Good morning. It's Thursday, Dec. 16, and we're covering a guilty plea by Derek Chauvin, a historic milestone for NASA, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].
|
|
|
|
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty yesterday to federal civil rights violations stemming from the arrest and killing of George Floyd last May. The decision likely avoids another trial expected to be subject to intense public scrutiny.
Chauvin was convicted of state-level murder and manslaughter charges during an April criminal trial, receiving a sentence of more than 22 years in prison. The federal charges were brought separately, alleging Floyd's rights were violated twice—once when Chauvin kneeled on his neck despite Floyd being handcuffed and not resisting, and again when Chauvin failed to call for medical care. A sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled; experts say the plea may add around six years to his term.
Three other former officers involved in Floyd's death—Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao—go on trial in March.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Biden administration will award three Medals of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, to soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan in a White House ceremony today. The soldiers receiving the honor include Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee, and Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz.
Cashe will become the first Black US service member to receive the honor since Vietnam. Cashe died in 2005 from injuries sustained while rescuing soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq. Plumlee, a member of the Army’s elite Special Forces, fended off Taliban suicide bombers in Afghanistan in 2013. Celiz, an Army Ranger, placed himself between Taliban soldiers and a US helicopter evacuating soldiers in Afghanistan in 2018; he died in combat.
Historically, Medals of Honor must be awarded within five years of the action. However, legislation was passed earlier this year that waived the five-year limit for Cashe, Plumlee, and two others. See all past recipients and their stories here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
NASA's Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to successfully reach the sun's outer atmosphere, a long-awaited milestone expected to provide insight into solar dynamics and the star's influence on the rest of the solar system.
Known as the corona, the outer solar region extends millions of miles above the visible surface (see diagram). The region is filled with extremely fast-moving charged particles that give rise to ever-changing magnetic fields and occasionally burst outward into space, a potential hazard for satellites and electrical equipment on Earth.
The probe, now traveling at speeds over 200,000 mph, finished the roughly 90-million-mile trip in April, with results published this week. See a video overview of the mission here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enjoy reading? Share 1440 with your three closest friends.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In partnership with SimpliSafe
|
Did you buy a home recently? Move into a new apartment? Eager to upgrade how safe you feel in your long-term home?
There's no better way than with SimpliSafe. Named a "Best Home Security System of 2021" by US News & World Report, PC Mag, Popular Science, and more, you'll be hard-pressed to find a system with higher accolades. SimpliSafe is robust and reliable, providing superior security without the hassle or expense of the old-school brands. In fact, professional monitoring starts at just $15/month (way less than the other guys) with no hidden fees or long-term contracts.
In just 30 minutes, you can blanket every room, window, and door with sensors and cameras to detect break-ins, fires, carbon monoxide, flooding, and more. And with a 60-day Satisfaction Guarantee, you can try SimpliSafe risk-free. Their holiday offer ends soon! Save 40% on your custom system today.
|
Please support our sponsors!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
|
> Bruce Springsteen sells rights to music catalog to Sony for $500M; includes more than 300 songs and 20 albums (More)
> "Hamilton" among multiple Broadway shows that cancel performances due to rising COVID-19 cases in New York City (More) | bell hooks, author and activist known for "Ain't I a Woman?" and "All About Love," dies at 69 (More)
> Top recruit Travis Hunter makes history in selecting HBCU school Jackson State on college football national signing day (More) | See rankings of top recruiting classes (More) | Urban Meyer fired as Jacksonville Jaguars coach before finishing his first season (More)
|
|
|
|
|
|
> Cybersecurity researchers say state-sponsored hacker groups from China, Iran, North Korea, and more are exploiting a significant vulnerability in a widely used platform discovered over the weekend (More) | What is the Log4j exploit? (More)
> New analysis finds the Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average; unclear how much of increase is due to natural variability in ocean temperatures (More)
> Researchers determine how a fly's brain calculates its position in space; study finds a group of neurons that track direction of movement, regardless of the position of the insect's head (More)
|
|
|
|
|
|
> US stock markets rise (S&P 500 +1.6%, Dow +1.1%, Nasdaq +2.2%) after Federal Reserve states it will likely raise interest rates three times next year to battle inflation (More)
> Airline executives from American, United, Delta, and Southwest testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to discuss the economic effects of the recent government aid (More)
> The Securities and Exchange Commission issues a series of new proposals including potential regulations of “swaps” derivatives and new restrictions on executive stock trading (More)
|
|
|
|
|
|
> Congress passes annual defense bill, authorizing $770B for defense spending in fiscal year 2022; see major items here (More) | Everything you need to know about the federal budget (More)
> National Archives releases nearly 1,500 previously classified documents relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (More) | Explore here (More)
> Intense windstorms shut down highways and airports, spawn tornadoes across the central US; peak winds were recorded as high as 100 mph (More)
|
|
|
|
|
|
MIT Press Reader | Michael Bhaskar. How a history of scientific and medical advances makes it more and more difficult to achieve paradigm-shifting innovations. (Read)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic | Katherine Wu. A look at how the immune system's T cells work, and how they can provide protection against COVID-19 long after antibody levels wane. (Read)
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOT YOUR AVERAGE HOME SECURITY
|
Please support our sponsors!
|
|
|
|
|
|
"The traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep."
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
