Good morning. It's Tuesday, Sept. 28, and a New York jury returned a guilty verdict against R&B star R. Kelly, FBI data confirm a jump in homicides, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com.

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NEED TO KNOW

R. Kelly Convicted

R&B superstar R. Kelly was found guilty yesterday on nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking by a New York jury. The racketeering charge—typically used to prosecute mob bosses—was linked to Kelly's oversight of a sex ring that targeted and exploited young girls for years. 

Prosecutors argued the 54-year-old, three-time Grammy winner, who has sold more than 75 million records, used his status to prey on vulnerable girls. He was first accused of having sex with an underage girl in 1991, married then-15-year-old singer Aaliyah in 1994, and was acquitted on similar charges in 2008. In the current case, 45 witnesses provided testimony over a span of three weeks, including 11 accusers. Read a first-person account from one victim here.

The singer faces decades in prison and awaits additional trials on similar charges in Illinois and Minnesota. Kelly's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May.

Homicide Spike

Murders in the US rose 30% between 2019 and 2020, according to annual crime statistics released by the FBI yesterday. It marks the biggest single-year jump since record-keeping began in 1960. The report expands on preliminary data released last week.

Roughly 21,570 homicides were reported last year or about 6.5 killings per 100,000 people. Despite the rise, the homicide rate remains lower than that of the early 1990s, which peaked at 9.8 per 100,000 people. The agency cautions against city-by-city comparisons, though homicides are concentrated in urban areas. The list for the previous year was topped by St. Louis, with a homicide rate more than 10 times the national average.

Experts have cited a mix of the pandemic, fallout of social justice protests, and economic disruption as possible causes for the rise. The homicide rate thus far in 2021 is up 10% from last year.

Notably, overall crime fell by 6%. Explore the data here.

Instagram Kids Paused

Facebook announced yesterday the social media company would pause the release of a version of Instagram geared toward children under 13. The move follows increased scrutiny from users and lawmakers over the proposed idea and its potential impact on its younger users.

The announcement also comes amid a Wall Street Journal investigation alleging Facebook (paywall) knowingly ignored internal metrics showing the app has negative effects on the mental health of teenage users; the company has refuted the claims. Other issues around the project include user privacy and child safety.

Instagram is the third most popular social app with teenagers, behind TikTok and Snapchat, and about 73% of teenagers in the US have an account. Instagram says the company will reevaluate the app to address concerns and focus on teen safety and parental supervision. Some lawmakers have called on Facebook to go beyond a pause and stop the development of the concept entirely.

🎉 Congrats to Richard R. from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the lucky winner of our $10,000 giveaway! 🎉

In partnership with The Farmer's Dog

DOG FOOD 101

To celebrate September back-to-school season, we're giving you a free lesson on dog food. So, think to yourself what you see when we say "dog food." Is it kibble?  Did you know kibble was invented as a shelf-stable solution to tin shortages in World War II, but stuck around because it was easy and inexpensive for manufacturers and pet owners? But what is convenient isn't necessarily healthy. Rates of dog obesity, dental disease, and cancer are all rising—all while pet food recalls are routine. 

But The Farmer’s Dog wants to make you feel more confident in what you feed your beloved pet. They're taking a fresh approach, making only smarter, healthier pet food. Every batch contains exclusively real, fresh, human-grade food, and is delivered directly to your door on a plan made specifically for your pup. No preservatives, no questionable "meals,” and absolutely no corners cut.

See your dog’s recommended plan and, as a 1440 reader, get 50% off your first order today.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by The Ascent

> Rival talent agencies merge as Creative Artists Agency acquires ICM Partners in major Hollywood deal (More) | Screen Actors Guild to "carefully scrutinize" the deal (More)

> Warner Music to become streaming platform Twitch's first major-label partner (More)

> "Bridgerton" is Netflix's most-watched TV series ever with "Lupin" and "The Witcher" tied for second (More) | Jean Hale, film and TV actress best known for "In Like Flint," dies at 82 (More)

From our partners: Mortgage rates are near historic lows. No matter what you bought your home at, there's no stopping you from refinancing at the incredible market rates today, which can amount to thousands in savings. Carpe diem, while it lasts.

Science & Technology

> Facebook says it will spend $50M over the next two years to develop its concept of a metaverse, envisioned as a virtual reality social networking and interaction platform (More) | TikTok passes 1 billion users per month, company officials report (More)

> Research suggests humans raised cassowary chicks 18,000 years ago in New Guinea; findings preceded known domestication of chickens by thousands of years (More) | Meet the cassowary, considered the world's most dangerous bird (More)

> The rise of dinosaurs coincided with significant volcanic activity 230 million years ago that increased temperature and humidity across the globe, study finds (More)

Business & Markets

> Presidents of Federal Reserve banks of Dallas and Boston both resigned yesterday after reports of trading activity which prompted review of ethics rules (More)

> Wells Fargo pays $37M settlement over government lawsuit accusing bank of overcharging businesses on foreign exchange transactions from 2010-17 (More)

> Emerson Collective president Laurene Powell Jobs to invest $3.5B in new climate-action group over next 10 years (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Germany's Social Democratic Party begins talks to build a coalition government after a narrow win in the country's national elections; the party won 206 of 735 seats, needs a majority partnership to govern (More)

> John Hinckley Jr., President Ronald Reagan's attempted assassin, may be freed from oversight next year barring any new violations; Hinckley has been living at his mother's home under behavioral restrictions since 2016 (More)

> Short-term funding bill with attached debt ceiling increase fails to pass Senate; Congress must fund the government by midnight Thursday to avoid a federal shutdown (More)

IN-DEPTH

Dr. Death: Miracle Man

Wondery | Laura Beil. (Podcast) The third season of the popular "Dr. Death" series focuses on Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, whose carefully cultivated image as a world-leading surgeon hid dark secrets. (Listen)

Toast of the Town

CNBC | Ari Levy. How restaurant payment processor Toast turned a $500K investment into a $31B market valuation by intentionally avoiding Silicon Valley. (Read)

LET THEM EAT FOOD

In partnership with The Farmer's Dog

To create their fresh, healthy dog food recipes, The Farmer’s Dog works with board-certified vet nutritionists, and uses exclusively real, whole meats and veggies. It’s not wet food and it's not dry food—it’s just food. And they deliver it to your door, on a plan that works best for you and your dog. 

As a 1440 reader, take 50% off your first order today when you follow our link.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Why the cost of coffee is rising.

The rise of COVID-19 dashboards.

Mapping the bestselling vehicles in every US state.

Vaunted Viking map of North America exposed as a forgery.

The hottest baby names heading into 2022.

Brooklyn-based designer creates human-sized nests.

Wandering turtle holds up air traffic at a Japanese airport.

Shaquille O'Neal retires from being a celebrity.

Clickbait: Is the US on the brink of a mating crisis?

Historybook: Chinese philosopher Confucius born (551 BCE); Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin (1928); Ted Williams is last major league baseball player to bat over .400 (1941); RIP jazz legend Miles Davis (1991); RIP American tennis great and color barrier breaker Althea Gibson (2003).

"No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you."

- Althea Gibson

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