Good morning. It's Thursday, Aug. 20, and in overnight news, Michigan will reportedly pay almost $600M to victims of the Flint water crisis, while a top critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been poisoned. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

First time reading? Sign up here.

NEED TO KNOW

Bay Area Fires

California's Bay Area was blanketed in smoke as dozens of wildfires raged on three sides of San Francisco. Intense lightning storms earlier in the week sparked at least three major clusters of fires: to the south, at least 25,000 acres have burned in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, with 22,000 evacuated; to the east, fires exploded in size overnight Wednesday to more than 100,000 acres; and to the north, 125,000 acres near the city of Vacaville had been consumed. As of this morning, at least one death had been reported; see a map of the fires here.  

The flames are fueled by a weeklong heat wave stifling Western states with low humidity and gusty, hot winds. The fires come as utility operators enacted the first rolling blackouts in the state since 2001 to meet energy demand amid high temperatures.  

See video of the blazes here. 

Apple Hits $2T

Apple became the first US company to surpass $2T in market value yesterday, briefly eclipsing the mark ending the day at $1.98T. The milestone comes just over two years since it passed $1T—which took four decades to reach—and punctuates a remarkable year during which its stock has risen 60% despite the historic, pandemic-induced economic crash. Its success also reflects the Big Tech boom, driven in part by a homebound population more reliant on technology—Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Alphabet (Google) now make up almost 25% of the S&P 500's value. 

The news comes as Epic Games, maker of the popular video game Fortnite, is suing Apple and Google. The pair control nearly 100% of the US mobile operating system market, taking a 30% revenue cut of all in-app purchases—a practice many developers have criticized as anticompetitive. 

Life Without Uber?

Ridesharing giants Uber and Lyft may suspend their California operations as early as tomorrow, barring a last-minute legal intervention by courts. The move follows a ruling last week by a state judge requiring the companies to adhere to a 2019 law reclassifying many gig economy workers from independent contractors to employees. Uber and Lyft appealed that ruling, which goes into effect tonight at midnight.  

State officials argue classifying workers as independent contractors allows companies to avoid providing benefits afforded to employees—including not having to pay into state unemployment insurance funds (see differences). The companies say it increases worker flexibility and allows them to quickly bring on new drivers. Uber, which has 22,000 employees but almost 1 million drivers in the US, has argued it's not a transportation company, but a technology platform ($$, Wired). 

A November ballot initiative would create an exemption to last year's law for app-based rideshare and delivery drivers. 

Enjoy reading? Share 1440 with your three closest friends.

PIQUE YOUR CURIOSITY

If you're like us, you've used the past few months to really catch up on your television. But also, if we're kindred spirits, after two consecutive weeks of mindless reality TV, you've developed a taste for something a bit different. Something that will actually stimulate the mind.

And that's why more than half of our team uses CuriosityStream. It's the premium documentary and nonfiction streaming service, offering thousands of titles in its library. Science? Got it. Nature? Got it. History? Got it. Tech? Got it. Well, you get it. CuriosityStream's selection is world-class, so you can unwind and learn a thing or two at the same time.

CuriosityStream is available on virtually every streaming TV, phone, tablet, and computer. Check it out today, and get an incredible offer of $14.99 for an entire year, with code 1440. That's right, you can watch endless documentaries for an entire year, for just $1.25/month. Sign up for CuriosityStream today.

Please support our sponsors!

IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Actress and filmmaker Olivia Wilde tapped to direct an upcoming female-centric Marvel movie (More) | Study says male film critics outnumber female critics nearly two to one (More)

> Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion to give away $1M to women while promoting their new song "WAP,” which broke a record with 93 million streams in its first week (More)

> NFL considering bubble-like environment for the postseason (More) | New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wins appeal in prostitution case (More)

Science & Technology

> Lab-on-a-chip prototype demonstrates low-cost, accurate testing for COVID-19 antibodies; may be available for clinical use by the end of the year (More)

> Methylmalonic acid, a byproduct of digesting protein and fat, found to accumulate in the blood over time while promoting the spread of cancer cells (More)

> Scientists demonstrate microrobot capable of carrying 2.6 times its own weight using only methanol (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> Airbnb files for confidential IPO expecting to go public in late 2020, as homesharing market rebounds (More)

> Target sees best quarter in company history as consumers stock up on goods, shares surge 12% (More)

> Minutes from July Federal Reserve meeting show concerns over pandemic’s effect on economic future, saying it “poses considerable risks to the economic outlook over the medium term” (More)

Big grocery shopper? We might just have the card for you. With unbelievable cash back at supermarkets, 0% intro APR, and a competitive welcome bonus, this card has incredible rewards for the family shopper. #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) accepts Democratic vice-presidential nomination, with Joe Biden to formally accept presidential nomination tonight; watch speech here (More) | Former President Barack Obama gives remarks (More)

> US intelligence determines local officials in Wuhan, China, hid the extent of early coronavirus outbreaks, slowing global response (More) | US reports 5.53 million total cases, with 173,181 deaths, as of this morning; see how your state is doing here (More)

> Operation Legend nets more than 1,000 arrests, with over 200 federal charges and 90 homicide suspects; Justice Department effort deployed federal agents to nine cities to clamp down on rising violent crime (More)

IN-DEPTH

Seven Months In, What We Know About COVID-19

STAT | Staff. What's safe, what's dangerous, how the virus spreads, why some experience months of symptoms, and more—review everything we've learned (and what we don't know) about the coronavirus. (Read)

Editor's note: Also check out this harrowing personal account ($$) of the illness from LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke. 

The Man Without a Name

Vox | Katya Cengel. The rise of genetic genealogy and the true crime boom have allowed throngs of amateur sleuths to track down missing persons and reveal unknown identities. But should some people have the right to disappear? (Read)

THOUSANDS OF TITLES

In partnership with CuriosityStream

What do Sir David Attenborough nature documentaries, the secrets of the solar system, the history of food, and the Silk Road have in common?

You guessed it: they're all topics from some of CuriosityStream's thousands of documentaries and nonfiction films. And with code 1440, you can watch them all (and so many more) for just $14.99 per year. Check it out today.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Twenty percent of college students don't plan to reenroll this fall. 

... and despite the uncertainty, America's teachers remain confident.

New German law would require dogs get two walks a day. 

Iowa man runs in each state county to help kids fight cancer. 

Rare "red jellyfish" lightning captured on film in Texas. 

Chilean Batman is on the prowl—to deliver food to the homeless. 

"Tiger King" zoo to close, will be used for shooting "Tiger King" shows.

Thirty times people failed using a microwave.

Clickbait: Porta potties in Japan go transparent. 

Historybook: First around-the-world telegram sent (1911); "Valley of the Dolls" author Jacqueline Susann is born (1918); Leon Trotsky fatally wounded in Mexico (1940); NASA launches Viking 1 probe toward Mars (1975); RIP comedian Jerry Lewis (2017).

"I've had great success being a total idiot."

- Jerry Lewis

Enjoy reading? Forward this email to a friend.

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day and every one is precious. That’s why we scour hundreds of sources every day to provide a concise, comprehensive, and objective view of what's happening in the world. Reader feedback is a gift—shoot us a note at [email protected].

Interested in advertising to smart readers like you? Apply here!