantis has attributed the rise to increased testing, though data show tests have remained about the same while the percentage of positive tests increased from 4% to 11% since the beginning of June (see data). 

Much of the surge is concentrated in southern and western states; follow the number of new daily cases compared to each state's reopening status here. Public health officials have said the infection is still in its first wave, with a potential second wave possible when many return indoors in the fall. Meanwhile, New York City—where the positive test rate is now near 1%—moved into a phase 2 reopening yesterday.

In total, the US has reported 2.31 million cases, with 120,402 deaths, as of this morning. See the three-day moving average here.

'The Room Where it Happened'

A much-anticipated book from former Trump national security adviser John Bolton is expected to hit shelves today, having sidestepped a legal challenge to block its release. The exposé purports to provide behind the scenes commentary of the White House during Bolton's tenure, from April 2018 to September 2019.

Bolton's time spans high-level summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, trade negotiations with China, and the delay of Ukrainian aid that ultimately led to impeachment proceedings. Bolton has broadly claimed Trump's foreign policy decisions were motivated by reelection prospects. The White House has flatly denied the account while accusing Bolton of revealing classified information. The manuscript had finished a preliminary clearance review in late April, but officials said sensitive items still remained after further examination. Bolton accused the White House of slow-walking the process and moved forward. 

The memoir's impact remains to be seen—Bolton himself is widely disliked on both sides of the aisle.

A 'Total Disaster' in Germany

German financial technology firm Wirecard told regulators yesterday that more than $2B it had listed in accounts likely never existed. The stunning admission is the latest twist in a scandal that has paralyzed the once-soaring company, which specializes in behind-the-scenes digital payment processing. Many critics—some of which say the company targeted them ($$, WSJ) for harassment—have long accused Wirecard of inflating revenue numbers via obscure third parties. Yesterday, company officials conceded at least three firms that accounted for an estimated half of annual revenue created fake invoices and likely never conducted any business on behalf of Wirecard. One often-used technique was known as "round-tripping," where money would leave a Wirecard-owned bank and sit momentarily in a fake customer account before returning, appearing as a legitimate transaction.  

Shares of Wirecard, once one of the 30 biggest German companies, fell 85% over the past three days. 

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THE SHADES OF THE SEASON ARE ... DANISH?!

Denmark consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world. They have just about everything: from high scores on income equality to long life expectancy to beautiful people, it's hard to see why Danes wouldn't be happy. Coincidentally, Christopher Cloos glasses are also from Denmark. Now, we're not saying Christopher Cloos eyewear is the reason Danes are so happy. But we're also not not saying it.

Christopher Cloos sunglasses are the sleeker, smarter, better-functioning versions of your current shades. That's right, they're the Denmark of sunglasses. Polarized, beautiful designs, and spring-hinged (so they hug—and don't hurt—your face), you'll be wondering how and why you ever bought your last pair of mall kiosk shades. And Christopher Cloos doesn't stop at sunglasses. They also have an elite line of blue light glasses to ease headaches, eyestrain, and insomnia that we know all too well from staring at screens all day.

If you aren't sold yet, just check out their site today. You'll be leaving with your very own spring-hinged sunglasses or blue light glasses by the end of the day. And use coupon code 1440 for 20% off.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Entire field of racers at Talladega Superspeedway stands in solidarity with Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s lone Black driver, after a noose was found in his garage stall (More)

> Joel Schumacher, filmmaker best known for “Lost Boys” and Batman films, dies at 80 from cancer (More) | The 2021 Golden Globes pushed to Feb. 28 due to the coronavirus (More)

> MLB owners unanimously vote to impose 60-game season after failing to reach an agreement with players’ union (More)

Science & Technology

> Mini-organs grown in the lab, known as organoids, shown to be infected by the coronavirus; allows researchers to study the virus at the cellular level while testing various treatments (More)

> Apple to begin using its own computer chips for products beginning this year (More) | Apple gives Basecamp temporary approval for its subscription-based email app Hey, telling the company it must update its app to meet Apple App Store rules (More)

> Japanese supercomputer overtakes Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Summit system as the world's fastest; has a benchmark processing speed of 500 petaflops (500 million billion calculations) per second (More)

Business & Markets

> US home sales in May fall to lowest level in more than nine years, value of homes increase at smallest rate in eight years (More)

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +1.1%) as tech stocks see gains, Nasdaq closes at record high (More)

> Apparel giant Patagonia joins list of companies suspending Facebook advertising to support #StopHateForProfit movement (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Seattle to wind down the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest Zone, but will not use police to clear the area as of yet; move follows back-to-back shootings near the zone, unlinked to the protest (More)

> President Trump extends suspension on new green cards and most types of work visas through the end of the year; order exempts foreign farmworkers (More)

> Saudi Arabia will bar foreign visitors from participating in Hajj pilgrimage this year over coronavirus concerns; the annual Islamic holy trip to Mecca typically draws more than 2 million people (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Neuroscience of Optical Illusions

Vox | Brian Resnick. Reality as we see it appears smooth, but what we actually "see" is a reconstruction created by our brains that runs about a tenth of a second behind using discrete signals. Here's a look at how the brain fills in the blanks, and why it matters. (Read)

Crisis Mode

The Verge | William Joel. For years, employees at Crisis Text Line—which connects people in crisis with counselors across the country on demand—complained about a pattern of racial insensitivity. When the board wouldn't listen, they took their case to Twitter. (Read)

HYGGE

That isn't a typo, we're talking about "hygge," the Danish word describing a sensation of comfort, coziness, and contentedness. And hygge is exactly what you'll feel when you put on your first pair of Christopher Cloos sunglasses.

Their spring hinges hug your face, extending beyond the typical 90 degrees, so the wide- and narrow-headed among us can wear in style. Plus, their sleek styles will have you stealing glances at the mirror all summer long. So check out frames that are straight out of Denmark today, with Christopher Cloos. Get 20% off with code 1440.

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ETCETERA

The pandemic has upended the normally calm cheese market. ($$, NYT)

Visualizing the true size of Earth's various land masses.

Thirty beers that helped change America.

From our partners: Escape to a 5-star resort in Belize for just $229. Choose your dates with the peace of mind that your trip is fully refundable. Book now here. #Ad

Aerial footage captures 1 million flowers woven into a blanket.

One chart captures the US population in each generation.

Where to find the best Black History museums in the country.

Feel like there's an abundance of fireworks going off? You're not alone.

This is what an auditory illusion sounds like.

Clickbait: Women won't date men who have this one trait.

Historybook: Computer scientist Alan Turing born (1912); Track and field great Wilma Rudolph born (1940); Title IX enacted, bans gender discrimination in public education and sports (1972); RIP polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk (1995); United Kingdom votes to leave the EU (2016).

"The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more."

- Jonas Salk

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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. Have feedback? Shoot us a note at [email protected].

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