Good morning, it's Monday, April 1. In overnight news, at least four people were killed, including a child, in an office shooting in Southern California. The story is still developing.

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NEED TO KNOW

Vaccines Safe for Adolescents

A COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech is safe and 100% effective in children aged 12 to 15, the companies announced yesterday. In the trial that included 2,260 participants, zero infections were reported in the vaccinated group compared to 18 cases in the placebo group. The cohort will be studied for long-term safety and effectiveness for two years while the companies seek emergency use authorization in the coming weeks. 

The news increases the likeliness that middle and high school students may fully return to school this fall. Experts also say vaccination of children and young adults, who make up 20% of the US population, is key to broader herd immunity. Testing in younger children under 12 is currently underway. Separately, Pfizer plans to soon begin testing a freeze-dried version of its vaccine, which could simplify logistics in rural areas.

In less positive news, Johnson & Johnson will suspend part of its future shipments after human error in a Baltimore processing facility reportedly ruined 15 million doses of the single-shot vaccine. Current and near-term shipments, made in the Netherlands, aren't affected. 

Meanwhile, the country has reported 552,072 total deaths, with the daily average up slightly but remaining below 1,000 per day. More than 97 million Americans have received at least one vaccination dose (38% of the adult population). See how your state is doing here.

Opening Day

The 2021 Major League Baseball season gets underway today, returning to near normalcy after a pandemic-shortened 2020 season. All 30 teams will take the field and fans will be in attendance at various capacities (see a visual breakdown), with the Texas Rangers as the only team operating at 100% attendance. 

A number of marquee matchups occupy the opening day slate. At the top of the list, the Washington Nationals host the New York Mets (7 pm ET, ESPN); pitchers Max Scherzer (Nationals) and Jacob deGrom (Mets) have five Cy Young Awards between them. To the west, the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Clayton Kershaw head to Colorado to face the Rockies (4 pm ET, ESPN). See the full schedule here.

The Dodgers open the season as the Vegas favorites to repeat (7-2 odds), followed by the New York Yankees (11-2), Chicago White Sox (9-1), and the San Diego Padres (9-1). See the season's key storylines here.

Biden Pitches Infrastructure

The Biden administration released details of a sweeping $2.3T infrastructure and jobs plan, unveiled as the president gave remarks at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, training center. The proposal would spend funds over eight years while projecting to recoup the cost over 15 years via tax hikes on corporations (see full plan). 

The package includes $621B for transportation infrastructure, $300B to bolster domestic manufacturing, and $100B apiece for schools, broadband access, and upgrading the nation's electric grid. See a rundown of provisions here.

Tax increases would include raising the corporate tax from 21% to 28%, along with eliminating a slew of other corporate deductions; contrary to earlier reports, changes to the top income tax bracket were not included.

Impending legislation faces significant challenges in Congress. Republicans have criticized the tax hikes, along with provisions they view as not central to infrastructure investments. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is reportedly eyeing a second budget reconciliation maneuver to circumvent the 60-vote Senate threshold.

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TAKE CONTROL OVER YOUR STRESS

If you didn't already know, Apollo Neuro is a groundbreaking new wearable device that improves your resilience to stress, so you can better focus, sleep, and stay healthy. Developed by physicians and neuroscientists, it has been proven in clinical studies to improve Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a key metric for health and stress recovery.

But what exactly can you do with an Apollo Neuro?
> Use Clear and Focused mode to deepen your focus on any task at hand—whether that’s clearing your inbox, tackling a workout, or giving a presentation.
> Fall asleep more quickly and sleep deeper with Sleep and Renew mode.
> Use Meditation and Mindfulness mode to relax into flow states and up your meditation game. Apollo Neuro proved in a recent study it can be used to deepen meditation practices for beginner and experienced meditators alike.
> And so much more!

