Good morning. It's Wednesday, Sept. 22, and we're covering lava flows on the Canary Islands, a looming legislative battle, and more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

First time reading? Sign up here.

NEED TO KNOW

Eruption on La Palma

More than 6,000 people from four villages have been required to evacuate their homes as a new fissure emerged in the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano on one of Spain’s Canary Islands. The volcano on the island of La Palma started erupting Sunday, causing lava to flow toward inhabited coastal areas and bury hundreds of homes. The new opening appeared late Monday 3,000 ft. north of the ridge after a 3.8-magnitude earthquake hit the island. The quake was among thousands that have been reported over the last week.

As of yesterday, the lava covered nearly 260 acres of the island, and no injuries or deaths have been reported. Officials estimated the current damage at $470M; see photos of the damage here.

Experts also warned the flow could trigger what is known as laze—toxic clouds of acidic gas and condensate produced when lava reacts with cold seawater. 

Trudeau Misses Majority

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau secured a third term in office, while his Liberal Party fell short of securing the 170 seats needed for a majority in parliament.

As of this writing, 14 seats had yet to be decided (current breakdown). The Liberal Party was projected to win 158 seats, followed by the Conservative Party (119), the pro-Quebec Bloc Québécois (34), New Democrats (25), and the Green Party (2). Despite being outgained in seats, the Conservative Party won the popular vote, taking 33.9% of the vote compared to the Liberal Party's 32.2%. 

Trudeau hoped his handling of the pandemic would convince voters to deliver his party a majority, but appears likely to gain just three seats. Though there was little overall movement in seats, the election ended as the most expensive in Canada's history.

Shutdowns and Showdowns

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are gearing up for a pair of legislative showdowns over the next week and a half, set in motion by two decisions over the past two days. 

The first focuses on government funding and the debt ceiling. If Congress does not provide funding for fiscal year 2022 by midnight Sept. 30, the federal government will face a shutdown. Similarly, the Treasury Department has said Congress must raise the debt ceiling by mid-October to avoid default. House Democrats passed yesterday a bill pairing short-term funding through Dec. 3 with a debt ceiling increase—a move requiring the support of at least 10 Republican senators.  

Separately, House Democrats said they planned to bring a $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure deal up for a vote, separate from a $3.5T social spending budget bill. The move pits moderates against progressives, with the latter previously saying they would only support the infrastructure deal if a vote on the budget bill came at the same time. It's unclear how many House Republicans will support the $1.2T bill.

An infrastructure vote in the House is expected Monday. 

Know someone stressed out by the news? Share 1440. 

In partnership with Lob

A CHANGE IN TACTICS

You're a good marketer: You've tested every digital channel you can think of, and you're always looking to expand where possible. But in a time when it's harder than ever to get consumers to respond to digital marketing, this may be your cue to take things offline.

Give direct mail a try: It's an oldie, but a goodie. And with Lob, you can get the same level of transparent, reliable infrastructure for your direct mailings as email, miraculously bringing direct mail in line with your digital channels. It can help you open a whole new world of possibilities, bringing the convenience of the inbox to the mailbox but with responsiveness that digital channels lack.

Embrace a truly omnichannel marketing strategy today. And instead of going at it alone, revising your workflows, eliminating data silos, and revamping your approach to marketing, let Lob lend a hand. Read their Direct Mail Tactics Playbook for free today.

Please support our sponsors!

IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by Public Rec

> Alyson Shontell becomes Fortune's first female editor-in-chief in the business magazine's 92-year history (More)

> The Fugees, hip-hop trio consisting of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel, announce international reunion tour for 25th anniversary of "The Score" (More)

> Willie Garson, actor best known for "Sex and the City," dies at 57 (More) | Hollywood reacts to Garson's death (More)

From our partners: All day, every day. It's both the name of these pants and when you'll be wearing them. Public Rec's All Day Every Day Pants are great at the office, on the golf course, or on the couch—because they make loungewear with waist and inseam sizing for your best fit. And now, they're available in both men's and women's styles for pant-wearers of all shapes and sizes. Public Rec rarely offers discounts, but for the next seven days they're offering 10% off with code 1440—check it out. 

Science & Technology

> Johnson & Johnson says booster shots of its one-dose COVID-19 vaccine prevented 94% of moderate and severe illnesses in US trial; less than 15 million of more than 181 million inoculated Americans received the Johnson & Johnson shot (More)

> AstraZeneca drug shown to reduce the risk of death or tumor progression in metastatic breast cancer by 72% compared to standard treatment in clinical trials (More) | Want to learn the basics of how cancer works? Check out 1440's cancer resource page (More)

> Researchers suggest models of human whistled languages may provide the basis for algorithms capable of decoding communications between bottlenose dolphins (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets end mixed (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq +0.2%) after seeing early gains following Monday’s steep losses, as investors await outcome of today’s Federal Reserve meeting (More)

> Shares of record label Universal Music Group soar 36% in its first day trading to a valuation of 46 billion euros; marks Europe’s largest initial public offering this year (More)

> Google to acquire 12-story office building on west side of Manhattan for $2.1B in the largest commercial real estate deal since the beginning of the pandemic (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> President Joe Biden makes first address since taking office to the United Nations General Assembly; calls on nations to partner on COVID-19, climate change, and other issues (More)

> Sudanese government says it foiled a coup attempt led by supporters of ousted former President Omar al-Bashir; Bashir's government was toppled in 2019 (More)

> FBI confirms the remains found in Teton County, Wyoming, are of missing 22-year-old travel blogger Gabby Petito; coroner rules death a homicide but doesn't specify cause (More) | Authorities search for fiancé Brian Laundrie in Florida's expansive Carlton Reserve (More)

MAILBOX IS THE NEW INBOX

In partnership with Lob

Digital burnout is real. With most people living and working entirely online, it's no wonder digital marketing response rates are dropping.

But do you know where there isn't burnout? Your mailbox. Bring the convenience of email to the mailbox, but with a level of responsiveness digital channels lack. Start connecting more effectively with customers by revamping your direct mail tactics, and read Lob's free Direct Mail Tactics Playbook today.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Welcome to fall.

The best drone photography of 2021.

Child handprints in Tibet may be the oldest discovered cave art.

Visualizing the world's most-used apps.

AI now helps Roombas avoid dog poop.

Apple wants the iPhone to detect depression.

Charting the recovery of the restaurant industry.

Procter & Gamble is losing the toilet paper wars.

The mail jumpers of Lake Geneva.

Clickbait: Australia mulls infecting invasive carp with herpes.

Historybook: President Lincoln issues preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved persons in Confederate states (1862); Peace Corps formally authorized by Congress (1961); Iraq invades Iran, beginning the Iran-Iraq War (1980); “Friends” debuts on NBC (1994); RIP baseball great Yogi Berra (2015).

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

- Yogi Berra

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!