Learn all about Apollo Neuro and its fascinating technology, which doesn't just track your body's metrics, it actively improves health in real time. Take 10% off your order today with code 1440.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by Dollar Flight Club

> Netflix buys rights to two “Knives Out” sequels for $450M, one of the biggest deals ever for a film series (More) | Evelyn Sakash, Emmy-winning production designer, found dead at 66 after going missing in September (More)

> Foo Fighters and Lizzo among the headliners announced for 2021’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (Sept. 2-5); see full lineup of artists (More)

> Los Angeles police have determined the cause of Tiger Woods' car crash; say they won't release findings over privacy concerns (More)

From our partners: Dreaming of an adventure-filled 2021? Make it happen for $1 today. Try Dollar Flight Club for just $1 if you sign up in the next 48 hours. Their 1 million members save 90% on round-trip flights. Think: Hawaii from $109, Greece from $247, or Cabo from $132 on airlines with flexible change policies so you can travel with the utmost peace of mind. For the next 48 hours, you can sign up for just $1. Get it while it’s hot!

Science & Technology

> Hair loss linked to hormones from chronic stress; mouse studies show chronic stress produces corticosterone, which triggers a signaling cascade that eventually pushes hair follicles into a dormant state before falling out (More)

> First-ever measurement of the 3D positions of thousands of glass atoms demonstrated, a breakthrough in the study of disordered solids (More) | How glass is neither a liquid nor a solid (More)

> Studies suggest 2I/Borisov, a rogue comet that passed through the solar system in late 2019, was the most pristine comet ever observed, preserving information about the conditions in which it formed (More)

Business & Markets

> Microsoft wins bid for contract to supply augmented reality headsets to US Army; contract could total $21.8B over 10 years (More)

> Shares of Amazon-backed British food delivery giant Deliveroo fall 26% in trading debut on London Stock Exchange (More) | US real estate tech broker Compass prices initial public offering at a $9B valuation; to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange today (More)

> Delta Air Lines to stop blocking middle seat by May 1; becomes the last US airline carrier to end COVID-19 policy (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Minneapolis cashier testifies he believed George Floyd didn't know he was using a counterfeit bill, appeared to be under the influence; the incident precipitated the police interaction that led to Floyd's death (More) | Witness breaks down over body camera footage played in court (More)

> New York becomes the 16th state to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use; regulations around sales and taxation may take up to 18 months to put in place (More) | Iowa Democrat Rita Hart withdraws election challenge; the incumbent lost 2nd District US House race by six votes (More)

> Suspect arrested in violent assault on an elderly Asian American woman in New York City Tuesday, will be charged with a hate crime (More) | Recent survey finds one in eight Asian Americans say they experienced a hate incident in 2020, 50% higher than the national average (More)

IN-DEPTH

How mRNA Technology Could Change the World

Atlantic | Derek Thompson. The pandemic was the first time vaccines relying on mRNA—messenger RNA, essentially genetic instructions—were used to treat a disease in a clinical setting. But the flexibility of the four-decade-old technology may allow scientists to mimic almost any protein in existence. (Read, $$)

The Google Empire

Land of the Giants | Shirin Ghaffary, Alex Kantrowitz. (Podcast) Season three of the hit podcast explores the history of Google, from its inception to its rise as one of the world's most powerful companies. (Apple, Google, Spotify)

RECOVER LIKE A PRO

In partnership with Apollo Neuro

In a clinical study with the University of Minnesota, Apollo Neuro was found to improve Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in 100% of elite NCAA athletes. These incredible results enabled the athletes to improve in both recovery and overall performance.

But that's not all Apollo Neuro can offer. This wearable device can help you focus, sleep, meditate, and so much more, using gentle vibrations that train your nervous system to bounce back more quickly from stress over time. And today, you can take 10% off your Apollo Neuro order with code 1440; don't miss out!

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

The murky origins of April Fools' Day.

Everything you need to know about vaccine passports. 

NASA's Mars rover takes a selfie.

Concepts to revolutionize airplane cabins.

Kayaking down a snowy mountain. (via YouTube)

The Bidens' dog won't stop biting people.

An homage to a 3,200-year-old spider god.

Fatbergs are destroying America's sewers. 

Clickbait: Cats, birds, Photoshop, and loads of free time.

Historybook: Actress Debbie Reynolds born (1932); Apple Computer founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and don't forget Ronald Wayne (1976); Iran officially becomes an Islamic republic after the Shah is overthrown (1979); Singer Marvin Gaye shot and killed by his father (1984).

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else."

- Marvin Gaye

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